What is the religion of Tuvans? Tuvans: throat singing, sumo and salty tea

Lost among the ring of the Sayan Mountains, Tuvans have always felt separate and isolated from the world. In ancient times, the Mongols, Turks, Saxons, and Scythians participated in the formation of the nation. The result of the mixture of cultures was the distinctive Tuvan people, in whose life Buddhism, shamanism, unique throat singing and the national wrestling khuresh are closely intertwined.

Name

The self-name of the people “Tuva” has been known since early times: the first mentions are found in Chinese chronicles of the 6th-7th centuries, as “tupo”, “oak”, “tubo”. The name goes back to the name of the ancient Turkic Tuba tribe, which occupied the territory of modern Tuva at the end of the first millennium of the new era.
Neighboring peoples mistakenly called the Tuvans Soyots and Uriankhais. The second option is common among the Mongols. Soyots, by analogy with the general name of the Sayan tribes, Tuvans were defined by the Khakass and Altaians, who still use the exonym in relation to the nationality.

Where they live and numbers

Experts estimate the population at 300,000 people. The 2010 Russian census showed that 263,934 Tuvans live in the country. The majority - about 250,000 people - are located on the territory of the Republic of Tyva, in the historical habitat zone. Tuvans also live in other regions of Russia:

• Krasnoyarsk Territory - 2,939 people.
• Irkutsk region - 1,674 people.
• Novosibirsk region - 1,252 people.
• Tomsk region - 983 people.
• Khakassia - 936 people.
• Buryatia - 909 people.

In other states, the number of Tuvans is smaller due to long-term assimilation processes, but there are a number of national diasporas where the cultural and linguistic traditions of the people are preserved. Among them:

• Aimaks Khuvsgel, Khovd, Bayan-Ulgii in Mongolia - about 5000 people.
• Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China - about 3,300 people.

Language

The vast majority of the people, 283,000 people, know their native language, which belongs to the Turkic branch, the Sayan group. The formation of the language was significantly influenced by the Uighur and Kyrgyz tribes that invaded the region of modern Tuva and mixed with the Turkic population.
In ancient times, Tuvans used the Mongolian language when corresponding; they did not have their own written language. The first alphabet was developed in 1926 based on Russian graphics, and in 1930 it was replaced by the Latin version. 1943 was marked by the appearance of a new Cyrillic version of the alphabet used today. In the Republic of Tuva, the national language is used everywhere in everyday life, culture, and the media. Russian and Mongolian are widely spoken.

Story

Similar genotypes of Tuvans and American Indians indicate the presence of common ancestors. According to research, ancient tribes that migrated from Eastern Siberia 15,000 years ago partially settled in the Sayan Mountains. Some crossed the ice isthmus to North America, marking the beginning of the development of Indian tribes.
The formation of the Tuvan nation began at the end of the first millennium AD. At that time, scattered Indo-European, Samoyed, and Keto-speaking tribes lived on the territory of modern Tuva. Archaeological finds prove connections with the Scythians, tribes of Kazakhstan and Mongolia, and Saka tribes.
By the 8th century, the region was under the influence of the powerful Turkic Khaganate, which at the end of the century was defeated by Turkic-speaking tribes of Uighur origin who invaded the territory of Tuva, influencing ethnogenesis and the formation of the national language. A century later, the Tuvans were captured by the Yenisei Kyrgyz, who quickly assimilated into the local population.

The primary formation of national characteristics was completed in the 13th-14th centuries, when a number of Mongolian tribes settled in the region and had a significant influence on the appearance of the Tuvans. During the same period, the Tuvan tribes were under the rule of the Mongol khans: there is a version that Genghis Khan’s mother came from this nation. The decline of the Mongol Empire led to the emergence of several khanates: the Tuvan lands were part of the Oirat and then the Dzungar Khanate. In 1755-1766 The region is captured by the troops of the Qing Empire: the Tuvans fall under the rule of Manchuria. During this period, military service was introduced, the feudal organization of society was strengthened, and division into administrative territories was made.
Since 1860, Russian and Chinese merchants were allowed unhindered trade on the territory of Tuva. Active development of lands by Russian settlers begins. This put an end to the isolation of Tuva and led to the emergence of modern household items, housing, and clothing. Trade with uninformed Tuvans was carried out at inflated prices, which led to a sharp reduction in livestock among the population.
At the beginning of the 20th century, political disputes began between Russia, Mongolia and China regarding the strategically attractive Uriankhai region. As a result, in 1912, the Tuvans chose Russia, asking the state for protection and patronage: in 1914, the Russian emperor included the region into the country.
1922 - the independent state of the People's Republic of Tannu-Tuva, or the Tuvan People's Republic, was formed. During the Great Patriotic War, Tuvans volunteered to go to the front, where they became a real threat to the Wehrmacht. Accustomed to restrictions in everyday life, they were distinguished by their courage and fought desperately. The people donated all the horses that were distinguished by their special endurance for the needs of the war. And to equip the Allied troops with skis, unique birch trees, found only in the republic, were cut down, perfectly suitable for these purposes.

The further history of the people is inextricably linked with Russia:

• 1944 - Tuva became part of the USSR as an autonomous region;
• 1961 - acquired the status of the Tuvan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic;
• 1991 - Republic of Tuva as part of Russia;
• 1993 - renamed “Republic of Tyva”.

Appearance

Turkic, Indo-European, Mongolian, Ket tribes, Saxons and Scythians took part in the process of forming the appearance of the nationality. The inhabitants of Tuva belong to the North Asian race, more precisely, the Mongoloid Central Asian type.
Distinctive appearance features:

• average height;
• athletic or thin figure;
• black coarse hair;
• dark eyes with epicanthus;
• weak hair on the face and body;
• wide and tall face;
• slightly protruding nose.

The nomadic way of life made the Tuvans strong, resilient, and agile. The people were distinguished by their courage, hot temper, and self-esteem. To this day, the mentality is characterized by a tendency to isolate the people, whose country is lost among the spurs of the Sayan Mountains, hidden from other regions and nations.

Cloth

The national costume of Tuvans is varied, rich in bright colors and decor. Clothes were made from purchased fabrics, home-made felt, and tanned skins of domestic and wild animals. Traditional summer clothing is a robe of Mongolian cut, long, wrapped to the right, complemented by a belt. The clothes were monochromatic - purple, green, blue, red, yellow. The top of the outfit was decorated with a stand-up collar made of multi-colored stripes of fabric.
In the off-season they wore short sheepskin coats with the fur facing out; in winter they were replaced with long-length ones, fastened on the right side. Shoes - boots made of rawhide with elongated and turned up toes. Festive couples were decorated with appliqués with geometric, floral, and animalistic patterns. In winter, felt stockings were additionally worn.
Women valued jewelry and had plenty of it: Tuvans were considered skilled jewelers. They preferred rings, rings, bracelets with engravings, and massive earrings. Metal plates decorated with precious stones were woven into two braids. Men shaved the front of their heads and collected one braid from the remaining hair.

Women's bare heads were not welcomed; they always wore scarves and hats. Six-piece hats, hats with a high pointed top and trimmed with fur along the brim, were popular. Married women decorated them with fur tassels and red ribbons. Patterns and inserts of the same color were attached over the suit to the chest: it was believed that red shades drive away evil spirits.

Family life

Until the 20th century, Tuvans retained remnants of tribal relations. Small families of two generations predominated, living in separate yurts as part of the aala. The aal community consisted of two or three related generations; usually, grown-up sons set up their homes next to their parents’ yurt. This group of people roamed, and in the summer they united with other communities on a neighborly basis.
The predominant family type was monogamous; wealthy Tuvans who owned large herds had several wives. The marriageable age for girls was 15 years old; there are known cases of marriage at 11-13 years old. According to tradition, a wedding could only take place in an odd numbered year of life: 15, 17, 19 years. The age of the groom did not matter; sometimes 10-12 year old boys got married, and widowed old men also looked for brides.
Weddings were practiced by agreement, concluded after the child turned 8-9 years old, and “cradle” weddings happened. When the bride reached the age of childbearing, the appointed matchmakers arrived with gifts: fabrics, alcohol, sweets, furs. The relatives of the girls accepted the bride price, in response throwing a feast lasting a day: the result of the feast was considered to be the setting of the wedding date.

