More than 19 million people live in the Urals - more than 8% of the total population of Russia. Since the time of its settlement by Russians, i.e. Over the course of four centuries, several million inhabitants moved to the Urals. The largest waves of migration occurred in the 18th century, when tens of thousands of families of serfs and artisans were resettled in the Urals to work at metallurgical plants, and in the second half of the 19th century. after the abolition of serfdom. In 1913, more than 10 million people lived in the Urals. Residents of the central provinces who fled from serfdom or were forcibly transported to the Urals, and in post-reform times, so-called free migrants crushed by poverty and homelessness, constituted the main contingent of migrants in the pre-revolutionary past.

IN Soviet years resettlement to the Urals did not decrease. During the years of socialist industrialization, the Urals presented a huge demand for labor. In the period between the population censuses of 1926 and 1939. the population of the Urals increased annually by an average of almost 2.5% There was a large influx of residents during the Great Patriotic War in connection with the evacuation of hundreds of factories and factories from the western regions. Total number population of the Urals over the years Soviet power almost doubled, while the national average during this time increased by 46%. Middle age The population of the Urals is lower than the national average.

Resettlement in the post-revolutionary period entailed not only an increase in the population, but also its redistribution throughout the Urals. The bulk of the residents who arrived in the Urals during the years of socialist construction were absorbed by the cities of the Sverdlovsk and Chelyabinsk regions, where large-scale industrial construction was underway at that time. The population in them has increased more than 3 times compared to pre-revolutionary times. At the same time, the area of ​​the most dense settlement expanded, covering the Southern and part of the Northern Urals, where powerful industrial centers arose (Serovsko-Karpinsky, Magnitogorsk, Orsko-Mednogorsk). The development of virgin and fallow lands, the involvement of new mineral deposits and forest resources in the industrial exploitation led to a certain shift of the population to the outlying areas. IN post-war period The population growth rates were higher than the average Ural ones in the south-eastern and northeastern regions Ural.

IN recent years the flow of new settlers has decreased significantly. The population growth in the Urals is now occurring almost exclusively due to natural growth. In some years, there was even some outflow of population to other parts of the country.

Features of the settlement of the Urals, its position on the routes of movement of ancient peoples to the west, and at a later time - on the routes of migration to the east, extremely diverse natural conditions and resources partially determined the diversity national composition local population. Here they found their usual living conditions and economic activity inhabitants of the taiga and steppe regions, natives of their harsh north and sultry south, farmers central regions and nomads of the Central Asian deserts. The most mixed population is in the Urals. Representatives of several dozen nationalities live in the Urals.

Their habitats are intertwined and form a motley mosaic. The population of the Ural cities and many rural settlements is very ethnically mixed. The most numerous in the Urals are Russians, Tatars, Bashkirs, Udmurts, Komisko - livestock-raising rural settlements.

The size of villages increases as you move south. The number of inhabitants in some of them reaches several thousand people. At the same time, the density of settlements is decreasing. Many settlements developed along ancient highways, especially along the Siberian Highway. In the past, their population was engaged in transportation. Nowadays these are predominantly agricultural villages and villages, differing from neighboring settlements only in that they are stretched out.

The main features of the distribution of the population of the Urals are determined by the geography of industry. The mining Urals, the most industrially developed part of the Urals, have the highest population density. The Cis-Urals, and especially the flat Trans-Urals, are much less populated. Population density varies greatly between the northern and southern regions. Udmurtia is especially densely populated and Chelyabinsk region, and much less - Orenburg and Kurgan regions. In the mining part of the Urals, almost the entire population is concentrated along the eastern and western foothills, and the group location of cities has led to extremely high density population in industrial hubs. Here it reaches several hundred people per square kilometer. At the same time, the main part, with the exception of railway strips, has a very sparse population - up to 3 - 4 people per 1 km2, and in the northern regions even less. In the flat regions of the Urals, the population density approaches the average Ural level. It is higher in the Cis-Urals and lower in the Trans-Urals. There are also significant differences in population density between forest, forest-steppe and steppe regions of the Cis-Urals and Trans-Urals. It ranges from 5 people in the south of the steppe strip to 50 people in the forest-steppe and in the south of the forest zone. Due to the predominance of the rural population, the share of which in these areas reaches 60 - 70%, there are no such jumps in population density as in the mining part.

