Pagan customs and rituals of the Evenks. Interesting traditions of the Evenks National holidays of the Evenks

The collection was compiled based on the materials of the participants of the regional virtual quiz "Turn on!"

The collection includes the best works of schoolchildren of the Neryungri district, submitted to the creative competition, the virtual quiz "Turn on", held as part of the children's and youth festival of Evenk culture, organized by the department of creative development of the Central Development and Youth Center of the city of Neryungri of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

Download:

Preview:

Municipal educational institution

Additional education for children

Center for the Development of Creativity for Children and Youth

The collection was compiled based on the materials of the participants of the regional virtual quiz "Turn on!"

Neryungri, 2013

Compiled by O.M. trandafir

Editorial Board: N.V. Aksenova, A.S. Ponomarev,

V.M. Meshchan

The collection includes the best works of schoolchildren of the Neryungri district, submitted to the creative competition, the virtual quiz "Turn on", held as part of the children's and youth festival of Evenk culture, organized by the department of creative development of the Central Development and Youth Center of the city of Neryungri of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

The spelling and punctuation of the works is presented in the authors' edition:

Artyukov Dmitry MOU Gymnasium No. 1, 5 A class

Kuznetsova Ulyana DDT p. Berkakit

Postonogova Anastasia MBOU secondary school No. 15, 5 B class

Filippova Lyubov Secondary School No. 3, A class

Shamsutdinova Albina MBOU secondary school No. 15, grade 8

Grigory Anastasia MOU Gymnasium No. 1, 6 in class

Shukurova Elmira MOU secondary school No. 3, A class

Brovkina Alexandra MBOU secondary school No. 15, 5 A class

2013

Young friend!

You are lucky, because you live in a unique place, in the south of Yakutia, where the culture, language and traditions of the amazing Evenki people, who have a rich history in our Northern land, are preserved.

If you have become a participant in the quiz "Ethno-cultural traditions of the Evenks", then this means that you are not indifferent to the fate and history of the indigenous people, which means that you are striving to preserve their spiritual values!

Organizing Committee

History of the village of Iengra

Under the bright northern stars, at the foot of one of the most beautiful mountains of the Stanovoy Range with the poetic name Sleeping Beauty, on the banks of the small river Iengra, a village with the same name is widely spread.

If you look at the mountain from the village, it looks like a sleeping girl at sunrise “wakes up” at sunset “sleeps”. Its notability is that it is inhabited by representatives of the traditional nomadic Evenki people, who still have the culture and language of the Evenki people. The village was founded in 126, it was here that the Evenki stopped to wait, and so the village of Iengra grew inconspicuously.

The village of Iengra got its name from the Evenk word meaning "branched horns". The very name of the Evenki is Tungus. Translated - Evenkil - going across the ridges. There is a hypothesis that in the 3rd century BC. Wuwan people moved from the territory of northern China. Evenks are a small people of the Far North of Russia. According to the ethnographer R.M. Vasilevich, this term originally meant "man". The Evenks were also called Orochons, which should be understood as "deer".

The Evenks are the only people of the North who have mastered not only the vast expanses of the taiga, but also penetrated far to the north, reaching the forest-tundra.

The Evenks-Tungus were divided according to the forms of their economy into “walking” or “sitting” hunters and fishermen, and “deer” hunters and reindeer herders.

Evenki speak the Evenki language. The Evenki writing system was formalized in 131 on the basis of the Latin alphabet, and since 137 the writing has been based on the Russian alphabet.

Tribal communities of the Evenks

The settlement of the Evenks in the Neryungri ulus came from the Amur. This is confirmed by the name of the clans, which to this day have been preserved among the inhabitants of the village of Iengra

The sense of kinship among the Evenks is developed very deeply and in our time people from the same tribal community have the same surnames. The common origin of the Evenks united relatives up to the seventh or eighth generation. 0 families were separated from each generation. Representatives of the older generation could remember the name of any representative of their kind. In the village of Iengra, there are 24 communities, the most famous "Keptuke" "Algoma" With the beginning of Christianization, various surnames and names began to enter the Evenk environment. Yakut Kole from the Uchur family of Buta gave birth to the generation of the Kolesovs. Naum from the same family gave the generation of the Naumovs, one of the descendants of But gave the generation of the Pudovs. Trofim, a representative of the Uchur clan, gave rise to the Trofimov generation. This is how modern surnames appeared among the Evenks.

Folk wisdom of the Evenks

Evenk is a person accustomed to nomadic life. The whole life of an Evenk is connected with deer, with nature, from birth to death. Evenki culture is closely connected with deer, there are many beliefs, legends, fairy tales, proverbs.

Evenk proverbs, like those of other nations, are distinguished by brevity, figurativeness, breadth and refinement of thought.

• A hunter needs deer like a capercaillie needs wings.
• The deer and the dog are the hunter's friends.
• Cut the calf coat - you won’t see deer.
• When you kill a wild deer, after eating, collect all the bones and put them in the storehouse. If you throw it on the ground, Hinkgen's hunting spirit will get angry and you won't have any luck hunting.
• Do not hit the deer, otherwise the spirit of the deer will get angry, and all the deer will leave you.
• Having wandered to the old camp - do not shout and never scold. If you frighten the spirits of this land, you will have no luck hunting.

• Get up early, then you will have booty.
• Help the old, don't piss them off. If you piss off the old ones, life will be bad.
• Do not be angry many times, otherwise you will soon grow old.
• When you come to a large lake or a river, do not shout and do not throw stones into the water: you will be offended and the fish will not be caught.
• If you don’t get anything on the hunt, don’t scold the places and the land where you hunted. The spirit of the hunt will hear and be offended, and will run away from you for a long time.
• Having wandered to the old camp - do not shout, the spirit of the earth will be frightened. If you frighten the spirits of this land, you will have no luck hunting.
• You can not throw a stick across the road along which the beast roams or has passed.
• Do not catch all the fish from the lake, but leave it to your descendants.
• Live as worthy people without cutting off their paths. Do not lull your whims to the detriment of others, like a baby. Those who saw the sun before you, listen.

Evenk beliefs

“The taiga feeds the deer, and the deer feed and clothe us”, “If a boy plays with the deer, then he will grow into a good reindeer herder” - this is what the Evenk reindeer herders say. The well-being of their life has always depended on the number of deer.

In the summer, all care for the deer was limited to the installation of smokehouses, around which the animals gathered themselves, escaping from the midges. It has long been a proverb among the Evenks that in summer the deer are grazed by midges. The most restless time for Evenki reindeer herders is autumn, when deer scattered in search of their favorite delicacy - mushrooms. In winter, the deer did not go far.

Apparently, deer have been in the personal property of each hunter since ancient times. This is evidenced by the customs of the Evenks: payment of bride price in the form of deer directly to the father, and not to the relatives of the bride; allocation of deer for personal use to a married son immediately after marriage. The Evenk custom deserves special attention: in case of loss of reindeer, collectively collect a reindeer from all relatives for the victim. The Evenks had a custom to exchange deer in the form of a kind of mutual "gifts" when relatives met in the taiga on the hunt.

The number of deer always depends on the rhythm of northern nature and human economic activity in the development of new territories. Great damage was done to reindeer breeding in the Amur region during the construction of the Zeya hydroelectric power station and the industrial development of the BAM zone, because of this, rich reindeer pastures were reduced, and the environment was disturbed. In the legends of the Evenks during the years of the “great deer misfortune”, the mournful motive of the song sounded:

Where did the deer that gives us life go?

He gave us meat and blood for soup

Gave our dogs the strength to run in deep snow.

His veins sewed our clothes,

And in his bones was a tender brain - mind.

Our dwellings were warmed by the fire of his fat,

And our cheeks were shiny from his juices ...

Eyah-eyah, where did you go, our deer?

Belief is a legend based on superstitious, mystical ideas. For example, the Evenks have such a belief. When a hunter goes hunting, he should know that if he meets a bear, then you can’t call him the word “bear”, you need to address him respectfully - “grandfather”.

Shamans had their own attributes to preserve the livestock of deer - rovduk rugs, in the middle of which they embroidered the silhouette of a deer standing in a circle.