The second visit of the matchmakers took place with the groom, who was left alone with the bride: his “male strength” was tested. This led to premarital pregnancies and childbirth, which was not considered a shame among the Tuvans. On the wedding day, the bride moved to the groom's aal, where a feast was held that lasted for 24 hours, regardless of the wealth and social status of the family.
Before the girl left home, the bride's parents prepared a new yurt, clothes, bedding, kitchen utensils, and allocated livestock. The “dowry” did not pass to the groom’s family, but remained the property of the bride until the end of her life: the newlyweds moved to the new yurt immediately after the wedding.
Relationships before marriage not with the betrothed were punished only by the wrath of the father: the children resulting from such unions were left in families and raised along with legitimate ones. Tuvans strived to have many children: it was believed that a woman who gave birth to five children automatically received a place in a better world. The people did not have other people's children: orphans were taken into the care of relatives and neighbors.

Life

Based on their occupation and territorial distribution, Tuvans were divided into eastern and western.

1. Eastern Tuvans (Todzha) are reindeer herders and hunters who roamed the mountains of the Eastern Sayan Mountains. They hunted fur-bearing and ungulate animals: the skins of the former were sold, the meat and skins of the latter were used for sewing clothes, home improvement, and food.
2. Western Tuvans are pastoralists who occupied the plains and foothills of the western regions. The predominant activity is nomadic cattle breeding, herding yaks, camels, horses, and sheep. During the summer stays, they engaged in farming, sowed barley and millet, and dug artificial canals to irrigate fields.

Gathering of roots, nuts, and herbs played a major role: reserves of saran in the Aale reached several hundred kilograms. A traditional folk craft is the creation of felt products: clothes, shoes, carpets, mats, shelters for yurts. Men were engaged in blacksmithing and carpentry, women tanned leather and created birch bark products.

Housing

The traditional Tuvan dwelling is a yurt, made of lattice base walls, fastened inside with a hoop that formed a window for smoke to escape. The base was covered with felt, fastened with ropes. Western Tuvans installed conical tents, covered with birch bark in summer and animal skins in winter.
In the center of the Tuvan home there was a hearth: a symbol of well-being, endowed with sacred meaning. Every year, shamans held rituals of welcoming and feeding the fire spirit in every home. In everyday life, a woman had to look after the hearth, since fire had a feminine nature in the minds of the Tuvans and was called Ot-ine: the real embodiment of a woman who is the keeper of the hearth.
The right half of the yurt is for women: utensils, clothes, and household items were stored here. On the left were men and objects of the men's zone of responsibility: felt, weapons, carpentry tools, hunting tools, and cattle drives. A free area for receiving guests was set up opposite the entrance. Metal chests with exquisite forging were placed on the sides of the yurt, and leather bags with supplies of grain, oil, and tea were hung on the walls.

Culture

The heritage of the Tuvan people is the unique throat singing of khoomei. The skill of the performers makes it possible to achieve sounds of different tones not by movements of the vocal cords, but by contractions of the diaphragm: due to constant pressure on the internal organs, professional singers get sick more often than others and have a shorter life expectancy.
Throat singing originated from the surrounding environment: yurts located in desert fields were permeated with the sounds of wind and rain, the cries of birds and animals. The human ear is not able to distinguish the full range of sounds of throat singing, but its influence on the subconscious and animals has been proven. The most famous khoomeizhi is the Mongol warrior known as the Nightingale the Robber, who killed with a loud whistle.

Religion

Traditional beliefs of Tuvans are associated with endowing the surrounding world with spirits: guardians, helpers, protectors, punishers. Religion is closely related to shamanism: shamans were family and professional, men and women. In the XIII-XIV centuries, Buddhism from Tibet penetrated into the region and harmoniously intertwined with national beliefs.
And today shamans and lamas play an important role in the life of society. People go to shamans for advice, to find out the future, to ask for healing or good weather on a certain date. Since their arrival in the region, the lamas have been quite tolerant of manifestations of traditional beliefs, including a number of spirits in the pantheon and some holidays in the religious calendar.
On the Tuvan New Year of Shagaa, religious services are held in Buddhist temples all night long with the participation of the spiritual leader of the people, Kaba Lama. In the morning, shamans together with lamas perform the San-saryly ritual, dedicated to the sun and fire. Lamas read sacred scriptures, and shamans “feed” the fire with offerings of sweets and meat.

Tuvans revere and deify the sun, and during an eclipse they come to its defense, because they think that the luminary is fighting against dark, evil spirits. In the past, people ran out into the street, started shouting loudly, shooting into the sky with guns, and hitting iron utensils. Today, with the help of a national spoon with nine holes, tos-karak “sprinkles the sky”, splashing national salty tea or milk upward.

Traditions

Funeral traditions are also closely related to the cults of the sun and fire: in the past, the dead were burned, and the houses of the deceased were fumigated with larch branches. Later, they began to carry the dead far into the taiga: they left them on the ground, building a tombstone around them.
Tuvans were seen off on their final journey with applause: it was believed that loud sounds drove away evil spirits. Clapping your hands was so associated with funerals that children were forbidden to clap during games, and if this happened, protective crosses were drawn on their palms.
Every year at the end of summer, the national Tuvan holiday Naadym is celebrated, previously held to unite tribal ties and honor the spirits of ancestors. Today, at the holiday, the national traditions of the people are being revived. Among the obligatory elements of the festivities:

• Throat singing;
• National wrestling khuresh. Wrestling is similar to sumo, so Tuvans have repeatedly shown themselves to be excellent sumo wrestlers. The most famous of them are Batkar Baasan and Ayas Mongush;
• Horse racing, where children from 3-5 years old act as riders;
• Archery at a target;
• Exhibition of felt products;
• Tasting of national cuisine;
• A colorful performance based on the history of the people.

Food

The daily diet of Tuvans consisted of boiled sheep meat and dairy products. After slaughter, only the skin, “horns and legs” were left from the ram. Meat, internal organs and even blood were used for food. Salty khan tea was considered the main drink that quenched thirst well. To prepare, pour milk into a large cauldron, throw in a couple of pinches of black or green tea, let it boil, add salt, and add melted butter.

The national Tuvan dish is blood sausage. Strained blood was poured into thoroughly washed lamb entrails, and salt and onions were used as spices. The top was tied in a knot and pierced with a stick, then the workpiece was lowered into boiling water for several hours. When ready, the lower part of the sausage was fed to the spirit of fire, the upper part, with a stick, was given to the head of the clan. According to tradition, a piece of sausage or part of a carcass (to prepare one meal) was necessarily distributed to each member of the aal.

Famous Tuvans

The most famous Tuvan is Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu. Interestingly, his real name is Shoigu, and his surname is his family name Kuzhuget. That is, at birth the future minister was Shoigu Kuzhuget: He became Sergei only in adulthood when he received documents.

Video

Khakassia Khakassia:
936

Buryatia Buryatia:
909

Kemerovo region Kemerovo region :
721

Moscow Moscow:
682

Primorsky Krai Primorsky Krai :
630

Altai region Altai region:
539

Khabarovsk region Khabarovsk region :
398

Omsk region Omsk region:
347

Amur region Amur region :
313

Yakutia Yakutia:
204

Altai Republic Altai Republic :
158

Mongolia Mongolia:(2010 census)Tuvians 5,169

China China:
4,000 (2000 estimate) Language Tuvan, Russian (in Russia), Mongolian (in Mongolia) Religion Buddhism, shamanism Related peoples Sayan subgroup

Tuvinians(self-name - Tyva, plural number - tyvalar; outdated titles: soyons, Uriankhians, Tannu-Tuvians , Tannutuvians) - Turkic people, indigenous population of Tyva (Tuva).

Encyclopedic YouTube

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✪ Tuvans (narrated by Marat Safarov)

✪ Tuvans are the elite special forces of Genghis Khan.

✪ Attila's barbarians of Tuvia during the Second World War. The first ally of the USSR is not England but Tuva.

✪ Tuva and Tuvinians before the annexation of Russia.

✪ Tuvans and Yenisei Kyrgyz are a bone of contention on the issue of the border between China and Russia.

Subtitles

Name

The name of the Tuvan people “Tuva” is mentioned in the annals of the Sui (581-618) and Tang (618-907) dynasties of China in the form dubo, tubo and tupou. Also, the name “tuba” is mentioned in paragraph 239 of the Secret History of the Mongols. In an earlier period they were known as Uriankhians (XVII-XVIII centuries), in a later period (XIX-early XX centuries) - Soyots. Regarding other ethnonyms - Uriankhs, Uryaikhats, Uriankhians, Soyans, Soyons, Soyots - in general, it can be argued that such a name was given to them by neighboring peoples, and for the Tuvans themselves these ethnonyms are uncharacteristic. Turkologist N.A. Aristov concludes that “the Uriankhai are called Mongols, but they themselves call themselves Tuba or Tuva, like the Turkified Samoyeds of the northern slopes of the Altai and Sayan ridges; they are also called soyots, soits, soyons." “The name Uriankhs is given to this people by the Mongols, but they themselves call themselves Tuba or Tuva,” writes G. L. Potanin. The ethnic name “Tuva” was recorded in Russian sources of the 60-80s. XVII century (History of Tuva 2001:308) and the Tuvans themselves never called themselves Uriankhians. The Altaians and Khakassians called and still call the Tuvinians Soyans. It is known that the Mongols, and after them other peoples, mistakenly called the Tuvans Soyots and Uriankhians.