PEOPLES OF THE MIDDLE URAL, SVERDLOVSK REGION: Russians, Tatars, Ukrainians, Bashkirs, Mari, Germans, Azerbaijanis, Udmurts, Belarusians, Armenians, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Chuvash, Kyrgyz, Mordovians, Jews, Kazakhs, Gypsies, Moldavians, Chinese, Georgians, Greeks , Poles, Komi-Permyaks, Yezidis, Lezgins, Koreans, Bulgarians, Chechens, Avars, Ossetians, Lithuanians, Komi, Latvians, Ingush, Turkmens, Yakuts, Estonians, Kumyks, Dargins, Mansi Indigenous peoples of the Urals Voguls are Russian Hungarians. The original Uralian - who is he? For example, the Bashkirs, Tatars and Mari have lived in this region for only a few centuries. However, even before the arrival of these peoples, this land was inhabited. On the territory of the Sverdlovsk region, in addition to the Tatars and Mari, the Mansi have a compact settlement, whose settlements are located in the north. The Mansi are characterized by a very specific settlement network, which is a reflection of a semi-nomadic way of life - very unstable and changeable. In the Verkhoturye district of the Perm province at the beginning of the 20th century. there were 24 settlements Voguls (Mansi), in which about 2 thousand people lived [see: Chagin, 1995.85]. In 1928, 7 Mansi villages were noted in the Tagil district of the Ural region. But, apparently, this is an incomplete list. In archival documents, 36 nomadic villages were noted in 1930, and 28 in 1933. The indigenous people were the Mansi, called Voguls before the revolution. On the map of the Urals you can now find rivers and settlements called “Vogulka”. The Mansi are a small people, which includes 5 groups isolated from each other according to their habitat: Verkhoturye (Lozvinskaya), Cherdynskaya (Visherskaya), Kungurskaya (Chusovskaya), Krasnoufimskaya (Klenovsko-Bisertskaya), Irbitskaya. Today there are fewer and fewer Mansi left. At the same time, only a couple of dozen people live according to old traditions. Youth is looking for better life and doesn't even know the language. In search of income, young Mansi tend to go to the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug to get an education and earn money. Komi-Permyaks Komi-Permyaks living in the Perm region appeared towards the end of the first millennium. Since the 12th century, Novgorodians entered this territory, engaged in the exchange and trade of furs. Bashkirs Mentions of the Bashkirs are found in chronicles starting from the 10th century. They were engaged in nomadic cattle breeding, fishing, hunting, and beekeeping. In the 10th century they were annexed to the Volga Bulgaria and during the same period Islam penetrated there. In 1229, Bashkiria was attacked by the Mongol-Tatars. In the 17th century, Russians began to actively come to Bashkiria, among whom were peasants, artisans, and traders. The Bashkirs began to lead a sedentary lifestyle. The annexation of the Bashkir lands to Russia caused repeated uprisings of the indigenous inhabitants. The Bashkirs took an active part in the Pugachev uprising (1773-1775). During this period, the national hero of Bashkiria Salavat Yulaev became famous. As punishment for the Yaik Cossacks who took part in the riot, the Yaik River received the name Ural. Mari The Mari or Cheremis are a Finno-Ugric people. Settled in Bashkiria, Tatarstan, Udmurtia. There are Mari villages in the Sverdlovsk region. They were first mentioned in the 6th century by the Gothic historian Jordan. In total, on the territory of the Sverdlovsk region in the 20th century. 39 settlements with a Mari population were noted, located on the territory of Artinsky, Achitsky, Krasnoufimsky, Nizhneserginsky districts. Nagaibaki There are several versions of the origin of this nation. According to one of them, they may be descendants of Naiman warriors, Turks who were Christians. Nagaibaks are representatives ethnographic group baptized Tatars of the Volga-Ural region. This is indigenous small people RF. Nagaibak Cossacks took part in all large-scale battles of the 18th century. They live in the Chelyabinsk region. Tatars Tatars are the second largest people in the Urals (after the Russians). Most Tatars live in Bashkiria (about 1 million). There are many completely Tatar villages in the Urals. In total, 88 settlements were identified in the Sverdlovsk region in which Tatars lived, of which 12 had a mixed Bashkir-Tatar population, 42 had a Russian-Tatar population, and one had a Mari-Tatar population. Tatar villages are concentrated mainly in the southwest of the Sverdlovsk region - in the Artinsky, Achitsky, Krasnoufimsky, Nizhneserginsky districts. The nested type of settlement in general is still preserved, and a number of village councils can be identified, which mainly consist of Tatar villages: Russko-Potamsky, Talitsky, Azigulovsky, Ust-Manchazhsky, Bugalyshsky, etc. Mordva in the Middle Urals during the second half of the 20th century. is characterized by a particularly dispersed distribution. In the Sverdlovsk region in 1939 there were 10,755 people, and by 1989 - 15,453 people, and 89.7% of them were city residents. There are no areas of compact Mordovian residence in the rural areas of the Sverdlovsk region. In 1989, 2 settlements were registered here: the village. Keys of Sysertsky district and village. Khomutovka of Pervouralsk, in which it is noted mixed composition population consisting of Russians and Mordovians. Of great interest is the study of the dynamics of Kazakh rural settlements. In 1959 there were 44 of them, and in 1989 - 6. In total, in the territory of the Middle Urals in the second half of the 20th century. 98 auls are registered, which is significantly more than Tatar or Mari villages. It is possible to identify a number of areas where it is observed greatest number Kazakh settlements - the south and southeast of the Sverdlovsk region (Kamyshlovsky, Baikalovsky, Irbitsky, Pyshminsky, Sukholozhsky, Kamensky districts). In the northern and western regions of the region, Kazakh settlements are practically not found. The Middle Urals is currently a region inhabited by representatives of almost 100 nationalities. Geographically, it covers mainly the territory of the Sverdlovsk region, with the exception of its northern regions, as well as part of the Perm and southern Chelyabinsk regions.