Traditional Evenk holidays

In the July forest, not far from the camp, a cuckoo crowed. "What do you hear?" - the old Evenk asked his grandson, who helped drive the deer. - The cuckoo said: "Ikenipke." It's time to gather for a meeting of all births.

Folk omens and cults of the Evenks

A sign is a circumstance, a phenomenon that, according to popular beliefs, indicates the appearance of something, a connection with some other event.

Signs : very important for the Evenk people

• Smoke spreads on the ground - there will be bad weather.
• The south wind drives the clouds - to rainy weather.
• Starry sky in frost - it will be warm.
• The cuckoo calls - it will rain.
• The stars are shining strongly - the heat will come soon
• As a deer proudly carries its head, so hold your name high.
• When you kill a wild deer, after eating, collect all the bones and put them in the storage room. If you throw the dice on the ground, Hinkgen's hunting spirit will get angry and you won't have any luck hunting.
• A lazy person is like a deer, which is the last to walk along the beaten path of the argish.

According to Evenk legends, a person is surrounded by various spirits of nature from birth. Three main ones are necessarily present - the spirit of the Mother, the spirit of the Earth, the spirit of Air. “The branches of the Olenek tree stick up”, “The earth feeds the deer - the deer feeds the whole family”, “Evenk cannot imagine his life without a deer”, “The deer is beautiful and healthy, joyful and happy Evenk”, “The earth raises everyone and everything , a person is also her mote”, “The roof of the house is the sky, its walls are the taiga, the heart is a deer”

“If you constantly beat a deer, then his character deteriorates”, “You don’t need to raise a lot of noise over a trifle, like a seagull”, “The soul of a young man is determined by what kind of sled he has. If it is made firmly, neatly and always looks pleasant, it means that the young man has a bright soul.

fire cult , the focus is widespread among the peoples of the North. The function of the hearth is heating and lighting the home, cooking, protection from wild animals. Fire - the main family shrine - was widely used in family rituals. The spirit-owner of the fire was represented by the Evenks in the form of an old man, sometimes with his family. The spirit-owner of the fire, the patron of the hearth, family, clan was constantly “fed” with pieces of the best food and koumiss, various requests were addressed to him. The Evenks know the ritual of introducing a baby to the family hearth: they brought the child into the dwelling and smeared his face with soot, saying: “Fire, do not take it for someone else, yours has come.”

Before fishing, the Evenki "consulted" with the fire; if, in response to their thoughts or words, the flames of the fire burned evenly, this foreshadowed good luck.

The fire could predict the imminent arrival of guests.

When divining about the upcoming path, a close change in fate, the fire "draws" on the deer shoulder blade of the road of a person or family.

Fire possessed cleansing properties, could destroy or expel evil spirits, therefore it was used in healing and shamanic rites.

Fishing equipment was “cleaned” over the fire in case of a long hunting failure.

There are Evenk folk omens, prohibitions, beliefs associated with fire.

• Don't spit in the fire. If you spit, there will be a wound. If you spit, your tongue will hurt.
• Do not move the fire with a knife (you hurt the legs of your grandmother-fire, get angry).
• Do not throw a needle into the fire, the master spirit of the fire will choke.
• Do not put the knife with the point to the fire, you will hurt your grandmother's legs.
• Do not cut wood near the fire, the fire will not burn on the road.

The cult of fire is inseparable from the cult of ancestors.

Cult veneration of the bear. Evenks have the most reverent attitude towards the bear. According to the beliefs of the Evenks, this is the progenitor. There is an ancient holiday among the Evenks - the Bear holiday. On the occasion of the bear's prey, a holiday was held. Accompanied by songs, dances, games. After the bear was killed, the hunters performed a ritual in the den. They kindled a fire, made kebabs from different organs of a bear. The meat was eaten by all participants in the hunt so that the hunter was not afraid of this beast. Then an impromptu wrestling with the bear's head was carried out, the "wrestling" ended with a victory over the bear.

One of the Evenki rites is the rite of purification "Chychypkaan". It was committed in violation of any hunting customs and rules. A bonfire (a two-meter idol with split legs) was lit in front of the chychypkaan. Then they killed a domestic deer and smeared its blood on the mouth, hands and knees of chychypkaans and idols. After that, they fed the fire, throwing pieces of deer knee fat and a bunch of horsehair into it.

A hunter with a gun and a staff went around Chychypkaan in the sun. From the western side, he crawled between the legs of the idol three times. After that, he turned to Bayanay with a spell, asking why he was not satisfied and said that he had set a happy chychypkaan for him. At the end of the rite, the hunter begged the evil spirits not to interfere with the master spirit of the hunt, so that he would send good luck in the hunt.

The rite has a pronounced magical character. They believed that failure, dirt - everything remains behind the Chychypkaans. The wooden idol was considered not an image of a spirit, but a magical projectile that separated the filth from the hunter. The term "Chychypkaan" in translation from Evenki means a fork.

Cult reverence among the Evenki-Orochons was enjoyed by birds: a raven, an eagle, a swan, a loon, a teal duck, a cuckoo, a sandpiper, a snipe. All these birds are considered to be the shaman's assistants in the rituals of healing, obtaining deer souls, obtaining hunting luck, health for the family, etc. all listed birds are inviolable, it was strictly forbidden to kill them and eat meat.

Hunters believe that the raven helps to protect deer herds from predators, to look for animals during fishing, giving them away with their cries.

Eagles and swans are an integral part of shamanistic rituals.

Chirka, snipe and waders in all shaman rituals were watchmen. The journey of the shamanic soul depended on them.

Taimen is considered one of the carriers of the shamanic soul in the water element.

The snake, lizard and frog were considered to be the healers of diseases.

National Evenki Games

Evenk culture is rich in traditional national games.

"Burbot Fight"- Two children lie on their backs, jack. With their right hands, they should lean firmly on their elbows. The heads and left legs are pressed firmly to the ground, while the right legs are entwined. With the effort of the right leg, each "burbot" tries to turn the opponent over.

"Bullfight" - The leader measures the area 3 meters wide, and draws a line in the middle. At this line, he puts two guys on their knees so that they close their heads. As soon as he commands: “Begin,” the opponents begin to push each other. At the same time, they are forbidden to make sharp attacks. “Butting” should be done smoothly, without taking your hands and knees off the ground.

"Weaving nine braids" -played by two groups of nine children. each group is given a hoop to the hoops, suspended at the height of raised hands, 27 strands of horsehair, one meter long, are firmly tied to the ends. The lower ends of the hair dangle freely. Players stand 15 feet from the hoops. On command, the players run up and weave braids. The team that braids the most braids wins.

Sun (Heiro) - The players stand in a circle, join hands, walk in a circle with a side step, make uniform waves with their hands back and forth, and say for each step heiro. Leader - the sun is squatting in the middle of the circle. Players scatter as the sun rises and straightens (stretches arms to sides).

Rules of the game . All players must dodge the sun as it turns. To the signal “One, two, three - run in a circle!” those whom the leader did not touch return to the circle.

Deer and shepherds

All players are deer. On their heads they have attributes imitating deer antlers. Two leaders - shepherds - stand on opposite sides of the site, in their hands (lasso) maut (cardboard ring or long rope with a loop). Deer players run in a circle in a crowd, and the shepherds try to throw them on their horns maut. Horns can also imitate twigs that children hold in their hands.

Rules of the game . It is necessary to run easily, dodging the maut. Throw maut only on the horns. Each shepherd himself chooses the moment for throwing the maut.

Dexterous reindeer herder

The participants of the game, “reindeer breeders”, are located on the playing field, in a line facing the figure of a deer placed 3-4 m from them. They take turns throwing a ball at the deer. For each hit, “the reindeer breeder receives a flag. The one who makes big well-aimed throws wins.

Games that contribute to the knowledge of the animal world and develop the speed and dexterity of the Evenks.

Kites. Everyone stands in a row, at the back of the head, holding each other by the belt. The front one depicts the uterus, which protects the children during the game - all those standing behind. The catcher depicts a kite. Clapping his hands first, the kite tries to grab someone from the row, the uterus protects. There are no negotiations between the uterus and the kite.

Tied bear.The driver portrays a bear. He is tied either to a dwelling or to something else with a lasso thrown over his belt. The place of the driver was occupied by the first of the participants in the game caught by the bear, who spun around him and teased him.