A notable event is the appearance in Russian documents of the self-name “Tuvians”, which all Sayan tribes called themselves. Along with it, another name was used - “Soyots”, That is, in Mongolian “Sayans”, “Soyons”. The identity of the ethnonyms “Tuvians” and “Soyots” is beyond any doubt, since, as B. O. Dolgikh rightly asserts, the ethnonym “Tuvians” is formed from a self-name and is common to all Sayan tribes. It is no coincidence that it was on the lands of the Baikal region, Khubsugul and Eastern Tuva, where they roamed in the 6th-8th centuries. The early ancestors of the Tuvans - the Tubo, Telengits, Tokuz-Oguz, Shivei tribes from the Tele confederation, the Russians met tribes that called themselves Tuvans. The ethnonym “Tuva” is recorded in Russian documents of the city, testifying to the existence of the Tuvan people. It is quite possible that this self-name existed among the Tuvan tribes long before the appearance of Russian explorers near Lake Baikal. However, there were no objective conditions yet for the complete consolidation of the Tuvan tribes.

Number

The total number of Tuvans is about 300 thousand people.

Number according to All-Union and All-Russian censuses (1959-2010)

	Census 1959	Census 1970	Census 1979	Census 1989	Census 2002	Census 2010
USSR	100 145	↗ 139 338	↗ 166 082	↗ 206 629
RSFSR/Russian Federation including in the Tuva Autonomous Okrug / Tuva Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic / Republic of Tyva	99 864 97 996	↗ 139 013 ↗ 135 306	↗ 165 426 ↗ 161 888	↗ 206 160 ↗ 198 448	↗ 243 422 ↗ 235 313	↗ 263 934 ↗ 249 299

Tuvan culture

Popular cultural life in Tyva:

• native language and literature - almost everyone speaks the Tuvan language perfectly;
• Tuvan throat singing are the most technical masters in Tyva, they amaze with the variety of all styles of “khөөmeya”: kargyraa, khorekteer, khөomey, sygyt, borbannadyr, ezengileer, hovu kargyraazy etc.;
• the livestock breeders' festival "Naadym" is the most important event in Tyva, held at the end of summer;
• "Shagaa", the new year according to the lunar calendar, is a holiday to welcome the new year;
• wrestling “Khuresh” – that’s why there are so many world-famous freestyle wrestling and sumo champions from Tuva (many Khuresh wrestlers are world champions in sumo);
• beauty contests "Dangyna" (among girls) and courage contests "Tazhy" (among boys);
• traditional Tuvan national clothing and its modern versions;
• horse racing;
• chess (usually chess with national figures);
• stone cutting art;
• honor to the volunteers of the Great Patriotic War, the Tuvan front-line soldiers - now in the center of Kyzyl a monument to the front-line soldiers of the Great Patriotic War, Tuvan volunteers, is being built;
• traditional respect for nature;
• traditional way of life;
• etc.

Khuresh fight

Tuvans, wherever they are, always fight - they hold competitions among guys in khuresh. In Tyva, thanks to the work of leading wrestlers and the Khuresh National Wrestling Federation, republican-level competitions are currently held monthly, where ratings are measured and wrestling titles are awarded. The main one of these competitions is the tournament during the Naadym holiday, where all wrestlers are divided into 2 categories: up to 18 years old inclusive, 19 and older.

National clothes

National clothes are now in great demand in Tyva - they are worn on holidays, at various traditional competitions (khuresh, archery, horse racing, etc.), at beauty and courage contests, when receiving diplomas, at weddings and on ordinary days.

Modern national clothes can be bought in all major shopping centers in Kyzyl; many sew them themselves.

Students outside of Tuva constantly hold beauty and courage contests "Tazhy bile Dangyna" (from Tuvan "Prince and Princess") is a colorful event of student life, where students from representatives of all nations of the Republic of Tyva can participate.

Ethnic groups and related peoples

Tribal division

Tuvans of the Republic of Tuva

Tuvans are divided into Western (mountain-steppe regions of western, central and southern Tuva), who speak the central and western dialects of the Tuvan language, and Eastern, known as Tuvinians-Todzha (mountain-taiga part of northeastern and southeastern Tuva), who speak in the northeastern and southeastern dialects (Todzha language). Todzhins make up about 5% of Tuvans.

Tofalar

The Tofalars, who live on the territory of Tofalaria - Nizhneudinsky district of the Irkutsk region, are a fragment of the Tuvan people who remained part of the Russian Empire after the main part of Tyva became part of the Chinese Empire in 1757. They experienced significant administrative and cultural (verbal and everyday) influence from on the Russian side, due to their small numbers and isolation from the bulk of the Tuvans.

Soyots

Close to the Tuvans are the Soyots living in the Okinsky district of Buryatia. Now the Soyots are Mongolized, but measures are being taken to revive the Soyot language, which is close to Tuvan.

Tuvans in Mongolia

Also Tuvans are the Uriankhai Monchak and Tsaatan people living in Mongolia. In their entirety, Tuvans in Mongolia live in the Bayan-Ulegei region, Uvs, Selenge and Khovdinsky.

Monchak Tuvans

The Monchak Tuvans (Uriankhai-Monchak) came to Mongolia in the mid-19th century from Tuva.

Tsaatani

The Tsaatans live in the north-west of Mongolia in the Darkhad Basin. They are mainly engaged in reindeer herding. They live in traditional dwellings - urts (chum) - all year round.

Tuvans in China

It should be noted that researchers associate the predominance of Mongoloid traits in the anthropological type of local residents precisely with the period of the invasion of Tuva in the 3rd century BC. e. the Huns, who gradually mixed with the local population, influenced not only the language, but also the appearance of the latter.

The main influence on the ethnogenesis of the Tuvans was exerted by the Turkic tribes that settled in the Tuvan steppes. In the middle of the 8th century, the Turkic-speaking Uyghurs, who created a powerful tribal union in Central Asia, the Uyghur Khaganate, crushed the Turkic Khaganate, conquering its territories, including Tuva. Some of the Uyghur tribes, gradually mixing with local tribes, had a decisive influence on the formation of their language. The descendants of the Uyghur conquerors lived in western Tuva until the 20th century (perhaps they included some clan groups now inhabiting southeastern and northwestern Tuva). The Yenisei Kyrgyz, who inhabited the Minusinsk Basin, subjugated the Uyghurs in the 9th century. Later, the Kyrgyz tribes that penetrated into Tuva were completely assimilated among the local population.

The ethnonym “Tuba” itself testifies to the fact that the Tubins belonged to the Samoyed-speaking group of peoples in the past. Georgi, of course, is wrong in believing that the Tubins got their name from the name of the Tuba River. On the contrary, this river received the name Tuba from the Russians precisely because the Tubins lived along it. It is known that earlier, in the 17th century, this river was called Upsa. The ethnonym “tuba” is not accidental, but, on the contrary, an ancient ethnic term that first became known in the Chinese chronicles in the form of “oak” and in the 5th century in the chronicles of the Wei dynasty it is found as the name of one of the generations of Gaogu-tele. In the chronicle of the Tang dynasty (618-907), this generation of Dubo is classified as the ancient Tugu Turks, and the “ski Tugu”, forest dwellers who were the eastern neighbors of the Hagyas of the Chinese chronicles, who are usually identified with the ancient Yenisei Kyrgyz. Let's quote this place according to a revised translation: “The rivers all flow to the northeast. Having passed this state, they unite, and in the north they enter the sea (that is, Lake Kosogol, as the translator Iakinf notes). In the east they reach (it is said about the traveler) three generations Jue Muma ( muma means literally: wooden horses, that is, skis) or skis stupidly; are called Dubo, Milege and Echzhn. Their elders are all Xia-jin (Giegins in the transcription of Iakinthos). “Houses are covered with birch bark. Lots of good horses. They usually ride wooden horses (muma), running on the ice. The legs are propped up (supported) with boards; If you rest your armpit on a crooked tree (stick), then suddenly they rush 100 steps with force.” The chronicle preserved a brief but expressive description of the life of Dubo: “It was divided into three aimags, each of which was governed by its own chief. They did not know annual times (did not have a calendar): they lived in huts made of grass; They had neither cattle breeding nor arable farming. They have a lot of sarana: they collected its roots and prepared porridge from them. They caught fish, birds, animals and ate them. They dressed in sable and deer dresses, and the poor made clothes from bird feathers. At weddings, the rich gave a horse, and the poor brought deer skins and raw roots,” etc. From this description it is clear that the ethnonym Dubo belonged to the taiga hunting tribes, dependent on the Tupos, who were in their position as Kishtshs. The life of the ancient Dubos is similar in detail to the life of hunters and trappers of the Samoyed-speaking tribes of the Sayan-Altai Highlands of the 17th-19th centuries, who also bred riding deer. It is characteristic that it was among the hunting tribes of the mountain taiga of the Sayan-Altai Highlands who, according to their way of economy and life, preserved the ethnonym Dubo in the form of “tuba” as a self-name. Let us recall that the term “tuba” is used by the Karagas - hunters-reindeer herders and consumers of saran, then by the northeastern Tuvans, among whom especially the Todzhins are hunters-reindeer herders and gatherers of saran, and the northern Altai - tuba kizhi or tubalar - hunters and trappers.