The traditions of the peoples of the Urals have interested me for a long time. Do you know what I suddenly thought? The entire Internet is flooded with blogs, posts and reports about travel and exploration of traditions European countries and peoples. And if not European, then still some fashionable, exotic ones. IN lately a lot of bloggers got into the habit of educating us about life in Thailand, for example.

I myself am attracted by super popular places of unprecedented beauty (ah, my favorite!). But peoples inhabited every corner of our planet, sometimes even seemingly not entirely suitable for habitation. And everywhere they settled down, acquired their own rituals, holidays, and traditions. And surely this culture of some small nations is no less interesting? In general, I decided, in addition to my long-standing objects of interest, to slowly add new, unexplored traditions. And today I’ll take for consideration... well, at least this: the Urals, the border between Europe and Asia.

Peoples of the Urals and their traditions

Ural - cosmopolitan region. In addition to the main indigenous peoples (Komi, Udmurts, Nenets, Bashkirs, Tatars), it is also inhabited by Russians, Chuvashs, Ukrainians, and Mordovians. And this is still an incomplete list. Of course, I will begin my research with some general culture of the peoples of the Urals, without dividing it into national fragments.

For European residents, this region is old times was inaccessible. The sea route to the Urals could only run through the northern, extremely harsh and dangerous seas. And it was not easy to get there by land - dense forests and the fragmentation of the territories of the Urals between different peoples, who were often not on very good neighborly terms.