Deer game. Children are divided into two groups. Each player holds a branch in his hand above his head, resembling deer antlers. The groups converge and begin to "butt". The group with the most unbroken horns remaining wins.

Maut game. In a clearing, in the yard, an object is placed on which deer antlers are fixed. The player takes a maut (rope with a loop) and throws it on the horns at a distance of 5m. The one who makes the most successful throws wins.

Young Neryungri people honor and respect the culture of the Evenk people, take part in national holidays with pleasure, and promote samples of oral folk art. And today they want to appeal to their peers about how important it is to preserve the ethno-cultural traditions of the Evenks, not only in words, but also in deeds.

Artyukov Dmitry

MOU Gymnasium No. 1, 5 A class

Dear friend!

We live on the Yakut land, the indigenous peoples of which are: Evens, Evenks, Dolgans, Chukchi, Yukaghirs. Yakutia occupies 1/5 of the territory of Russia, but how small about number of indigenous peoples! I want to tell you that these small nations must live and develop. Studying the history of the Evenks, I learned that this people lives according to highly moral laws. Such as:

• Take care of the Fatherland, native places.
• Do not destroy trees, do not kill animals and birds senselessly, do not harm nature.
• Do not pollute reservoirs, lakes, rivers.
• Take care of your father's house, home.
• Keep order and cleanliness in the house.

If every person tries to follow these rules, then our life

will become better.

Kuznetsova Uliana

DDT p. Berkakit

Dear my classmates! I want to make a request to you. We definitely need to save life. Culture and everything that the Evenki created. After all, they have laid down wonderful folk traditions for centuries. They remember and carefully observe them to this day. By listening to the wise voices of our ancestors, we will be able to build our lives according to the laws of nature. Protect, appreciate - the beauty that is around us. In the village of Iengra, each of the villagers, young and old, makes a significant contribution to the preservation of folk customs, rituals, traditions, cultural values, together with the whole vast country, we are going through its difficult history. And we have a nearby example of preserving traditions - this is a small village of Iengra. Please, let's try to preserve the identity and traditions of the Evenki. Since we live next to them and together. And must respect the traditions of this land!

Postonogova Anastasia

MBOU secondary school No. 15, 5 B class

The Evenks still have an unwritten set of traditions and commandments that regulate social, family and inter-clan relations:

• "nimat" - the custom of donating one's prey to one's relatives.
• “malu” is the law of hospitality, according to which the most comfortable place in the chum is intended only for guests. Anyone who crossed the "threshold" of the plague was considered a guest.
• "levirate" - the custom of inheritance by the younger brother of the widow of the older brother.
• "tori" - a marriage transaction, which was made in one of three ways: by paying a certain amount of deer, money or other valuables for the bride; girl exchange; working for the bride.

Every nation has the right to life!!!

Filippova Love

Secondary School No. 3, A class

Life in the harsh northern conditions made the Evenki purposeful, wise, physically hardy, courageous, easily accustomed to difficult changes. And I would like our current generation to be like that too, so that young people know what they want and do not give up, moving towards their goal. But to achieve the goal, you need to work, because as the Tungus say: "A lazy person is like a deer, which is the last to follow the beaten track." Therefore, life must be lived in such a way that you make your own way, and not someone else does it for you. Diligence, physical endurance, honesty, loyalty to the word, mutual assistance and modesty are the most valuable qualities that have been passed down from generation to generation. Therefore, our generation should appreciate all this in people, as the Evenks valued them. They never forgave lies and betrayal, but their trust was immediately lost to someone who at least once allowed lies and deceit. Therefore, the saying is this: "Tungus can be deceived only once."

Shamsutdinova Albina

MBOU secondary school No. 15, grade 8

We live in a multinational Republic. A certain percentage of the population is indigenous. For our region, they are Evenks. Evenks experienced many historical moments together with other peoples of Russia: they explored untrodden places together with geologists, many defended the country during the Great Patriotic War, helped the front, helped the young builders of the Small BAM to equip tent streets, delivered meat and berries to the builders. During the years of development of hard-to-reach places in South Yakutia, no one could do without an experienced guide - a musher, who certainly went along with the deer: the first musher was the old man Philip Lekhanov, then the young musher reindeer breeder Nikolai Kondakov. This ancient nation has preserved its amazing culture and language. Evenk life is connected with nature, they say: "the earth feeds the deer, the deer feeds us." How important it is to take care of each other in this life. Remember that “there are no small nations in the world. The greatness of a people is not measured by its numbers, just as the greatness of a man is not measured by his height.

Grigory Anastasia

MOU Gymnasium No. 1, 6 in class

The past of a people is its future. And in modern life, the Evenks have learned to use all the accumulated values, to harmoniously build their lives. At this stage of the revival of the Evenki ethnic culture, it seems to me that it is necessary to create conditions for the full and harmonious development of this people. Namely: to create a developed social infrastructure in the village of Iengra (construction of comfortable houses), mechanization and the introduction of modern technology in reindeer herding, and the material interest of people to work with reindeer.

Shukyurova Elmira

MOU secondary school No. 3, A class

The prospects for the preservation of the Evenks as an ethnic system are rather optimistic. In comparison with other peoples close to them in culture, they have a relatively high number, which makes the problem of preserving them as an ethnic community irrelevant. The main thing for them in modern conditions is the search for new criteria for self-identification. Many Evenki leaders associate the revival of their people with the possibilities of their own traditional culture, which seems to them to be completely self-sufficient, capable of not only surviving, but also successfully developing in conditions of coexistence with another external culture. The development of any nation has always taken place in conditions of continuous borrowing. The Evenks are no exception in this regard. Their modern culture is a bizarre interweaving of tradition and innovation. Under these conditions, the Evenki have yet to find the optimal model for their future. However, like all the peoples of the North, their further ethnic fate will depend on the degree of preservation and development of traditional industries and cultural traditions.

On June 16-17, festive events and competitions will be held in the village of Kurumkan - “Evedy Davlavun”, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the birth of the Evenk composer Viktor Gonchikov, a competition among the settlements “Tekenmer donchekallu”, as well as colorful national exhibitions and games.

"Bolder" in translation from the Evenk "meeting". This is an ancient holiday of the Evenks of Buryatia, which was held after the end of the hunting season. They gathered on it in a few days, put the plague in the designated place. The Council of Elders solved the pressing problems of its people. Bonfires burned for many nights, everyone, holding hands, danced the Evenk dance “Odera”.

Each Evenki family was looking forward to this festive event and sought to express their hospitality to their relatives. Family members prepared the best food in advance, sewed beautiful clothes and put their household in order.

Since the 90s, the rise of national self-consciousness, the movement for national sovereignty and human rights began. Changes covered all spheres of life of the Evenk people. In order to preserve historical traditions and strengthen friendship between representatives of different peoples, the executive committee of the district Council of Deputies of the Bauntovsky Evenki district decided: starting from 1990, in the summer months, annually hold the district holiday "Bolder". And on June 16-17, 1990, after a long break, the holiday was held in the village of Rossoshino.

Currently, the main goal of "Bolder" is the active communication of the Evenks, establishing contacts between representatives of different regions and introducing the younger generation to traditional culture, as well as the formation of a tolerant attitude in society towards the culture of the Evenk people. This year, the center of Evenki culture "Arun" decided to resume a good tradition and hold the national holiday "Boldör-2017" on the hospitable land of the Kurumkansky district.

On June 16-17, festive events and competitions will be held in the village of Kurumkan: “Evedy Davlavun”, dedicated to the 75th anniversary of the birth of the Evenk composer Viktor Stepanovich Gonchikov, a competition among the settlements “Tekenmer donchekallu”. Exhibition of products of Evenki folk crafts “Evenki. Colors of the taiga world. Evenk national games "Gukchankit".

Today, at the venue of the festival, the participants prepare the site in advance for the celebration: they set up tents and tents, decorate them with traditional household items and souvenirs, set up tables on which during the holiday there will be traditional Evenk treats for guests. Also, as in the old days, it is obligatory to conduct rituals: "Chichipkan" - cleansing and "Feeding the fire."

– It is better to treat relatives and guests, to please them with your best outfits and products, to show all the prowess during the games, to surprise everyone with your eloquence - all this is the task of the Bolder participants as a whole. Ayat delvar, nemevudelver kunduleget! Ayat ikerver ikeget, evirver eviget, men mernunmer ulguchenget!- the organizers invite everyone to their holiday.