The general level of culture of the Tyukyu tribes and the most developed Tele tribes (Uighurs), these early historical ancestors of the Tuvans, was quite high for that time, as evidenced by the presence of runic writing and a written language common to all Turkic-speaking tribes.

The culture and life of the population of Tuva during the period under review had common forms with neighboring tribes and peoples. Many of their features have been preserved from that time over several centuries until the present time, reflecting the genetic connection and continuity of the culture and life of the Tuvans with their distant historical ancestors. These are, for example, shamanism, a calendar with a 12-year animal cycle, customs that have survived to this day, as well as a number of geographical names of ancient Turkic origin, etc. There is hardly any doubt that the ancient Turkic features of the culture and life of modern Tuvans are associated with the continuous participation their ancestors in ethnogenetic processes in the historical interaction of the tribes that formed the Tuvan nation.

The Tumat Mongols (Tumad), an extremely warlike tribe living in the east of Tuva, were the first to rebel against the Mongols in 1217 and desperately fought a large army sent by Genghis Khan. During one of the battles, the experienced commander Boragul-noyon was killed. After the massacre of the rebels in 1218, Mongol tribute collectors demanded Tumat girls for their rulers, which deeply offended the Tumats. An uprising broke out again, which was supported by the Yenisei Kyrgyz, who refused to give troops to the Mongol command. To suppress the uprising, which covered almost the entire territory of Tuva, the Minusinsk Basin and Altai, Genghis Khan sent a large army led by Jochi. The advanced units of the army were led by the highly experienced Bukha-noyon. Jochi's troops, brutally suppressing the rebels, conquered the Kyrgyz, Khankhas, Telyan, clan groups of Khoin and Irgen, forest tribes of the Urasuts, Telenguts, Kushtemi, who lived in the forests of the Kyrgyz country, and the Kem-Kemdzhiuts.

XVII - XVIII centuries

The Tuvan tribes, under the rule of the Khotogoit Altan Khans, roamed not only in the territory of modern Tuva, but also to the south, up to Kobdo, and to the east, to Lake Khubsugul.

After the victory of the Manchu troops over the Dzungars, the Tuvan tribes fragmented and became part of various states. The bulk of them remained in Dzungaria, carrying out military service; for example, in 1716, Tuvan troops participated in a raid into Tibet as part of the Dzungar army.

Tibetan Buddhism, which penetrated into Tuva in the 13th-14th centuries under the Manchus, took deep roots into Tuvan soil, merging with Tuvan shamanism, which is a system of ancient religious beliefs based on the belief in good and evil spirits surrounding humans, inhabiting mountains and valleys forests and waters, the celestial sphere and the underworld, influencing the life and destiny of every person. Perhaps, more than anywhere else, a kind of symbiosis of Buddhism and shamanism has developed in Tuva. The Buddhist Church did not use the method of violent destruction of shamanism; on the contrary, she, showing tolerance to the ancient beliefs and rituals of the Tuvans, ranked among the Buddhist gods good and evil heavenly deities, the master spirits of rivers, mountains and forests. Buddhist lamas timed their “festival of the 16 miracles of Buddha” to coincide with the local New Year’s holiday “Shagaa”, during which, as before, pagan sacrifice rites were performed. Prayers to guardian spirits preceded prayers in honor of the highest Buddhist deities.

XX century

At the end of the 19th century, Russia and its neighbor China, which was a semi-colony of Western powers, were concerned about the fate of the adjacent territories that they had acquired in the 18th century through military or peaceful means.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, the question of ownership of the Uriankhai region, which is of exceptional strategic importance for Russia, was raised in Russian business circles. From to

That night, in the main Orthodox church of Tuva, 12 Tuvans were baptized and for the first time not only a night liturgy dedicated to Shagaa took place, but also the reading of psalms in the Tuvan language.

Feofan, Bishop of Tuva and Kyzyl. Christmas party for children, 2014. (photo by S. Mongush)

As the press service of the Kyzyl diocese reports: “The prayers of the service were joined by petitions from the prayer service for the civil new year, in which thanks were offered to God for his blessings in the past year and a blessing was asked for the coming year. For the first time, the clergy, choir and parishioners pronounced some petitions, psalms, prayers, passages from the Holy Scriptures in the Tuvan language. Most of those present in the church began the Sacraments of Repentance and Communion. On the same day, on the eve of the night service, 12 people received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism.

Bishop Theophan concluded the service with a congratulatory word, in which he wished the parishioners, in connection with the celebration of the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, to have as many meetings with the Lord as possible, similar to those that occurred on this day among believers who began the church sacraments.

The service ended with a joint meal between the archpastor and the laity in the Sunday school refectory at the cathedral.

12 people received the Sacrament of Holy Baptism on the night of Shagaa (Photo by the press service of the Kyzyl diocese)

“The difference between the church format of the news and the secular one is the absence of the phrase “service in honor of Shagaa.” Still, on any day our service is in honor of Christ,” a famous Orthodox reformer comments on the event. Andrey Kuraev on your FB page. "I am glad. What is important is not the reason for prayer, but the prayer itself. You can pray about the outbreak of war and the coming of peace. You can pray in connection with an epidemic or drought. Why not pray when your neighbor is happy and happy? So, maybe it’s time to show our own children some of the tolerant hospitality that we show Buddhists? And yet serve prayers to St. Valentine on February 14 and to All Saints on the famous autumn night?” asks the theologian.

The main priest of Tuvan Christians in the world Alexey Kim Bishop Feofan is originally from Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. In 1997 he was tonsured a monk. Since 1997, he has been a priest of the Resurrection Cathedral in his native Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk. Since 2000, he worked in Korea and was awarded the title of “Honorary Citizen of Seoul” by the Seoul City Hall. In October 2011, by decision of the Patriarch and Synod of the Russian Orthodox Church, he was elected “Bishop of Tuva and Kyzyl”.

Feofan, Bishop of Tuva and Kyzyl. Epiphany, 2013. (photo by S. Mongush)

The Christian mission in Tuva is already counting down the second century of its presence. In 1868, with the beginning of gold mining in Tuva and the arrival of Russian merchants, one of them, Nikolai Putilov, was ordained and became the first Orthodox priest. The first Orthodox church appeared in 1911. In 1929, under Soviet rule, the Russian mission rebuilt the Holy Trinity Church, which is still standing today, along with the new Resurrection Cathedral, consecrated four years ago.

In addition to Orthodox Christians in Tuva, since the 30s, an active Old Believers community of the Belokrinitsky consent has been preserved; in the town of “Upper Yenisei” there are several settlements completely populated by Old Believers, whose ancestors fled after Nikon’s church reforms for the Urals. The Old Believers still do not recognize the Orthodox Church. In the republic there are organizations and houses of worship of evangelists, Baptists, and Catholics.

The list of all parishes of the Orthodox diocese includes 13 organizations throughout the republic: the Church of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Ak-Dovurak. Parish of the Church of the Holy Royal Passion-Bearers in the village. Khovu-Aksy. Parish of the Church of St. Sergius and Herman of Valaam in the village. Toora-Khem of Todzhinsky kozhuun. Orthodox Parish of the Church of Equal-to-the-Apostles Prince Vladimir p. Balgazin of Tandinsky kozhuun. Orthodox Parish of the Church of Blessed Xenia of St. Petersburg, Kyzyl. The arrival of the temple in honor of the Kazan Icon of the Mother of God in the village. Saryg-Sep Kaa-Khem district. Parish of the Church of John the Baptist. Sush of Piy-Khemsky kozhuun. Parish of the church in honor of St. Sergius of Radonezh in the city of Shagonar. Parish of the Church of St. Innocent of Irkutsk. Turane. Parish of the Holy Trinity Church in Kyzyl. Parish of the Church of St. Nicholas the Wonderworker. Buren-Bai-Khaak Kaa-Khem district.