That's why cultural traditions The peoples of the Urals developed for quite a long time in an atmosphere of originality. Imagine: until the Urals became part of the Russian state, most local peoples did not have their own written language. But later, with intertwining national languages with Russian, many representatives of the indigenous population have turned into polyglots who know two or three languages.

The oral traditions of the peoples of the Urals, passed down from generation to generation, are full of colorful and mysterious stories. They are mainly associated with the cult of mountains and caves. After all, the Urals are, first of all, mountains. And the mountains are not ordinary, but representing - alas, in the past! – a treasury of various minerals and gems. As a Ural miner once said:

“Everything is in the Urals, and if something is missing, it means we haven’t dug it yet.”

Among the peoples of the Urals there was a belief that required special care and respect in relation to these countless treasures. People believed that caves and underground storerooms were protected by magical powers, which can bestow or destroy.

Ural gems

Peter the Great, having founded the lapidary and stone-cutting industry in the Urals, marked the beginning of an unprecedented boom in Ural minerals. Architectural structures, decorated with natural stone, jewelry in best traditions jewelry art have won not only Russian, but also international fame and love.

However, one should not think that the crafts of the Urals became famous only thanks to such rare luck with natural resources. The peoples of the Urals and their traditions are, first of all, a story about magnificent craftsmanship and imagination craftsmen. This region is famous for its wood and bone carving tradition. Wooden roofs look interesting, laid without the use of nails and decorated with carved “horses” and “hens”. And the Komi people also installed such wooden sculptures birds.

Previously, I had the opportunity to read and write about the Scythian “animal style”. It turns out that there is such a concept as “Permian” animal style" It is convincingly demonstrated by ancient bronze figurines of mythical winged creatures found by archaeologists in the Urals.

But I’m especially interested in telling you about such a traditional Ural craft as Kasli casting. And do you know why? Because not only did I already know about this tradition before, I even have my own copies of the craft! Kasli craftsmen cast creations of amazing grace from such a seemingly thankless material as cast iron. They made not only candelabra and figurines, but even jewelry, which had previously been made only from noble metals. The authority of these products on the world market is evidenced by the following fact: in Paris, a cast iron Kasli cigarette case had the same price as a silver one of equal weight.

Kasli casting from my collection

I can't help but say about famous figures cultures of the Urals:

• Pavel Bazhov. I don’t know if today’s children read Bazhov’s fairy tales, but my generation in childhood was in awe of these fascinating, breathtaking tales, which seemed to shimmer with all the colors of the Ural gems.
• Vladimir Ivanovich Dal. He is a native of Orenburg, and regarding his contribution to Russian literature, literature, history, and traditions of the peoples of the Urals, I think there is no need to explain anything.
• But about the next name - I would like to know more. The Stroganovs are a family of Russian merchants and industrialists, first, and from the 18th century - barons and counts Russian Empire. Back in the 16th century, Tsar Ivan the Terrible granted Grigory Stroganov vast land holdings in the Urals. Since then, several generations of this family have developed not only the industry of the region, but also its cultural traditions. Many Stroganovs were interested in literature and art, collecting priceless collections of paintings and libraries. And even - attention! - in traditional dishes Southern Urals the surname left its noticeable mark. For the well-known dish “beef stroganoff” is the invention of Count Alexander Grigorievich Stroganov.

Various traditions of the peoples of the Southern Urals

The Ural Mountains are located almost along the meridian for many hundreds of kilometers. Therefore, this region in the north reaches the shores of the Northern Arctic Ocean, and in the south it borders on the semi-desert territories of Kazakhstan. And isn’t it natural that the northern Urals and the southern Urals can be considered as two very different regions. Not only the geography is different, but also the way of life of the population. Therefore, when I say “traditions of the peoples of the Urals,” I will still highlight the most numerous people southern Urals. We will talk about the Bashkirs.