Traditional customs and rituals of the Evenks

Holidays

The ancestors of the Evenks came to the north millennia ago, mastered these harsh lands, accumulated knowledge about nature and developed skills for survival in extreme conditions. They managed to create a vibrant and distinctive culture.

Since the mid-1930s, the unique culture of the Evenki has been on the verge of extinction. One of the reasons was the unjustified practice of transferring reindeer herders to a settled way of life and enlargement of settlements, accompanied by the liquidation of traditional small villages. This negatively affected the habitual way of life of the Evenks, and ultimately led to the destruction of their way of life and national culture.

Today, forgotten traditions and customs, although slowly, are being revived, are included in everyday life and life, become part of the norm of behavior and morality. The ethnic self-awareness of the people itself is growing, striving to know their roots and bring into modern life all that useful that was undeservedly denied quite recently.

From the selected materials, you can draw a maximum of vital wisdom. The meaning is strikingly relevant and calls to respect the traditions of the people, to be proud of them, to know the native language, culture, to strive always and everywhere only for good, kind, bright, not to let the Evenki hearth go out, to be a reasonable master of the Earth, responsible for the harmony of human relations, and to love this quivering, changing world.

Evenks consider the most important moments of the year to be holidays. The Evenki language does not have the word “holiday”, they say bakaldyn (meeting).

Ikenipke

This ritual holiday was held on the spring new moon, a month before the onset of stable heat. It was marked by the birth of deer, the appearance of grass and larch needles, and was marked by a folk sign - the first cuckoo cuckooing. This ritual began the Evenki New Year.

The Ikenipke rite was a multi-day ceremony and was aimed at receiving the sacred power of Musun (Mushun) from Eneken Buga - the Mistress of the Universe, that is, to revive Nature and begin to promote the reproduction of wild game and domestic animals and, most importantly, give health and well-being to the whole family , including human.

This idea is confirmed by the collective participation of all representatives of different clans, the joint installation of the plague and the common production of shamanic attributes.

In carrying out this rite, there were no established traditions either in the decoration or in the conduct of the shamanic rites themselves. Each shaman conducted it at his own discretion, as he was "prompted" by the spirits of his ancestors. The direction of the rite remained unchanged - so that Mother Nature would revive and promote life: the appearance of greenery, the reproduction of the livestock of wild game animals and domestic deer, and hence the well-being of people.

The following facts are known from the history of this holiday. At the meeting of the first thunder, which tells about the coming of the new year, they said Alga - a request, good wishes. When they heard the first peals of thunder, they took the branches of dwarf birch in their right hand, went around the dwelling three times in the direction of the sun and said the following:

Arche, arche!

We are Evenks

We have arbagas.

To live well, not to starve,

Have a good year

Don't come with a bad year.

Addressing the deity by name, they asked for a good year. Ikenipke was celebrated in the middle of June. Each tribal community pitched its tent, set the table with national dishes and warmly welcomed the guests.

In the past, ritual ritual holidays were held necessarily in the presence of members of different clans, because this regulated relations with neighbors. Marriages among the Evenks were exogamous, and the tribe, consisting of various clans, required unity.

Among the Western Evenks, this complex rite was an eight-day round dance with ritual actions. The round dance was one of the elements of the rite, in which the movements depicted people chasing the divine deer.

Dyarichin's singing is very close to the singing that accompanies round dances: the lead singer leads, and the dancers sing along to him, repeating every line they sing. Songs accompanying round dances cannot be called songs, because. Evenks do not use the word "sing" in relation to them. For example, the performance of the "Deve" chant is not conceivable without the Deve dance itself. The dance of Deve with his singing is perceived by the Evenki as a game. They say: "Let's play Deve" ("Deveve evibet"). Dyarichin songs for circle dances have very diverse tunes and their own melody among the Evenks. The Eastern Evenks are characterized by the tunes "Deve", "Dyaler", "Gesugur", "Manchoray", for the Evenks of the Krasnoyarsk Territory the tunes "Ekhor".

In the village of Iengra, the Ikenipke holiday has been held annually since 1994. At first, the taiga dwellers were afraid of the Ikenipke holiday due to the fact that some of the rites (sevek-moo and chichipkap) had not been performed for a long time, so their reaction was: “Suddenly we do something wrong, the spirits will be offended by us.” At present, the Evenks have mastered the resurrected holiday and are proud of it. It includes several rituals: cleansing people (passing under the wooden arch of chichipkan, smoking with wild rosemary), oiling sevek-moo (a wooden pole depicting three worlds) with bear fat, feeding the river and fire, treating local spirits by tying bright colored ribbons to a tree - Ulgani-yes. The scenario of the holiday includes a concert, sports games: football, volleyball competitions, jumping over sleds, wrestling, etc.

First, everyone is invited to purify the soul and body with wild rosemary smoke, then to feed the fire with freshly baked bread. They say that if you make a wish during this ceremony, it will certainly come true. The favor of fate can also be obtained by touching a wooden pole (seveki), which is near every Evenki dwelling.

And outside the script, on their own initiative, grandmothers gather by the river, dance round dances and sing improvisations, almost all day, until late, as in the old days during the long festive period of summer meetings. By how long and vividly the grandmothers sang, how everyone present “played” during the holiday, they determine the next year.

Bakaldyn

Bakaldyn is a summer Evenki holiday, during which the so-called "meeting of all births" takes place.

It should be held at the very beginning of summer, when the larch buds are blooming, when the cuckoo cuckoos all night long, and all summer is ahead. The beginning of summer means the beginning of a new year for the Evenks.

The first obligatory rite is to pass through Chichipkan (gates made of long sticks) in order to cleanse the soul and body with wild rosemary smoke. The second rite is to feed the fire - the life of an Evenk largely depends on the fire of a fire. The third rite is to butter the seveki column with goose or bear fat. Adults and children participate in the rituals. Another interesting tradition is feeding the river with the wishes of good and happiness, so that the rivers are always full of fish.

With the sunset, the shaman would pray and ask the spirits for happiness for all people on earth.

Sinilgan

Sinilgen (“first snow”) is the Evenki holiday of the first snow, the blessing of the winter hut. Siiilgen is a celebration of the soul and jubilation of the Evenks, since this season they have a great hunt.

Sinilgen is performed according to a special ceremony. Evenks show respect and admiration for the forces of nature, the elders with every ritual. Those, in turn, ask the spirit of fire for blessings for all men of their kind. The rite of purification through Chichipkan, which is fenced off from the evil spirits of the forest, is first passed by the elders, and then by young people. Then a highly respected woman of the clan asks the spirit of fire for blessings and feeds the fire with a special treat. After that, the men perform a rite of obtaining good luck for the hunters. At the same time, strong-willed and gifted hunters take a special bow and go hunting. When fortune is obtained, women and children greet them with great rejoicing. Everyone near the yurt becomes in a round dance and around the sun they arrange a sadie in the Evenki language.

Reindeer herder's day

Evenks celebrate the "Day of the Reindeer Breeder" with the onset of spring. Nomadic Evenks from all around come to a certain place. They arrange a holiday on the occasion of meeting with relatives, friends. At the festival there is a lively exchange of news, jokes are heard. Young girls and boys meet. The most beautiful national clothes and ornaments are extracted. The culmination of the holiday is the reindeer sledge race.

Initially, all members of their own and neighboring clans, together with shamans, gathered for this holiday. A distinctive feature was the absence of sacrificial deer, and in the imaginary pursuit - the absence of the predominant role of the shaman.

Ritual Evenki clothing, which is worn during the holidays "Ikenipke", "Day of the Reindeer Breeder", consists of the following details: a dalys (caftan), a coat on top, a cap-hood on the head, and a torbaza on the legs. The whole costume is made of rovduga of a young autumn deer, decorated with black, blue, white beads, as well as metal cupronickel. The fringe is made of split leather, fabric. The ornament is purely Evenki, on the chest there is a generic symbol, the edge of the dalys is decorated with an ornament depicting a deer saddle, on the headdress in the center of the crown there is an ornament of the sun, this symbol is a connection with the cosmos, and at the same time a talisman.