According to some sources, there are more than 10% of Tuvinians who converted to Christianity. The active work of modern, educated missionaries makes the faith, traditionally considered “Russian,” attractive to the indigenous population. For Tuvan Christians, the Bible was reprinted twice in the Tuvan language, the translation of which was worked on by employees of the Tuvan Institute of Humanitarian Research. "There are just under seven thousand languages ​​in the world, of these languages ​​only 470 languages ​​have a complete translation of the Bible, and one of these languages ​​is the Tuvan language. Can you imagine? If such a great book is translated into a separate national language, there is hope that this language will not disappear from the face of the earth,” said Lyudmila Mizhit, scientific secretary of the Tuva Institute for Humanitarian Research under the Government of the Republic of Tyva.

Candidate of cultural studies Dmitry Andreev, in his work for a candidate’s degree, covering the topic “The influence of the religions of Tuva on regional culture,” going beyond the scope of academic work, does not very correctly, both from a scientific and from a universal human point of view, contrast two main religious movements, widely represented in Republic: Buddhism and Christianity.

According to the applicant: “Buddhism, while providing knowledge, says nothing about love. He talks about compassion for all living things on earth, but the theme of love is absent from his teaching /.../ the main religious dogma of Christianity is love for one's neighbor. It is precisely the feeling of love and care for the individual that none of the previously existing religions could give." Although the root doctrine of Buddhism is precisely about love and calls for viewing all living beings as one’s mother with the appropriate attitude, the author affirms in the conclusion of his work, without hesitation or doubt : "Shamanism currently occupies that part of the culture that is associated with illness and healing. Buddhism is present in its other part, that is, that associated with festive rituals (birth, wedding, New Year). The social role of Christianity is not yet fully has been identified and is still in the search stage, but most likely it will take an important place in the culture of Tuva in the near future.”

The liturgy, held after the baptism of the new 12 “brothers and sisters in Christ”, on the festive night of Shagaa for Tuvans and Buddhists of Tuva, certainly confirms the forecast of culturologist Andreev and the wishes of the theologian Kuvaev about the active advancement of Orthodoxy in Tuva among the indigenous population.

“In the European consciousness, faith and nationality are different concepts. But the Tuvans do not share this, like all the ancients. We must not Russify them, but bring them into the culture of Christ, only then will they slowly move away from idols - testifies the missionary, rector of the Abakan Cathedral - there are also Tuvans for whom the truth is above the national question.”

“My parents were pagans: they told fortunes on stones, on the shoulder blades of animals, tied rags to trees; I always thought, why do they do this? One day I heard about the Gospel. They talked about some kind of Good News, but I didn’t understand. Then I became interested, learned about Jesus Christ and met believers. “The Bible says,” I told my father, “that God created everything in heaven and on earth. Why are you worshiping a tree? This is the creation of God! It doesn’t hear, but God hears.” He didn't argue with me. Then I thought about Buddha. Did Buddha die on the cross? Did He shed blood for the sins of people? Did Buddha rise from the dead? No! And then the words were revealed to me: “By grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not from you, it is the gift of God.” So I thought and found Jesus.”

This is the story of a Tuvan sister. Buddhism in Tyva dates back only 120 years. It's not much at all. But people go there, looking for help in their lives. Do they find it? Here's the question! A sister in the Lord says: “The last time I went to a Buddhist khure, they told me that the road to the grave was open for me. I felt very scared. I didn't know what to do. I thought I was probably going to die. I didn’t go there again.” Along with Buddhists, shamanism, the ancient religion of the Tuvans, flourishes. Shamans have even greater authority than Buddhist priests (lamas). They are invited to the consecration of houses, administrative buildings, etc. Natural sources of water often turn into places of pilgrimage for pagans: one attached a ribbon to a tree, followed by others. Shamans consecrate this place, and after a while the trees turn into shaggy monsters. In the central park of Kyzyl, the capital of Tyva, such a pagan sanctuary was installed. Previously, constant sacrifices were held there. The so-called “shaman’s house” also stood there. This place was constantly spattered with the blood of sacrificial animals. All believers prayed that the Lord would rid the park of such a neighborhood, and the “shaman’s house” would be demolished. Christian communities of different denominations live in such an environment. Let’s pray for this people, the Tuvans, whom the Lord loves very much,” another Christian missionary shares his observations about religious life in the republic on the website of the Baptist organization.

Of course, in this context, where fables and myths, truth and speculation about the religious situation in Tuva are mixed, interfaith harmony can become a significant problem. And I would like to hope that only openness, sincerity and pure intentions, excluding emerging elements of competition, will dictate the actions of everyone who considers themselves a believer, bringing peace and goodness.

Shamanism

Tuvan shamans are now very popular; a significant part of tourists travel to Tuva just to see them. They are “hunted” by photographers from the world’s largest photo agencies. Shamanic hymns, algysh (good wishes) are translated into German, English and other languages. In the summer, scientists from Italy, Austria, and Germany come to visit the shamans.

Where can you see shamans? They had never performed rituals together before; moreover, the meeting of two shamans caused rivalry. But the current economic situation has forced even shamans to unite. In addition to those living in remote areas, all Kyzyl shamans are united in the societies “Tos Deer”, “Dungur”, “Adyg-eeren”, in Ak-Dovurak “Solangy-eeren”, etc.

The most popular place in Kyzyl, where shamans receive visitors, is popularly called the “shamanic clinic” (Krasnykh Partizan St., 18). Ai-Churek Shizheekovna Oyun is considered the most powerful - “shaman of heavenly origin.” All the women in her family on her mother’s side have been shamans since ancient times. Her kuzungu, a shaman's mirror that gives strength, was found in a cave and is already 200 years old. The name Ai-Churek means “moon heart”. Ai-Churek tells fortunes, removes “bad energy,” and heals with spells.

Buddhism

Buddhism, which has become widespread in Tuva, is a type of Tibetan Buddhism, Mahayana Buddhism, belonging to the Gelukpa school. Buddhism became a powerful stimulus for the social and cultural development of the Tuvan people.

To believe or not to believe? But people are coming...

The shamans in the “clinic” are like lawyers: they sit two people in a room, with a number written on the door of the room. They look quite exotic: the shaman is wearing a robe on top, and underneath are sweatpants and sneakers. On the head is a hat with feathers. In front of each person are laid out simple shamanic attributes, and a photocopied piece of paper with a photograph and inscriptions in the Tuvan language is a license.

The visitor approaches the cashier, talks about his problem and pays the required amount. The cashier calls the room number where you need to go... Exactly like in a rural clinic. The main attributes of fortune telling are small identical pebbles (huvaanak), similar to black seeds. They are obtained from the crop of the snowcock or wood grouse. The shaman throws pebbles onto a handkerchief and, by the way they are arranged, sees the fate of the visitor - both past and future.

Shamanic centers in Kyzyl

Dungur (Tambourine)

st. Rabochaya, 246, tel. 3 19 09.

Chairman of Sailyk-ool Kanchir Ivanovich.

Tos Deer (Nine Heavens)

st. Red Partisans, 18.

Chairman Ai-Churek Oyun.

Adyg-eeren (Bear Spirit)

st. Rabochaya, 90.

Chairman Oorzhak Dugar-Surun Ochuroolovich.

In Mongolia, Buddhism became the official religion in the mid-17th century. Then his penetration into Tuva, which was then under the rule of Mongolia, began. As in Mongolia, it took shape and developed as a result of the borrowing and assimilation of many elements of shamanism, so that the cults of shamanic ancestors and nature became integral components of the syncretic rites of Buddhism. An important aspect of the penetration of Buddhism was the spread of Mongolian and Tibetan writing in Tuva, the development of literacy of the population, and the assimilation of the fundamentals of Indo-Tibetan and Chinese astronomy, on the basis of which chronology was calculated. Subsequently, Buddhism in Tuva either lost its position or strengthened it, but never completely disappeared, although it did not completely supplant shamanism. At the end of the 18th century. Buddhism in Tuva was approved as the official state religion.