In the first part of the post, I somehow became more interested in describing traditions of an applied nature. But now I want to focus on the spiritual component; it seemed to me that some traditions of the people of Bashkortostan are especially relevant in our time. At least these:

• Hospitality. Elevated to the rank of a national cult among the Bashkirs. A guest, no matter whether invited or unexpected, is always greeted with extraordinary cordiality, the best treats are put on the table, and upon parting, the following tradition is observed: giving a small gift. For a guest, there was only one essential rule of decency: to stay for no more than three days :).
• Love for children, desire to have a family- this is also a strong tradition of the Bashkir people.
• Honoring Elders. Grandfathers and grandmothers are considered the main members of the Bashkir family. Every representative of this people is obliged to know the names of relatives of seven generations!

What I was especially happy to learn was the origin of the word “Sabantuy”. Isn't it a common word? And somewhat frivolous, I thought it was slang. But it turned out that this is the name of the traditional national holiday about the end of spring field work. It is also celebrated by the Tatars, but the first written mention of Sabantuy was recorded by the Russian traveler I. I. Lepekhin among the Bashkir people.

This date is intended to celebrate the richness of indigenous cultures and to think about addressing the problems associated with the oppression of small nationalities.

Ethnographers agree that the indigenous people of the Southern Urals are the Bashkirs. Today Bashkir ethnic group nothing is in danger - from the point of view of the law, all citizens Russian Federation are equal regardless of nationality. But a culture that has been created over centuries can eventually dissolve in the rhythm of modern life.

Most Bashkirs live in the Republic of Bashkortostan, and only a small part live in the Chelyabinsk and Kurgan regions: according to the 2010 census, approximately 163 thousand South Urals consider themselves Bashkirs.

The most striking facets of a people's culture are their legends, clothing and cuisine. Let's get to know them.

Soon the fairy tale will tell...

There is no people without fairy tales and legends. The Bashkirs also have a lot of them: from the large-scale poetic epic “Ural Batyr” to short fables about miracles and ingenuity. Legends are also told about where the Bashkirs themselves came from. “In ancient times, our ancestors wandered from one area to another. One day they came across a pack of wolves. The wolf leader separated from the pack, stood in front of the nomadic caravan and led it further. Our ancestors followed the wolf for a long time until they reached a fertile land, abundant in rich meadows, pastures and forests teeming with animals. And the dazzlingly sparkling marvelous mountains here reached the clouds. Having reached them, the leader stopped. After consulting among themselves, the elders decided: “We will not find a land more beautiful than this. There is nothing like it in the whole wide world. Let us stop here and make it our camp.” And they began to live on this land, the beauty and wealth of which has no equal. They set up yurts, began to hunt and raise livestock. Since then, our ancestors began to be called “Bashkorttar”, i.e. people who came for the main wolf. Previously, the wolf was called “Kort”. Bash kort means “head wolf”. This is where the word “Bashkort” - “Bashkir” comes from.

Bashkir at his house (Yahya). Photo by S. M. Prokudin-Gorsky, 1910

In Bashkir fairy tales, frisky magical horses gallop, daring warriors jokingly crush mountains and reach the sun with arrows, cunning poor people defeat greedy warriors. Where the Ural Mountains came from and why there are so many lakes around them - ancient storytellers knew everything. However, until now, hardly half of the Bashkir legends have been translated into Russian.

Feast on the mountain

Since ancient times, the Bashkirs were engaged in cattle breeding, and if there was a forest nearby, then beekeeping. Therefore, almost all national dishes contain meat, preferably lamb or horse meat, and most sweets and drinks are made with honey. Traditional Bashkir food is very filling; boiled pieces of dough are added to the meat. different forms or potatoes. Important place Milk products occupy the following categories: katyk, ayran, kumis, korot (salted cottage cheese).