Malaahyn

The Malaahyn holiday is dedicated to the goddess Aiyyhyt, the patroness of childbearing. It was installed three days after the permission of the woman in labor.

The goddess - the patroness of childbearing - is called in Yakut "Aiyyhyt", since the name has not been established in Evenki.

People of both sexes took part in the celebration. The holiday was not complete without vodka and deer slaughter. The main moment in the holiday was the rite of "purification" of the mother and child.

The child was passed through a small split on the trunk of a thin tree. From the side of the exit, near the split, a wild rosemary smoker was arranged. Pushing the child through the cleft, they said: "All the dirt is left behind."

The mother was also "cleansed" with rosemary smoke. From that time on, she again took her usual workplace: she began to take care of the housework and engage in work related to migration.

Rites

The Evenks' conception of the surrounding world determined a special attitude to nature and life, which was manifested in various kinds of amulets, actions and rituals.

The oldest rites of the cult of nature included sacrifices in the form of "feeding" and "gifting", requests addressed to fire, places of fords and passes. Hunting rites include bear rites, the rite of obtaining good luck for the hunter (sinkelevun), the rite of chasing an imaginary deer, killing it and introducing it to meat (ikenipke), divination by the shoulder blade, small rites - turning to Seveki and hinken with a request to send the beast.

For the past fifteen years, the national Evenk holiday Ikenipke has been held in the village of Iengra.

Ikenipke is one of the favorite and revered holidays of the people of Yengrin: a holiday of the revival of ancient rituals, a holiday of folk traditions. At the Ikenipke festival, you can get acquainted with the ritual folklore, song and dance culture of the Evenks, with traditional national games.

Ikenipke is a celebration of traditional Evenki hospitality.

Rite of "Imty"(rite of feeding the fire).

All the peoples of the world, all the children of the planet worshiped fire - the source of heat, light, believed in its cleansing power.

For each nation, this worship was reflected in its rites in different ways. The northern peoples, whose whole life was inextricably linked with nature, sacredly believed and honored everything that surrounds them, primarily fire. Among the Evenks, the worship of fire manifested itself in various ceremonies.

One of the obligatory rituals is feeding, treating the spirit of fire.

The fire is fed on all sorts of occasions and almost daily, because. the whole life of an Evenk depends on fire. Everything can be asked from the spirit of fire: the beast means a well-fed life, well-being for the family - relatives will not get sick, because. you entrust him with the care of health, happiness - he will save you and your family from all sorts of failures, accidents.

Imty is the most comprehensive and all-encompassing rite. According to the Evenks, fire is an intermediary between a person and the supreme deity of the BUGA.

The ceremony of feeding the fire is the simplest form, not burdensome, not requiring special preparations. That is why it is alive, and is still observed in every home and every family.

Togoe - enikun, mune nyamalgikal, degdelkal honeycombs, beyune bukel.

Hegdy eneke! Mune Beladekel.

Mother fire, warm us, burn harder, send the beast.

Big mother! Help us!

The rite of request is an appeal to the river.

Crossing the river, they made a pulga. New shreds (multi-colored) rags were tied to the willows, saying:

“Birava alandyanal pulgannivkil.

Yektatkardu sangal giriptyla onoktokorvo uivkil, gundenel:

Hutechel bipilbun!

Ayat padevkel!

Garbilegde birakun!

Yengnaekun birakun!

Mupuranny Yengnakan!

Nutechelve ayat padevkel!

“We who have children!

Well you got us through!

Big river with a name!

Big river Iengra!

Full-flowing river Iengra!

From now on, also forward well,

whether my child will be, whether I myself will be.

Good forward, here I gave it to you!

Rite of "Ulgani"(rite of purification)

According to the Evenks, each person is obliged to undergo a rite of purification in order to appear before the spirits with a pure soul, without evil thoughts. Only in this case, the spirits will treat you favorably. The fire will burn everything bad, and the smoke of wild rosemary will cleanse your souls.

Strips of fabric are the personification and embodiment of ideas about the threads of life, about the rope - fate. Having hung strips - rags on a tree, the Evenk, as it were, connects his thread of life with the thread - the life of trees, which means he gives it into the hands of the supreme deity Eniken Buga.

Visiting relatives or guests are passed through chichipkan - a split trunk of a young larch with a whole top or two trunks of young larch with tied tops. At the same time, they fumigate with wild rosemary smoke, shaking off people with a sprig of all their illnesses, sins, worries, wish them health, good luck in hunting, and happiness. At the end of the ULGANI ritual, young guys approach the chichipkans, move the trunks, tie a willow from below and take them outside.

Avgara bikallu, ekallu bumure, ңelemuhive ekellu, ayat beyңekallu, kutuchi bikallu!

Be healthy, do not get sick, do not do the forbidden, be lucky in hunting, be happy!

The rite of "elluvka"(Smearing with soot from the fire - the hearth).

The Elluvka rite is the familiarization of the child with the family hearth, family fire, acquaintance with him. It is held with all children in the case of the first visit - acquaintance with relatives: children join the family hearths of relatives.

The Elluvka rite is performed by grandmothers or older women - mistresses of hearths.

Aminny, eninny, ehekes! Eves togon. Ehekes togon.

Ewegechinmi togoyo ilattai!

Togo, ekel hontoro, mannis emeren!

Your father, your mother, your grandfather!

Your grandmother's fire. Your grandfather's fire.

How will your grandmother kindle the hearth!

Fire, don't take it for someone else's. Yours has arrived!

Rite-washing of the ritual column sevek-mo.

A certain Evenki idea of ​​the universe is conveyed by the ritual shaman column Sevek mo. The domed upper ledge depicts the upper world, where the good spirit Seveki lives, the disc-shaped middle one, the earth, where people live, and the rounded, with a slight flattening, the lower world, where the evil spirit Kharga lives. Coating sevek-mo with fat, the people of the land of Dulin Bug indulge and speak, asking the spirit of Seveki for a good life.

Mighty Spirit Seveki!

Turn to face us and smile!

May your soul be merciful!

Doing good for a year,

Caring for us daily

Seveki's grandfather!

For great happiness, we set you

Sacred Pillar Sevek Mo,

Have put it down since generation

And forever and ever.

Birthing rites

The structure of the traditional maternity rites of the Evenks includes the following groups of rites associated with the birth of a child: the rite of asking for a child from Aikhit; beliefs and prohibitions related to a woman's pregnancy; rituals performed directly during childbirth; postpartum rites - cleansing the mother and child and introducing the child to the family hearth.

Birth is called the term baldydyak - "the place where you live." Traditionally, Evenk women gave birth in a separate tent or a maternity tent televun, which they themselves installed. Only in difficult cases, elderly women or a shaman helped to give birth. The umbilical cord was cut off with scissors, and the latter was hung on a tree or buried in the eastern side of the mound so that the place was well lit by the sun. A week after giving birth, the mother could go to the family tent with her child, but for a month she was forbidden to have sexual intercourse with her husband. She sewed diapers from deer skins, rubbed wood dust for powder. If a woman gave birth to a girl, she silently walked to the camp, and if a boy, then, returning with him in her arms, she loudly shouted: “Oh, pray Emeren” - “the boy has come.” This cry was a signal for men to prepare for the holiday. In any weather, the father unfolded the diapers and, taking the child by the legs, lifted him up. If the child was silent, it was believed that he would become a good hunter and a brave person.

The shaman with a cooled coal from the hearth made a mark on the child's forehead between the eyebrows, so that the owner of the family hearth of that beye (“man of fire”) would accept a new member of the team.

funeral rites

According to the beliefs of modern Evenks, a person has two souls: a “good” omi and a “bad” uokha, uokha omiti - “a person without a soul”. Today, uokha dalychi is regarded by the Evenks as a special kind of negative energy. These two souls possess the consciousness of a person alternately, depending on life circumstances. When a person dies, the omi soul flies to the habitat of the good God Seveki - Seveki boogalan, paradise. The bad soul ends up in the place of Khergudunne, the possession of Satan Khergu. The image of Satan is borrowed from the Christian culture of the Slavic settlers.