In Tibetan Buddhism, only men can be lamas, that is, priests, and they are not allowed to marry. The number of lamas in all regions of the spread of Buddhism was very large, up to a quarter of the entire male population. This created problems of “family building”. The only Buddhist country that refused to observe the ban on the marriage of lamas and achieved the consent of the highest Buddhist authorities to do so is Tuva. However, lamas have a strictly regulated life, and it would be difficult for them to live in an ordinary secular family (as, for example, Orthodox priests live).

This problem was solved in an original way, which had no analogues in the whole world: in Tuva, lamas began to marry shamans.

Of course, the coexistence of Buddhism and shamanism in Tuva was not entirely peaceful. Sometimes there was a competitive struggle for the flock, and quarrels occurred using “powerful weapons” - black magic. But this happened no more often than quarrels among the laity.

Thanks to the symbiosis of Buddhism and shamanism, ritual attributes of both religions can be found on small altars in the homes of Tuvans.

Khuree

The structural basis of Buddhism in Tuva is represented by khuree. Khuree is a monastery with a whole complex of buildings. But in Tuva, even a lonely temple is called “khuree”. The main temple of the khuree is usually wooden, sometimes made of adobe. In addition, on the territory of the khuree there are several other small temples dedicated to individual deities of the Buddhist pantheon. Temple libraries contained hundreds of books. There was also a school where boys (huuraki) were educated from the age of 6-8 for 3-4, sometimes 5 years. At school, in addition to theological subjects, they studied Tibetan and Mongolian languages, astronomy, mathematics, geography, medicine and art.

The monasteries carried out active economic activities, crafts developed within their walls and trading shops operated, and they maintained large farms with hundreds of head of livestock. Many khuree lent money to residents of the area.

The first to appear in Tuva was the Erzinsky khuree (1773), a year later - Samagaltaisky, in 1811 - Chaa-Kholsky, in 1815 - Todzhinsky. According to 1929 data, there were 25 khurees in Tuva, in which 4,813 lamas lived and worked. However, the Soviet government set the task of eliminating the Khuree and Buddhism in general, so that by 1937 there were only 5 Khuree with 67 lamas. By 1940, all khurees were destroyed and all temple buildings were destroyed down to the foundations. Most of the lamas were repressed. And this despite the fact that in 1940 Tuva was an independent state; it became part of the USSR only in 1944.

In the 1990s. The revival of Buddhism began, temples were built again. However, the new khurees are still only small houses of worship, and not temple complexes. In the vicinity of Kyzyl, on the right bank of the Yenisei, at the confluence of the Big and Small Yenisei, a complex was erected, including a small Buddhist temple and several houses for household needs and housing for ministers. There is no permanent service there.

In Kyzyl itself, on the left bank of the Yenisei, also at the confluence of the rivers, there is the Tsechenling temple complex, conceived as the residence of the head of the Buddhist church in Tuva - the Kamba Lama. The largest former Verkhnechadansky khuree and Ustuu-khure, 20 km from Chadan, are being restored.

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Religions of Tuva

Olga Khomushku

The Republic of Tuva occupies a special place among other regions of Russia due to the specifics of its historical development - later than other regions, it became part of the USSR (from 1921 to 1944 it was an independent state - the Tuvan People's Republic). Before moving on to the current state of religious organizations in Tuva, I would like to tell the reader what religious institutions previously existed in Tuva during the existence of the Tuvan People's Republic (from 1921 to 1944), how the process of development of relations between religious organizations and the state went.

The constitutions of the TPR (5 constitutions were adopted during its existence) as legal acts of the highest order fixed the basic principles of the socio-economic and political system and determined the directions of its development. This also applies to regulations in the field of freedom of conscience and religion. But already the first legal documents testified to the duality of the relationship between religious organizations and the state, on the one hand - the proclamation of rights and freedoms, on the other - the possibility of their ambiguous interpretation, and therefore, deviation from them, in addition, as recent research on this issue shows, Many legislative provisions did not have social guarantees. Thus, the law “On the separation of religion from the state”, adopted by the Small Khural of the TPR in 1928, confirmed the freedom of religion (Article 1) and the exercise of religious worship established by the Constitutions of the TPR. A note to this article defined liability before the law for “violation of religious services” as a result of any hooligan actions. At the same time, in other articles in this legislative document the activities of religious organizations were quite strictly regulated: “The government, allowing the study of Buddhist texts, requires in each individual case to seek special permission for this, reporting on the reasons influencing this desire.”

Since the early thirties, there has been a turn towards harsh repressive measures against religious organizations, primarily Buddhist ones. The course for this was set by the plenum of the Central Committee of the TNRP (Tuvan People's Revolutionary Party) in 1929, after which a special resolution was adopted by the Presidium of the Small Khural, where religious organizations were deprived of their property, and the clergy were deprived of support for public authorities and many civil rights. From that moment on, almost all khurees (Buddhist monasteries) were either destroyed or simply closed. Thus, at the beginning of the forties, there was not a single functioning khuree left in Tuva. In addition, the Constitution of 1930 (Article 47) deprived certain classes of voting rights - traders, moneylenders, lamas and shamans, former feudal lords and reactionary officials, organizers and leaders of counter-revolutionary uprisings. Thus, representatives of the clergy were included in the same line as “counter-revolutionary elements”, and therefore, the same sanctions were applied to them.

The entry of Tuva into the USSR in 1944 also determined the legal norms regulating the relationship between religious organizations and the state on the basis of relevant Soviet legal documents. In reality, this concerned mainly only the only functioning Orthodox church in the city of Kyzyl, a few Protestant communities, and settlements of Old Believers, since the shamanic-Lamaist institute of clergy, repressed in the thirties, was practically absent.

The current stage of development of the Republic of Tuva is characterized by significant changes occurring in all spheres of society. This is manifested quite clearly in the areas of spiritual culture. Currently, there is a process of restoration of religious values ​​and guidelines as an integral part of traditional spirituality. There is a restoration of religious institutions that were lost due to the destruction of religious buildings, as a result of mass repressions that also affected the Tuvan clergy.

For a long time (until the eighties), freedom of spiritual choice essentially meant freedom only in an atheistic orientation. The traditional beliefs of the Tuvans - Buddhism, shamanism - were assessed as “relics of the past,” and the few clergy themselves (lamas, shamans) appeared in information reports on the activities of religious organizations as “underground lamas and shamans.”

The turn to harsh repressive measures against religious institutions has been happening since the early thirties of the 20th century, the course for this was set by the January (1929) Plenum of the Central Committee of the TNRP, after which a special resolution was adopted by the Presidium of the Small Khural, according to which the church was deprived of its property, and the clergy - support for public authorities and many civil rights.

A wave of repression swept across Tuva. Mass closures of almost all monasteries and dugans began. Thus, in the Dzun-Khemchik region there were two most influential khurees, one of which was built in 1878, the other in 1907. If 350 lamas served in both monasteries in 1929, then a year later (after the adoption of the above special resolution ) there were only 36 of them left, in 1931 - three, and in 1932 - there was no longer a single lama

The targeted persecution of shamans also began in 1929 - “... a decisive struggle must be waged against the counter-revolutionary and upper strata of lamas, as well as shamanism.”

The modern religious and confessional structure in the Republic of Tuva is the result of a historically long and complex process. Pre-shamanic cults (trade cults, totemism, cults of the masters of the area, etc.), shamanism and Buddhist doctrine by the 19th-20th centuries. formed a religious-syncretistic system, which included a complex of religious views, traditions, cults and institutions.

The complexity of today's religious picture of Tuva is determined by its multi-confessional nature, which is characterized by two trends: the revival and development of traditional religious beliefs and the growing influence of new religious movements that were not previously widespread in the republic.

Modern transformations in the political sphere of society, including the democratization of state-church relations, have had a significant impact on the activation of religious life in the Republic of Tuva, on the increase in the number of citizens' appeals to the authorities with a request to register religious associations.

If in 1929 in Tuva, according to official data, there were 25 khuree with a total staff of 4813 lamas, as well as 487 shamans, then by 1937 there were only 5 khuree, 67 lamas left, and the number of shamans had decreased to 30. By the early 40s years, all Buddhist monasteries on the territory of Tuva were completely destroyed. Some revival of religious life could be noted in 1957-1958. in connection with the creation of a kind of prayer yurt in the city of Chadan, where the famous Tuvan lama Khomushku Kenden served for some time. In 1959, by order of the party authorities, the prayer yurt was closed.

The democratic transformations that began in the country in the 90s also contributed to the revival of previously existing spiritual institutions. In 1990, the Ministry of Justice of Tuva registered the first Buddhist community, and a year later - three more. Currently, 46 religious organizations are registered in the Republic of Tuva, including 18 Buddhist, 7 shamanistic, 3 Orthodox, 1 Old Believer, 17 Protestant.