Ayran Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

There is practically no place to try traditional dishes of Bashkir cuisine in Chelyabinsk, but most of them can be prepared at home. At the same time, the housewife will not have to rack her brains over what to serve for the first course and what for the second: many Bashkir dishes are “universal”. For example, for kullama, the flesh of lamb or beef, cut into small pieces, is separately boiled with seasonings, then the dough is kneaded from flour, salted water and eggs, divided into small balls (salma) and boiled in the finished broth. When serving, pieces of meat and salma are placed on each plate and filled with broth. This dish will successfully replace the usual soup and side dishes combined.

But if your soul requires a more substantial meal, you can cook shurpa (the same kullama, only with potatoes) for the first course, and meat stuffed with eggs for the second. It is prepared like this: beef tenderloin is stripped of tendons, cut on one side in the form of a bag and stuffed with hard-boiled eggs. The hole is sewn up, the meat is sprinkled with salt and pepper and fried in a frying pan, brought to readiness in the oven, periodically pouring over the released juice and fat.

Balish Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Next - tea. It should be strong, aromatic (you can add leaves to the brew black currant and strawberries) and always with milk. Baursaks (pieces of dough fried in oil) or various belishi (pies) are served with tea.

They meet you by their clothes

The national clothing of the Bashkirs is multi-layered: under the thick outer robe it was necessary to wear several thinner ones. For women, outerwear could be fitted, but the belt had a forged buckle and various decorations- relied only on men. The headdresses were made of felt and fur and richly embroidered, and the younger the person, the brighter the colors could be. Where there was a lot of livestock, almost everyone could afford leather shoes. Among jewelry, Bashkir women especially loved silver and coral - they traded them with eastern merchants for honey and furs. The light metal was credited with the ability to ward off evil spirits, so the costume included many noisy silver pendants. There was even a proverb that a Bashkir woman can first be heard, then seen. Corals were associated with fertility and wealth and were considered a mandatory gift from the groom to the bride before the wedding.

Bashkirs. Painting by M. Bukar, 1872 Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org

Now that most Bashkirs live in cities, national costume in its traditional form can only be seen during performances dance groups. However, the same can be said about almost all the peoples inhabiting our country, so there is nothing unusual about this.

The Urals are known as a multinational region with rich culture based on ancient traditions. Not only Russians live here (who began to actively populate the Urals since the 17th century), but also Bashkirs, Tatars, Komi, Mansi, Nenets, Mari, Chuvash, Mordovians and others.

The appearance of man in the Urals

The first man appeared in the Urals approximately 100 thousand years ago. It is possible that this happened before, but there are no finds associated with more early period, scientists do not yet have at their disposal. The oldest Paleolithic site primitive man was discovered in the area of ​​Lake Karabalykty, near the village of Tashbulatovo, Abzelilovsky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan.

Archaeologists O.N. Bader and V.A. Oborin, famous researchers of the Urals, claim that the Proto-Urals were ordinary Neanderthals. It has been established that people moved to this territory from Central Asia. For example, in Uzbekistan, a complete skeleton of a Neanderthal boy was found, whose life span coincided with the first exploration of the Urals. Anthropologists recreated the appearance of a Neanderthal, which was taken as the appearance of a Uralian during the settlement of this territory.

Ancient people were not able to survive alone. Danger awaited them at every step, and the capricious nature of the Urals every now and then showed its obstinate disposition. Only mutual assistance and caring for each other helped primitive man to survive. The main activity of the tribes was the search for food, so absolutely everyone was involved, including children. Hunting, fishing, and gathering are the main ways to obtain food.

A successful hunt meant a lot to the entire tribe, so people tried to appease nature with complex rituals. Rituals were performed before the image of certain animals. Evidence of this is the surviving rock paintings, including unique monument– Shulgan-tash cave, located on the banks of the Belaya (Agidel) river in the Burzyansky district of Bashkortostan.

Inside, the cave looks like an amazing palace with huge halls connected by wide corridors. The total length of the first floor is 290 m. The second floor is 20 m above the first and stretches 500 m in length. The corridors lead to a mountain lake.