The signs of death were most often considered "black dreams" - congorin tolkitim. If a person saw himself in the world of monsters or black people, this was a sure sign that he would soon die: bukel - with an emphasis on "e"; bucha - died. A harbinger of imminent death was considered a crow, which, croaking, sat on a tent. Such a function of the crow was comprehended by a legend according to which Seveki made her a gravedigger bird. Some Evenks considered a black cat a “bad” animal. Once, during the war, one old man forced the household to leave the black cat donated by the Russians during the next migration. At the new place, the old man suddenly fell ill and died. Kindred regarded his sudden death as the revenge of the offended cat.

The Evenks borrowed the ritual of washing the dead from the Russians, as well as the custom of placing a wooden cross as a tombstone. Before the arrival of the Slavs, the Evenks did not bury the dead in the ground, considering the earth to be a living being. The anthropomorphism of the Evenks was manifested in the fact that they represented the Earth in the form of a huge man. Geographical areas were associated with parts of the body of this living creature: rivers - with blood arteries, desert - with a bare stomach, gorges - with lips, mouth - with a cave, teeth - with sharp stones. Mountains were associated with the nose, and eyes with lakes.

deer cult

In the field of reindeer husbandry, the largest number of modern beliefs are centered around the image of a sacred deer. Often, deer are born in the herd with deviations in physical development: without eyes, lower jaws, etc., which do not survive, but are considered messengers of good spirits, a good sign for the well-being of people and an increase in the number of deer. The sacred deer sevek of an unusual white color (most often sterile) with red eyes, which was regarded as a messenger of God Seveki for the happiness of people, enjoyed special honor. Such a deer was not used in work, they put on him the most beautiful bridle and tied a red rag around his neck. After death, he was laid on his right side so that his heart was free, with his muzzle to the east on a special kolbo storehouse. According to the stories of informants, even the birds did not touch his carcass, and it completely decayed.

Some hunters sometimes met in the taiga an elk with white hair and an unusually long tail, which contributed to fishing success.

Cult of nature

The Evenks worshiped individual natural objects on the basis of beliefs about an impersonal sacred place, for example, a separate rock or a bare hill. The hill, on which trees did not grow, served as a venue for the public holiday of bakaldyn - “a meeting of relatives, friends”, a place where the nomadic paths of reindeer herders crossed. At the top of the hill they lit a fire and thanked the sun. Informants remember two periods of celebration. There was a time when only men gathered for the feast, and women stayed with the herd. Then women and children began to participate in the holidays. Usually they danced a circle dance, held sports competitions, concluded trade deals and exchanged brides. At present, some Evenks are trying to observe the traditional rituals of treating the coins of the hills. Most often, the ritual is performed from the window of a moving car. Moreover, coins should not be thrown away, but kept in an open palm, they themselves fall to the ground from shaking.

Upon arrival at the camp and before the migration, the Evenks treated the owner of the fire Toho and the owners of the mountains and taiga, who were also called seveks. For them, colored rags, torgakans, bells, and wooden reindeer collars were hung on a tree. The Evenks represented the owner of the fire in the form of an eternally “young old man” without a beard. He must be old for wisdom, and young for the fire of life. They threw a piece of cake into the fire, sprinkled vodka, bear and deer fat, asked for good luck for the herd and good hunting. It was forbidden to give reindeer milk and fish to the owner of the fire, because he did not like these products and was very angry. Some Evenks have the Nanai name for the owner of the fire, Podya. The bulk of modern Evenks call it the term Seveki. In a similar way, they treated the owner of the river bira omin, and the owner of the mountains - ure omin. It was forbidden to defecate, spit, throw garbage into the fire and the river. When treating the owners of rivers, mountains, taiga, lakes, the old people were baptized according to the Orthodox custom, asking for good luck and happiness in life.

Animals (lice) are found in the taiga, trees and bushes (hair). The sexual organ of a woman is a cave in which children appear after the introduction of a stone pillar into it, the basis of the earth and life - the male genital organ. He enters the cave as a fish enters its hole to spawn. A cave is a special place where life originates.

Graves were not dug for fear of causing pain, wounds to a living being - the earth. Therefore, the Evenks traditionally wrapped the corpse in skins, tightly tied with tendons and hung on a tree. The remnant of this ritual in the Evenki language is the term meta, i.e. skin to mark the coffin. The dead children were placed in cradles on the branches of trees, and the “package” with the body of an adult was tied to the top of a bent young tree. Then the top was released, the trunk straightened, the body of the deceased person turned out to be high above the ground and was inaccessible to predators. At the foot of the tree they left the gun of the deceased with one cartridge, loops, a knife, a bow, arrows, dishes, etc. - everything that was necessary for the deceased in another life. All things were broken and necessarily slaughtered on the grave of a beloved deer by squeezing the heart or rupturing the aorta. To deliver the meat to the collective farm-state farm, the deer was killed with a knife in the back of the head without performing rituals. For own consumption, the slaughter of a deer was carried out in the same way as for the burial of a person.

In the upper world, Seveki arranged a trial, carefully studied the soul of a deceased person, determined its character - whether it was greedy or not, good or evil. If it turned out that the soul was greedy, then Seveki settled it in an area with barren land. A kind soul settled in a camp with deer. Seveki himself decided how many souls would live in his world before being sent to earth. The evil soul had to go through a series of trials and tests by Seveki.

At the modern cemetery, some Evenks bury their dead in one row. Orthodox wooden crosses or ordinary pedestals, steles made of metal or marble chips with photographs are installed as tombstones.

For the same purpose, an ember from the hearth was placed in the emke's cradle. To protect the child from misfortune, bear claws were hung over his cradle, and the baby perceived the mighty spirit of this beast, and the sound of the bells served as a signal to the mother, busy with household chores, that everything was in order with the child.

Evenks did not celebrate birthdays in traditional culture. But they tried to give a name to a newborn with a full meeting of relatives and most often by the name of a recently deceased relative. They could also call by the name of any object or animal that caught their father's eyes, for example, "axe", "squirrel". The best names for boys were: Bultadia (strong hunter), Mange (hard as a stone). The child was given the necessary items in hunting life: a gun, a pipe, skis. A knife - always with a magical sentence: “koto ulleve bakakal bultaduk syaksyachi bigin” - “let the knife find meat, let the knife be in blood during the hunt.” Boys and girls were called the same - "nireykan" - "little child".

According to informants, the birth of twins was not a good event. Often, at the birth of opposite-sex twins, a girl was considered not a natural child, but a work-up from a particular man. Most often it was given to neighbors.

bear cult

In the traditional culture of the Evenks, there was a cult of a bear, which they call egeka, egondya, moota; lovingly - tormented "Misha", egodkan - a bear cub, nyami - a female bear. Previously, the bones of a bear were not eaten, they were never thrown to dogs, but along with the skull they hung on a tree to be pecked by birds. Each boy had his own knife, it was used when eating bear meat, cutting off small pieces at the mouth in an upward motion. A bear who violated the ritual could be torn apart in the taiga. In addition, this way of eating bear meat is considered “purely” Evenki, since the Slavs, due to the peculiarities of their anthropological type, can cut their nose. This circumstance still serves as the subject of jokes over Russian fellow villagers today. In most Evenki clans, women were allowed to eat bear meat. After the meal, everyone danced around the fire.

Currently, reindeer hunters hunt bears with firearms, install steel cable loops and soxo pressure traps. Such a trap is set in the place where the bear got into the habit of stealing deer from the herd, i.e. began to "graze" the herd, according to the Evenks. Despite the fact that for modern Evenki the bear is primarily a predator that destroys domestic deer, they have retained some beliefs and rituals in relation to this powerful animal: a bear skull is placed with its muzzle to the east on a high pole near the camp. The skull is set in honor of the spirit of the bear, out of respect for the beast, as well as to scare away evil creatures and real predators.

Bereznitsky, Sergei Vasilievich. Beliefs and rituals of the Amur Evenks //

The Evenks are an ancient people, whose representatives are becoming less and less, since with the development of transport and freedom of movement, this group has ceased to be practically isolated from contacts with other people. This causes a rapid mixing of blood with different genetic groups, which inevitably entails the erasure of the traditions of this people in mixed families. Not only culturologists and ethnographers, but also ordinary people are keenly interested in interesting rituals and traditions of the Evenks. There are tourist destinations that allow you to visit the villages of the Evenks in order to see for yourself the originality and uniqueness of their lifestyle, activities and leisure.