The modern picture of religious life in Tuva is characterized (as well as throughout Russia) by an increase in the number of religious institutions - Buddhist temples (dugans), prayer houses, various religious and public organizations of various confessional orientations, an increase in interest in religious literature, the emergence of theological literature not only in Russian, but also in Tuvan languages.

The continuing growth of national self-awareness also stimulates an appeal to traditional values ​​of spiritual culture; it is no coincidence that many associate the preservation of their national culture with traditional religion.

Shamanism in Tuva, which has survived to this day as an integral part of the traditional culture of the Tuvans, is one of the forms of religious beliefs, the characteristic feature of which is the special ecstatic communication of the shaman with the supernatural world.

The years of general atheization could not but leave an imprint on both the nature of the development of shamanism and the degree of its prevalence at the level of ritual and practical activities, which were prohibited.

Thus, in 1981 in Tuva, according to the reports of the Commissioner for Religious Affairs of the Tukva Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, 12 lamas and 24 shamans were engaged in religious activities, in 1984 - 11 lamas and 38 shamans. They mainly lived in the Dzun-Khemchik, Barun-Khemchik, Bai-Taiginsky, Ulug-Khem and Ovur regions and performed rituals associated with funerals, wakes, weddings, and in some cases with healing and witchcraft. The most famous shamans at that time were Dongak Belek from the Dzun-Khemchik region, Oorzhak Kan-Kon, Oorzhak Biche-Bayyr, Bystan-ool Mongush, Mongush Baylak-ool from the Barun-Khemchik region, Mongush Kalinduu, Mongush Bilchey-ool from Ovursky district. An interesting fact is that, according to the reports, it was noted: “there are fewer and fewer llamas every year due to natural decline, but impostor shamans appear in their place.”

The influence of shamanism, in our opinion, increases during this period, in particular, due to the need to fill a spiritual niche that remained unclaimed due to a decrease in the number of Buddhist clergy. Thus, in 1987, according to an information report on the activities of religious organizations and the state of control over compliance with legislation on religious cults in the Tuvan Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, there were about 30 shamans on the territory of the republic, mainly in the western regions - Dzun-Khemchiksky, Sut-Kholsky, Ovursky, Barun-Khemchiksky, areas of traditional distribution of Buddhism. In most cases, shamans performed rituals of the funeral cycle (7 days, 49 days), and fortune-telling rituals. In 1989, according to the same data, in Tuva there were 43 shamans (35 men, 8 women).

Institutional practice thus began to be replaced by extra-institutional practice, the number of shamans, traditional healers, etc. increased. It is interesting that in such a situation there was no confessional reorientation - conversions of Tuvans to Orthodoxy or Protestantism (which is currently taking place). It seems to us that such a situation was completely impossible in those years, since control over members of religious communities was quite strict. Isolated cases of conversion of the Tuvan population to the Orthodox Church or to Protestant communities were immediately taken under control, which entailed serious troubles. At the same time, while denying the significance of religion in the context of spiritual culture, the fact that even under socialism religion, as a multifaceted and multi-valued phenomenon, is reproduced by the laws of development of society itself was underestimated. In the minds of a significant part of people, a well-founded feeling was formed that it was impossible to overcome the administrative-bureaucratic style by conventional methods, due to which there was a need to search for their own ways of self-realization; spiritual quests, including religious ones, became one of the possible paths. Unfortunately, questions about the state of religiosity and the reasons for its “preservation in a socialist society” were resolved not in a scientific sense, but from the point of view of politics and ideology.

Currently, we can talk about a kind of revival of shamanism, both from the point of view of the revival of ritual practices and from the point of view of its prevalence. By the way, even after the arrival of Buddhism in Tuva and its active spread, the Tuvans largely retained the shamanic worldview, and the ritual and cult practice associated with the family, household and economic cycle largely continued to remain shamanistic. Until now, during rituals associated with the funeral cycle (“seven days”, “forty-nine days”), it is the shaman who is invited to “talk with the deceased”.

In 1993, a scientific and practical seminar of shamanic scientists and shamans was held in the republic with the participation of representatives from the USA, Canada, Austria, Finland, Tuvan scientists and members of the Dungur society of Tuvan shamans. One of the organizers of the seminar was the famous Tuvan shamanist Mongush Kenin-Lopsan.

In 2003, the second international symposium on the study of Tuvan shamanism as the traditional worldview of the Tuvan people was held in Tuva.

The beginning of the penetration of Buddhism into Tuva dates back to the 13th century, as evidenced by archaeologically discovered Buddhist monuments dating back to that time. However, later Buddhism lost its original influence here and a new wave of its spread dates back to the 17th century, when it became the official religion in the state of the Altyn Khans.

Historically, the Gelugpa school, which arose in Tibet at the end of the 14th and beginning of the 15th centuries, became widespread on the territory of Tuva, the founder of which was the reformer Tsonghawa, who sought to preserve strict Buddhist morality and strict adherence to the Vinaya monastic charter, the principles of organization of the Buddhist monastic community, etc. By the way, it was Tsongkhava reintroduces mandatory yellow clothes with a yellow headdress (it was from the clothes of the lamas that Buddhism that came to Tuva would later receive the name “saryg shazhyn” - “yellow faith”).

As a result of the transformation of folk beliefs and cults, the Tuvan form of Buddhism begins to take shape, in which, like any other national form, two levels are represented - refined philosophical and mystical Buddhism, studied and interpreted by the highest clergy - the lama, and folk Buddhism, i.e. . Buddhism of the majority of the population.

Having developed on the basis of traditional beliefs, shamanistic ideas and Buddhist teachings, having absorbed everyday folk elements of culture, this syncretic formation developed within the framework of this culture. It was here that the fusion of many moments took place - moral and ethical standards, legal postulates, and aesthetic requests. At the moment, Gelugpa traditions are also preferred in Tuva. Here we can note two complementary trends in the development of Buddhism in Tuva: the first is the spread of the external ritual sphere of Buddhism (reading sutras, healing actions, rituals of the family and household cycle - cleansing rites, determining the day of funeral, etc.), the second is more connected with the mentoring activities of Tibetan lamas, both living in the republic and coming to Tuva at the invitation of believers.

The repressions that affected clergy in the 1930s led to the destruction of the existing system of Buddhist education. At one time, the Tibetan language, linguistics, botany, pharmacology, anatomy, physiology, pathology, mathematics, astronomy, history, philosophy were studied in Tuvan Buddhist monasteries, and the education system itself assumed a certain structure. By the 90s, there were practically no lamas left in Tuva who had a full education, so currently the issue of personnel and training of qualified Buddhist clergy is very acute in Buddhist communities. Since the republic itself does not yet have the opportunity to receive a complete Buddhist education, future lamas are trained in India (Dreipung Gomang Monastery in South India), at the Gunzenchoinei Temple in St. Petersburg, and also at the Ivolginsky Datsan in Buryatia. Buddhist institutes have recently opened on the basis of this datsan, as well as on the basis of the Aginsky datsan, where students from Tuva also study.

In 1994, the public organization “Friends of Tibet” was created in the republic, the main goals of which were practical assistance and expansion of cooperation between the Republic of Tuva and Tibet in the field of culture, literature, mass information, education, science, religion, health, ecology, tourism and etc., although recently this organization has practically ceased to operate.

In September 1997, at the First All-Tuvan Constituent Congress of supporters and followers of the teachings of Buddha in the Republic of Tuva, Kamby Lama (Khertek Aganak) was elected, as well as the administration of Kamby Lama.

An important event in the life of the republic's Buddhists were the visits of His Holiness the Dalai Lama XIV in September 1992 and Bogdo-Gegen Khutukhtu Jebzun Damba Rinpoche, the third person in the hierarchical hierarchy of the clergy of the Gelugpa Buddhist school (after the Dalai Lama and Panchen Lama) in September 1999 G.

On October 9, 1999, the grand opening of the Buddhist temple-residence of Kamba Lama of the Republic of Tuva in Kyzyl took place. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Tuva Sherig-ool Oorzhak and official guests.