It is on the walls of the second floor that unique drawings of primitive man, created using ocher, have been preserved. Figures of mammoths, horses and rhinoceroses are depicted here. The pictures indicate that the artist saw all this fauna in close proximity.

The drawings of the Shulgan-tash cave were created about 12-14 thousand years ago. Similar images available in Spain and France.

Indigenous peoples of the Urals

Voguls - Russian Hungarians

The original Uralian - who is he? For example, the Bashkirs, Tatars and Mari have lived in this region for only a few centuries. However, even before the arrival of these peoples, this land was inhabited. The indigenous people were the Mansi, called Voguls before the revolution. On the map of the Urals you can now find rivers and settlements called “Vogulka”.

Mansi belong to the Finno-Ugric people language group. Their dialect is related to the Khanty (Ostyaks) and Hungarians. In ancient times given people inhabited the territory north of the Yaik River (Ural), but later they were forced out by warlike nomadic tribes. Vogulov was even mentioned by Nestor in his “Tale of Bygone Years”, where they are called “Yugra”.

The Voguls actively resisted Russian expansion. Foci of active resistance were suppressed in the 17th century. At the same time, the Christianization of the Voguls took place. The first baptism occurred in 1714, the second in 1732, and later in 1751.

After the conquest of the indigenous inhabitants of the Urals, the Mansi were obliged to pay taxes - yasak - submitting to the Cabinet of His Imperial Majesty. They had to pay the treasury one tribute in two foxes, for which they were allowed to use arable and hay lands, as well as forests. They were exempted from conscription until 1874. From 1835 they had to pay a poll tax, and later perform zemstvo duties.

The Voguls were divided into nomadic and sedentary tribes. The first had canonical plagues in the summer, and spent the winter either in huts or in yurts with a fireplace equipped there. The sedentary people built rectangular huts from logs with an earthen floor and a flat roof covered with chopped logs and birch bark.

The main activity of the Mansi was hunting. They lived mainly on what they got with bows and arrows. The most desirable prey was considered elk, from whose skin it was sewn national clothes. The Voguls tried their hand at cattle breeding, but practically did not recognize arable farming. When the factory owners became the new owners of the Urals, the indigenous population had to engage in logging and burning coal.

A hunting dog played an important role in the life of any Vogul, without which, like without an ax, not a single man would leave the house. Forced conversion to Christianity did not force this people to abandon ancient pagan rituals. Idols were installed in secluded places, and sacrifices were still made to them.

The Mansi are a small people, which includes 5 groups isolated from each other according to their habitat: Verkhoturye (Lozvinskaya), Cherdynskaya (Visherskaya), Kungurskaya (Chusovskaya), Krasnoufimskaya (Klenovsko-Bisertskaya), Irbitskaya.

With the arrival of the Russians, the Voguls largely adopted their orders and customs. Started to be created mixed marriages. Living together in villages with Russians did not prevent the Voguls from preserving ancient activities, such as hunting.

Today there are fewer and fewer Mansi left. At the same time, only a couple of dozen people live according to old traditions. Young people are looking for a better life and don’t even know the language. In search of income, young Mansi tend to go to the Khanty-Mansiysk Okrug to get an education and earn money.

Komi (Zyryans)

This people lived in the taiga zone. The main occupation was hunting fur-bearing animals and fishing. The first mention of the Zyryans is found in a scroll dating back to the 11th century. Starting from the 13th century, tribes were obliged to pay tribute to Novgorod. In 1478, the Komi territory became part of Russia. The capital of the Komi Republic, Syktyvkar, was founded in 1586 as the Ust-Sysolsk churchyard.

The Komi-Permyaks living in the Perm region appeared towards the end of the first millennium. Since the 12th century, Novgorodians entered this territory, engaged in the exchange and trade of furs. In the 15th century, the Permians formed their own principality, which was soon annexed to Moscow.