Evenks are typical pagans. Until now, they are very sensitive to faith, trying to adhere to all the canons and steadily follow the instructions of shamans - mediators between the world of the living and the dead. In the religion of this people, a special place is occupied by the spirits of deceased ancestors, among which there is a clear hierarchy.

Evenk shamanism differs from others in that both male gods and female goddesses are the supreme deities in it, while the pantheon of gods in the shamanism of other peoples is mainly men.

The entire universe, in accordance with the ideas about the world order of this nation, is divided into three levels: upper (heavenly), middle (earthly) and lower (underground). The souls of people who lived in justice enter the upper level after death, while the souls of sinners serve punishment in the lower level, after which they are again reborn in new earthly bodies.

To become a shaman, an Evenk does not need to study or choose his appointment on his own. For this mission, he is chosen by the gods themselves, who at one moment take possession of consciousness. The chosen one begins a “shamanic illness”, during which he experiences discomfort, he is visited by visions, continuous failures or problems with loved ones may haunt him. After an interesting ceremony of initiation into shamans, all these troubles end abruptly.

Shamans have no restrictions on the way of life, they may well engage in mundane work, but in most cases there is not enough time for this. Each shaman has his own "specialization": someone is engaged in the rites of "purification", someone deals with health problems, etc. There is a certain fee for contacting a shaman. In addition, often the appeal to the world of spirits and deities requires sacrifices. Previously, it was mainly animal meat, milk and alcohol.

Modern shamans note that spirits react negatively to vodka, since many Evenks do not know how to properly use this drink, and the problem of alcoholism is present among representatives of this people on the same scale as among all northern residents.

Getting lucky

The main occupation of the Evenks, which provided them with food and livelihood, was hunting, so there are many interesting rituals among the traditions of hunters. One of them was aimed at invoking good luck, which would save the family from starvation during the cold snowy winter.

In order for the upcoming fishing to become successful, the hunters performed a ceremony called “sinkelevun” or “shinkelevun”. During it, a magical clogging of the image of an animal was performed, on which men are going to go out. The same interesting rite helped to return good luck to those who could not achieve their goal during the previous hunt.

First, it was necessary to lay out an image of an artiodactyl on the ground, and then make a fake bow with arrows. The hunter took images of a deer or an elk and went into the taiga. All this happened in complete solitude without witnesses. From close range, he fired at the figurine. If the arrow hit the target, then the upcoming hunt should be successful. To consolidate the effect, the cutting of the carcass was imitated: one half was hidden in the taiga, and the other was taken home. Sometimes a shaman also participated in this action, then success was practically guaranteed.

Animal cult

Centuries of life in nature made the relationship of the Evenks with animals special. Interesting traditions were associated with communication between people and animals. It was believed that animals perfectly understand human speech, so there was an interesting requirement: when gathering for hunting, you can’t talk about this directly, since any animal that heard these conversations would warn the victim. The conversations were allegorical, special phrases and words were used that replaced the concepts of "hunter", "victim", "gun", "bow", etc.

It was believed that each animal has a master spirit, which should be prayed for in order to return from the taiga alive and unharmed. Sacrifices were made to such spirits, and for personal safety, amulets (claws, bones, pieces of skins, etc.) were worn on the body, averting all possible troubles associated with hunting.

A special place was given to bears. It was interesting that the Evenks identified themselves with this beast, believed that he could talk, could take on a human form and turn back into an animal. It was not allowed to mock the bear, as the beast could take cruel revenge.

It was not allowed to kill a sleeping bear, before it had to be awakened, although this brought unnecessary danger to the hunters. Often during the slaughter, the Evenks loudly said that they were Yakuts, or croaked like a raven to ward off the guilt for the death of the beast. After the murder, it was necessary to ask for forgiveness from the murdered for taking his life.

life-giving fire

During the long cold months, the presence of fire in the du (plague) was the key to survival. The bonfire was located strictly in the center, marking the heart of the dwelling and the family. In the summer months, instead of a big fire, a smoker was located here, and food was cooked on a fire near the tent.

Fire was considered the main family shrine, so many interesting traditions are associated with it. Basically, women kept the fire going while the husbands and fathers of families went to the taiga. The fire was considered a living being with a sensitive and subtle soul, so the extinction of the fire was compared with a harbinger of terrible and tragic events. The fire had a personal spirit, endowed with the appearance of an old man or an old woman, to whom the best cuts of meat were placed directly on the coals and wine was dripped.

Children were not allowed to play with firebrands, and adults were not allowed to quarrel and swear next to him, as this could cause the spirit-fire to weaken, which would lead to misfortunes and illnesses for all household members.

Evenks always burned cut hair and nails in a fire, because a person who did not burn them would suffer after death and look for cuttings all over the world. You can burn these scraps only in your home, this will keep your soul clean and save you from nightmares.

matchmaking

The wedding ceremonies of the Evenki differ in many respects from other small peoples living in neighboring territories, they have a huge number of interesting traditions. The choice of a groom or bride for their children was carried out by parents or older relatives who could conclude an agreement even before the appearance of a child in the family. They were very scrupulous about the fact that the future newlyweds belonged to different families.

The groom himself and the matchmaker, a noble and respected elderly man, appeared at the matchmaking. For this event, it was necessary to dress in a special way, so the purpose of the visit did not remain a mystery to the girl's parents. The matchmaker silently entered the house and put brushwood or firewood on the fire in order to sweep away all possible omissions. The girl at that time left the house so as not to interfere with the conversation, and expected a special invitation. The groom also did not participate in the conversation between the matchmaker and the bride's parents.

The matchmaker offered his tobacco to the mother and father of the girl, and if they agreed, the issue of marriage was considered resolved. In case of refusal, the man and woman smoked their tobacco. Then the groom and the matchmaker said goodbye and went home.

During the courtship, they discussed the size of the kalym - the ransom that the young man must pay to the bride's parents. The groom, in turn, had the right to inquire about the dowry, and if it was too small, demand to supplement it.

For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that among the Evenki, bride price and dowry were not assigned a decisive role, the main factor was considered the personal qualities of the young.

Whenever matchmaking took place, the wedding was scheduled for the spring, because by this time the calving of deer was already completed and the first grass appeared, so grazing was easy. After the marriage, the families of the bride and groom constantly wandered towards each other, and by the time of the wedding they were neighbors.

Wedding

At the wedding they put on the most expensive and bright outfits. The deer, on which the bride rode to the groom's tent, was dressed up with a special saddle and blanket, the bridle was decorated with beaded patterns. The girl circled the tent three times while the men fired into the air. Then the young woman entered the dwelling, and all members of the family, together with her, danced around the fire in the direction of the sun. In turn, the parents of the bride and groom gave their blessing to the young.

There should have been a lot of treats at the holiday, the guests sang and danced until the morning, told long stories, held competitions in horse racing, wrestling, shooting, etc.

childbirth

According to Evenki culture, the souls of unborn babies live in the bodies of small birds - "omi". This word has two meanings - "soul" and "tit". The place where they live is called "nectar". Because of this, the killing of tits and other small birds is one of the grave sins for this nation.

Childbirth among these nomads was a fateful event, because in difficult conditions without qualified medical care, they often ended in the death of a mother or a newborn, and sometimes both at once. Often the procedure of childbirth was long and painful. If the relatives of the woman in labor saw that the process was difficult, they resorted to magical rituals. There was an interesting tradition of untying all the knots in the house and in the yard while there was a pregnant woman in the family. Later, this tradition was transformed into the opening of all locks, and such a rite has been preserved to this day, since for many centuries there has been a strong belief that if this requirement is not met, childbirth cannot be successful.

In the event that a woman in labor needed urgent help during childbirth, relatives called a shaman who cut down a tree and drove a wedge into the stump. The stronger and faster the wedge was driven in, the faster the child was born.

Name and occupation

The newborn was immediately given a name. Delay in choosing a name was not allowed, because while the baby does not have a name, evil spirits can take over the soul that has come into the world, and the child will get sick. The name must be one that is not in the family. If the baby is named the same as the name of one of the old living relatives, they may die before the due date, so that the life force flows to a new family member. Such an interesting tradition has been preserved among the Evenks to this day, and they relentlessly follow it.