In January 2000, Khertek Aganak (Kamby-Lama of Tuva in 1997-2000) signed an Agreement on cooperation between the State Committee of the Republic of Tuva for Environmental Protection in the field of wildlife conservation. In addition, a protocol of accession to the Social Agreement on the Conservation of Wildlife in Russia, adopted at the II All-Russian Congress on Nature Conservation in June 1999 in Saratov, was also signed. According to the signed document, “joining the Treaty means accepting moral responsibility for the living nature of Russia and Tuva before yourself, your children, your people and the entire Russian society and their future.” For its part, the Office of Kamba Lama noted that, “realizing and taking into account that the main provisions of Buddhist teachings form in a person a sense of compassion and love for all living things, we consider it necessary and obligatory to disseminate ideas, beliefs and views in society as widely as possible. which the parties to the Treaty rallied; preach the Teachings of Buddha in the field of conservation of wildlife, revival of spirituality and morality; create Buddhist cultural centers, societies, brotherhoods, associations for the study and dissemination of Buddhist teachings and other cultural and educational activities; carry out peacekeeping and environmental protection activities; cooperate with state, public and other organizations in the field of wildlife conservation.”

On September 29, in the Tsechenling Temple of the city of Kyzyl, which is also the residence of the Office of the Kamba Lama of the Republic of Tuva, the second congress of lamas of the republic was held, at which the re-election of the Head of the Office of the Kamba Lama of the Republic of Tuva was held, and twenty-four-year-old Gelong Yeshe Dagba became the new head of Tuvan Buddhists. Currently, the Kamby Lama of Tuva is Mart-ool Norbu-Sambu.

If we talk about quantitative indicators of the state of Buddhism in the republic, it should be noted that by the nineties there was not a single Buddhist temple left in Tuva. Currently, small Buddhist temples (dugans) have been built in ten kozhuuns (districts) of the republic. Buddhist houses of worship are also being opened and built.

The most important problems currently facing the Buddhist Sangha of Tuva include the following:

The continuing low level of education of the Tuvan clergy, which leads to low competitiveness of Tuvan lamas with preachers of other faiths. Thus, not a single Tuvan lama can yet give meaningful lectures on the basics of Buddhism to the population; until recently, only the lectures of Geshe Jumpa Thinley filled this gap.

The processes of forming coordinated actions and common development programs in the Buddhist sangha of Tuva have not yet begun; there are still tensions within the Kamba Lama’s Office itself, and there is no unity between the laity and the clergy. A picture of a “patchwork quilt” is emerging, with each center and community considering only themselves to be “true Buddhists.” Only during major Buddhist holidays or the arrival of distinguished guests (for example, during the Kalachakra initiation rites, etc.) can one observe a certain consistency in the work of Buddhist centers and communities. By the way, recently the Buddhist center “Manjushri” has become more active, uniting lay Buddhists engaged in cultural and educational activities - holding lectures and retreats, distributing Buddhist literature, etc.

In general, we can say that a kind of generational change is now taking place in the Tuvan Buddhist clergy. In the eighties - the years of restoration of Buddhist traditions after a long ban - religious activities were carried out either by elderly lamas who had once studied in Buddhist monasteries (and often completed their education at the primary level), or by lamas from among the former lay people who had studied for several months in the datsans of Buryatia and St. -Petersburg. The current generation of lamas already has a higher religious education; many are very well versed in the ritual and cult sphere. The process of the revival of Buddhism in Tuva depends on the extent to which this knowledge will be supplemented by knowledge on issues of the philosophy of Buddhism, as well as on the extent to which this knowledge will be transferred to the laity. Not least in the context of these issues are the issues of following the rules of the Vinaya - monastic etiquette. Among the Buddhist clergy of the republic, there has not yet been a consensus on what is more important - strict adherence to monastic rules or knowledge of the teachings of the Buddha. The question also remains open whether a “Tuvan version” of Buddhism will appear (as in Mongolia, in particular, where a married lama is quite acceptable), or whether the traditions of the Gelugpa school will be preserved in their pure form.

The spiritual revival also affected other religions of Tuva, in particular, the Russian Orthodox and Old Believer churches.

Thus, the Trinity Orthodox Church in the city of Kyzyl was built in 1914 (the first Orthodox church in Tuva was erected in the city of Turan in 1910, demolished in 1961 and restored only in 1996). At the beginning of the century, the need to build a Christian church in such a remote place was discussed in business correspondence between the clergy of the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Uriankhai Resettlement Administration. Thus, in a letter to the Bishop of Yenisei and Krasnoyarsk it was noted that “in order to attract and interest foreigners, it is necessary to show them the beauty, solemnity and deep meaning of our Orthodox worship in comparison with their religious practices.”

In the Republic of Tuva, there were traditionally Old Believer settlements of the Belokrinitsky consent, compactly living in the Kaa-Khem, Tandinsky, Todzhinsky, Tes-Khemsky kozhuuns. At present, we can say that the traditional Old Believer culture in places of compact residence of Russian Old Believer families, despite the years of official ban, has largely been preserved due to its conservative way of life. The basis for preserving traditions here, as in the Russian Orthodox Church, is families. Religious activity is limited mainly to the ritual and everyday sphere.

In the city of Kyzyl, since 1991, the Old Believer community of the Russian Orthodox Old Believer Church has been registered, which also belongs to the Belokrinitsky consent.

A characteristic feature of the modern religious situation in Tuva is that, against the background of a significant increase in the number of parishioners and adherents of historically established ethno-confessional communities, new confessions have emerged that were not previously widespread in the republic. These are Protestant movements - Pentecostals, Jehovah's Witnesses, followers of the NRM ("new religious movements") - Hare Krishnas, Vissarionists, followers of the Baha'i Faith, transcendental meditation, etc. There is no doubt that the new confessions influence the spiritual, cultural, social and ethnopolitical processes in the republic . Modern society must be able to conduct dialogue with different faiths and must comprehensively study these new phenomena. The desire to establish the dominant position of any one religion over others in a country or a separate region is fraught with the danger of interfaith and even interethnic conflicts. On the contrary, ensuring equal interfaith relations will only help prevent any friction and conflicts on religious grounds.

Among the Protestant religious associations existing in the republic, one can single out Evangelical Christians-Baptists, Christians of the Evangelical faith-Pentecostals (the Church of Glorification and the South Korean Church of Sum Bok Eum, which belong to Pentecostalism according to their religion, are registered in the republic), as well as Jehovah's Witnesses .

In Tuva, the most influential Pentecostal association (Union of Christians of the Evangelical Faith - Pentecostals) is the Christian missionary society. It is Pentecostalism in the Republic of Tuva that, according to our data, has the most pronounced dynamics (thus, the number of associations in kozhuuns subordinate to the Christian missionary society increased from 13 in 1998 to 24 in 2000). In addition, one should take into account the fact that it is in this direction that the percentage of the ethnically Tuvan population (from among the believing members of the community) is highest compared to other Protestant formations.

What are the reasons for such widespread Pentecostalism? In our opinion, there are several of them - financial support from foreign organizations, simplicity and accessibility of the sermons presented, some psychological similarity between the cult actions of Pentecostals and shamanic rituals (falling into ecstasy), personnel policy (mass training of followers in full-time and correspondence Bible schools, Bible courses etc.). Not the last place here is occupied by the psychological factor - the complete trust of parishioners in their leaders, based on a number of factors - a high level of education, moral character, the desire to make faith not just the subject of preaching, but to become a part of the life of the parishioner. It is no secret that many, having attended such services, then simply cannot imagine another life. Of course, this phenomenon can be explained by the fact that a significant part of people find in religion the opportunity to make up for missing social and psychological relationships and connections, the desire to feel useful and needed (by the way, it was in Protestant communities, even in times of “militant atheism”, that these connections and relations have always been very strong, stronger than in the Orthodox Church). But this is only one side. Such a wide distribution in Tuva of denominations that have never existed in the republic before - and the percentage of the Tuvan population among the parishioners of these denominations is very large - has recently caused some bewilderment, misunderstanding and even fear - whether this will lead to the loss of their roots and traditions? However, the issue cannot be resolved by bans and restrictions. This situation requires serious reflection, but the main thing is obvious - only through reasonable dialogue and mutual understanding is further development possible.

Thus, we can say that at present Protestant associations have a fairly large number of followers in the republic. And although in quantitative terms they do not occupy leading positions, the dynamics of Protestant formations allows us to speak of their growing influence on the population of the republic, not only on the Russian, but also on the Tuvan. In general, this picture is quite consistent with the general religious situation in Russia, where religious movements that were not previously widespread in the country are exerting an increasingly noticeable influence, which can create certain problems in various sociocultural areas.

So, the modern multi-confessional picture of the religious life of the Republic of Tuva also determines the prospects for further processes taking place within the framework of this situation. The presence of multi-confessionalism is a rather positive phenomenon, indicating freedom of spiritual choice. Maybe this is not so bad when we have such a wide choice before us - it is important that at the same time relations of religious tolerance and harmony are preserved.

Khomushku Olga Matpaevna ,

Deputy Minister of Personnel Policy,

science and educational institutions of the Republic of Tuva,