Bashkirs

Mentions of the Bashkirs are found in chronicles starting from the 10th century. They were engaged in nomadic cattle breeding, fishing, hunting, and beekeeping. In the 10th century they were annexed to the Volga Bulgaria and during the same period Islam penetrated there. In 1229, Bashkiria was attacked by the Mongol-Tatars.

In 1236, this territory became the inheritance of Khan Batu's brother. When Golden Horde collapsed, one part of Bashkiria went to the Nogai Horde, the other to the Kazan Khanate, the third to the Siberian Khanate. In 1557, Bashkiria became part of Russia after the Russians captured Kazan.

In the 17th century, Russians began to actively come to Bashkiria, among whom were peasants, artisans, and traders. The Bashkirs began to lead a sedentary lifestyle. The annexation of the Bashkir lands to Russia caused repeated uprisings of the indigenous inhabitants. Each time, pockets of resistance were brutally suppressed by the tsarist troops. The Bashkirs took an active part in the Pugachev uprising (1773-1775). During this period, the national hero of Bashkiria Salavat Yulaev became famous. As punishment for the Yaik Cossacks who took part in the riot, the Yaik River received the name Ural.

The development of these places accelerated significantly with the advent of the Samara-Zlatoust railway, which was built from 1885 to 1890 and passed through central regions Russia. An important point in the history of Bashkiria was the discovery of the first oil well, thanks to which the republic became one of the major oil regions of Russia. Bashkiria received powerful economic potential in 1941, when more than 90 large enterprises were relocated here from the west of Russia. The capital of Bashkiria is Ufa.

The Mari or Cheremis are a Finno-Ugric people. Settled in Bashkiria, Tatarstan, Udmurtia. There are Mari villages in the Sverdlovsk region. They were first mentioned in the 6th century by the Gothic historian Jordan. The Tatars called these people “cheremysh,” which meant “obstacle.” Before the revolution began in 1917, the Mari were usually called Cheremis or Cheremis, but then this word was considered offensive and was removed from use. Now this name is returning again, especially in the scientific world.

Nagaibaki

There are several versions of the origin of this nation. According to one of them, they may be descendants of Naiman warriors, Turks who were Christians. The Nagaibaks are representatives of the ethnographic group of baptized Tatars of the Volga-Ural region. These are the indigenous people of the Russian Federation. Nagaibak Cossacks took part in all large-scale battles of the 18th century. They live in the Chelyabinsk region.

Tatars

The Tatars are the second largest people in the Urals (after the Russians). Most Tatars live in Bashkiria (about 1 million). There are many completely Tatar villages in the Urals.

The Agafurovs were in the past one of the most famous merchants of the Urals among the Tatars

Culture of the peoples of the Urals

The culture of the peoples of the Urals is quite unique and original. Until the Urals ceded to Russia, many local peoples did not have their own written language. However, over time, these same peoples knew not only their own language, but also Russian.

The amazing legends of the peoples of the Urals are full of bright, mysterious plots. As a rule, the action is associated with caves and mountains, various treasures.

It is impossible not to mention the unsurpassed skill and imagination folk craftsmen. The products of craftsmen made from Ural minerals are widely known. They can be seen in leading museums in Russia.

The region is also famous for wood and bone carvings. The wooden roofs of traditional houses, laid without the use of nails, are decorated with carved “ridges” or “hens”. Among the Komi, it is customary to place wooden figures of birds on separate poles near the house. There is such a thing as “Perm animal style”. What are ancient figurines worth? mythical creatures, cast in bronze, found during excavations.

Kasli casting is also famous. These are amazing in their sophistication creations made of cast iron. Masters created the most beautiful candelabra, figurines, sculptures and jewelry. This direction has gained credibility in the European market.

A strong tradition is the desire to have your own family and love for children. For example, the Bashkirs, like other peoples of the Urals, revere their elders, so the main members of families are grandparents. Descendants know by heart the names of the ancestors of seven generations.