In the cradle, which was located on hanging supports, ritual items were placed next to the child. They were chosen depending on who the parents wanted to see their child and what qualities, in their opinion, it should have when it grows up. The bow and spear made the son a well-aimed shooter and a successful warrior. Interestingly, the girls most often did not put amulets in the crib, only occasionally they could lower the doll there, and in most cases some part of the mother's clothes acted as protection. It was believed that the mother's soul, absorbed from the first days of life, would save the girl most reliably from all possible difficulties in the future.

Burial traditions

Evenks have different burial rites for adults and children. An adult or old person is buried in the ground, and deer are usually sacrificed. The more deer sacrificed, the easier the afterlife will be for the deceased. On a hill, poured over the body, a stuffed deer made of wood was installed. This was due to the great role deer played in the life of this people.

Nowadays, the tradition has been transformed and has become even more interesting. The fact is that many representatives of this group adopted Christianity as their religion, therefore, on the graves of most Evenks, there are both a stuffed deer and an Orthodox cross at the same time.

Deceased children are subjected to air burial. To do this, their bodies are placed on the branches of trees. An interesting rite is associated with the belief that the souls of children are not strong enough to independently ascend to heaven, and a bird can pick up a soul from a tree and deliver it directly to another world.

MBOU « Lindinskaya ungraded basic comprehensive school "

Zhigansky district of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

The study of the rituals of the Evenki holiday "Bakaldyn"

Bakhynay, 2015

Since ancient times, many peoples of the world had their own customs and traditions. They were passed down from generation to generation. All these ceremonies had a close connection with nature, since human life and the continuation of its kind largely depend on the environment. In this work, we studied the meanings and conduct of rituals for the revival of Evenk culture.

Based on the decision of the State Assembly Il Tumen RS (Y) dated November 26, 2008. Zhigansky ulus is endowed with the status of "National Evenki District". Currently, 4241 people live in the Zhigansky ulus, including 1971 people. (46.5%) representatives of the indigenous peoples of the North. Of these, 1946 people are Evenks.

Knowing the culture, traditions, customs of your people is the duty of every person. Based on the purpose of the work, the following tasks were set:

one). The study of varieties of rituals based on the analysis of the theoretical part of the work.

2). Identification of methods for conducting rituals on the example of the Evenki holiday "Bakaldyn" in the Zhigansky ulus.

Evenki holiday "Bakaldyn" - This is a holiday of meeting the new year, which is held among the Evenks living in the Amur region and Yakutia. The main goal of this holiday is the active communication of the Evenks among themselves, establishing contacts between representatives of different regions, the activation and revival of the Evenk language, familiarizing children with traditional culture. The Bakaldyn holiday symbolizes the renewal of nature after a long winter, it is called the “Spring and Greenery Festival”.

After a harsh and cold winter, when warm days came, our ancestors gathered every year and held a holiday. They met at a certain, fixed place. Such annual, festive meetings made it possible for nomadic families to exchange information and communicate, because in winter they rarely met in search of meat and fur animals. It was at such holidays that they learned from the elders the experience and wisdom of life. This universal joy of the awakening of northern nature inspired the old,and young. And what is a holiday without songs, dances, competitions for dexterity, courage, without a common tea party?

Currently, at the venue of the holiday, participants set up tents, chums in advance. At the tents, an exhibition of applied art is arranged, a pole with the image of large mythical birds is set up on four sides. There are three trees (larches) around the pillar near the Chichipkan family fire, poles with the image of burbot are hung on the larches, next to it is a humanoid figure without a hand - a hunting amulet "pelley". The organizers and participants of the holiday come in Evenki national costumes.

According to our ancestors, every person is obliged to undergo a purification ceremony in the New Year in order to appear in the New Year with a pure soul, without illness, without evil thoughts. Only in this case the Sun and the Blue Sky can treat the Evenk favorably. According to the scenario of the Evenki holiday "Bakaldyn", the following rituals are necessarily performed: "Purification", "Worship of Fire", "Communion", "Singgelevun" and "Sekalaon". The attitude of the Evenks to nature and the surrounding world is reflected in the many prohibitions, beliefs and rituals that permeate literally all aspects of economic life.

Rite of purification.

The rite is performed with a long failure in the hunt. At the entrance, a chichipkan is set up, in the middle - a ritual fire, into which from time to time rosemary, juniper are thrown for fumigation. The rite of purification begins. All participants of the holiday pass through the chichipkan, through the living corridor of the ritual group, which waves the juniper or wild rosemary, lets them pass, saying the wishes of healing, health, happiness, good luck in everything.

The rite of purification under normal conditions of life was performed in a simplified form. In many cases, it was performed by the patients themselves, without the participation of a shaman. For this purpose, a fire was kindled, a stuffed animal resembling a person was made from grass, and a chichipkan was placed. Through persuasion and coaxing, they forced the spirits of the evil eye to move into a grass scarecrow. When passing through the chichipkan, the effigy was clamped and then burned.

Ritual of welcoming guests at the festival, it happens through the taboo "Sacred Deer", which drives away evil spirits from the venue of the holiday. The elder or elders (two, three people) shake hands with the participants of the holiday through a deer.

Fire ceremony. All the peoples of the world, all the children of the planet worshiped fire - the source of heat, light, believed in its cleansing power.

For each nation, this worship was reflected in its rites in different ways. The northern peoples, whose whole life was inextricably linked with nature, until recently sacredly believed and honored everything that surrounds them, first of all, fire. The Evenks worshiped fire in various rituals.

One of the obligatory rituals is feeding, treating the spirit of fire. Evenki believed that everything around in nature has its own spirit. For some Evenks, the spirit of fire was represented in the form of a wise, kind old man - epeke (grandfather), for some Evenks, the spirit of fire was an old woman - ebeke (grandmother). Evenks, having arrived at a new campsite, made a fire and fed the spirit of fire with the best pieces of food: lard, fatty meat, bread and butter, etc.

They used the cleansing property of fire, its smoke, passing visitors through chichipkan - a split trunk of a young larch with a whole top. At the same time, they fumigated with wild rosemary smoke, shaking off people with a branch of rosemary all their illnesses, sins, worries, wished them health, good luck in hunting, happiness, etc. In Evenki, it sounded like this: “Avgarabikallu, ekellubumura, nelemupiveekelllu sconce, ayatbeynekelllu, kutuchibikellu!” (Be healthy, don’t get sick, don’t do the forbidden, be lucky in hunting, be happy!”). All participants approach the ancestral fire. The shaman or the organizer of "Bakaldyn" feeds the fire with good wishes for all those present, their relatives and relatives, then begins to feed the spirits of the sky, forest, earth and water. All those present are invited to give crumbs of bread, food, plantain to the spirit of "ichchi" with a request to fulfill their cherished desires.

rite of communion "Yellavka". The elders of the clans begin the rite of communion of newly arrived guests to the clan fire. At the same time, they smear the forehead, cheeks, chin of the guests with ashes or coal from the family fire and pronounce words with the best wishes. The past rite of communion from this moment is under the protection of the ancestral fire. The essence of communion is that it strengthens the threads of the connections of the sun, moon, stars and sky. Guests and participants of the holiday approach the sacred tree "Sebekmo" and, stroking it, ask for the fulfillment of their cherished desires.

Ritual "Singkelevun". The hunting rite of obtaining "hunting happiness" was arranged when the hunter had no luck in hunting for a meat animal for a long time. For this, a small bow and a figure of an elk or a deer were first made from willow. Then the hunter went to a remote place and, placing an image of the beast on a dais, shot at him with a bow. If after the shot it fell, then this meant a successful hunt. If the figure gave a miss, then an unsuccessful hunt was expected.

They make up a model of a deer from branches, imperceptibly tying a rope (trap) to the front leg in order to hook the deer when the hunter shoots his prey. All this demonstrates the dexterity and courage of a hunter who obtains food to feed his kind.

A number of rituals and prohibitions were associated with bear hunting. This came from the confidence of the Evenks that the beast could hear and understand a person.

Ritual "Sekalaon" (bear). When decorating the Bakaldyn holiday, they carefully prepare. They take a sacred fragrant larch tree, wrap it in a bear skin, decorated with red patchwork earrings. Each passing participant of the holiday with good intentions should stroke the owner of the taiga on his mighty back. It helps to gain courage, spiritual strength, symbolizes our inseparable connection with nature.