What facial features distinguish the Chuvash from other nations.

1. The Chuvshi are 1000% smarter than the Tatars, that’s why they are under our yoke,
2. slightly Mongoloid facial features, but everything has to be taken together: skin color and manner of communication
3. Chubby, slightly slanted. I noticed it when I was shapushkare ;-)))
4. Chuvash and Russian are the same
5. Chuvash are easy to distinguish from Russians. Chuvash (Volga-Bulgarian type) They combine a lot of ethnic characteristics taken from other peoples: Caucasians, Mari, Udmurts, partly Mordovians-Erzi, Slavs, but many of them are similar to typical Turks and mostly Mongols, that is, representatives of the Ural type. There are not many Caucasians, but they are also found. The peoples closest in appearance are the Kazan Tatars, Mari and Udmurts.
6. Sharply protruding Chuvashas
7. The Mongol invasion and the events that followed it (the formation and collapse of the Golden Horde and the emergence on its ruins of the Kazan, Astrakhan and Siberian Khanates, the Nogai Horde) caused significant movements of the peoples of the Volga-Ural region, led to the destruction of the consolidating role of the Bulgarian statehood, and accelerated the formation of individual Chuvash ethnic groups , Tatars and Bashkirs, In the 14th and early 15th centuries. , under conditions of oppression, about half of the surviving Bulgarian-Chuvash moved to Prikazanye and Zakazanye, where the Chuvash Daruga was formed from Kazan east to the middle Kama.
   Formation of the Chuvash people

   girl in national Chuvash costume

   Chuvash (self-name Chavash); It also includes peoples close to the main ethnic group: Viryal, Turi, Anatri, Anatenchi, a people with a total number of 1840 thousand people. Main countries of settlement: Russian Federation - 1773 thousand people. , including Chuvashia - 907 thousand people. Other countries of settlement: Kazakhstan - 22 thousand people. , Ukraine - 20 thousand people. , Uzbekistan - 10 thousand people. Language - Chuvash. The main religion is Orthodox Christianity, the influence of paganism remains, and there are Muslims.
   The Chuvash are divided into 2 groups:
   Upper Chuvash (Viryal, Turi) north and northeast of Chuvashia;
   lower Chuvash (anatri) south of Chuvashia and beyond.
   Sometimes the meadow Chuvash (anat enchi) are distinguished in the center and southwest of Chuvashia.
   Chuvash language. He is the only living representative of the Bulgaro-Khazar group Turkic languages. It has two dialects: lower (pointing) and upper (pointing). Many Chuvash speak Tatar and Russian.
   Well, in fact, the answer to the question: Anthropological types of the Urals and Volga region (Komi, Mordovians, Chuvash, Bashkirs, etc.), occupying an intermediate position between Caucasoids and Mongoloids, in their morphological characteristics are characterized by a complex of characteristics that includes both Caucasoid , and Mongoloid features. They are characterized by medium and short stature, the pigmentation of the skin, hair and eyes is somewhat darker than that of northern and central Caucasians, the hair is coarser, with a predominance of straight shape, however, compared to the Mongoloids, the pigmentation is lighter and the hair is softer. The face is short, the protrusion of the cheekbones is medium and strong, but less than in the Mongoloid groups, the bridge of the nose is medium and low, the nose is short, often with a concave dorsum, and epicanthus is found.
   Most likely the word Chuvashaly is some kind of local dialect, I would be grateful if you could explain what it is.
   the link is blocked by decision of the project administration
   BY THE WAY
   Chapaev was born on January 28 (February 9), 1887 in the village of Budaika (now the territory of Cheboksary), into a poor family. Erzya by nationality (erz. chapoms chop (log house)). The Chapaevs' ancestors went around the villages for hire, cut log houses and decorated houses. According to the version widespread in Chuvashia, Chapaev’s nationality is Chuvash (Chuv. chap goodness, beauty), in other sources it is Russian.

8. only shupashkarami))
9. This is probably sad, but the peoples of the Volga region, Chuvash (Moksha and Erzya) and Kazan Tatars, according to epidemiological studies, in terms of major histocompatibility complex (HLA) antigens, do not differ from Russians living in the same places, while Russians living in other areas differ from Russians living in these republics.
   That is, the population is genetically homogeneous, but the language and culture are of course different.
   Therefore, there is no need to talk seriously about physiognomic differences among the Chuvash. I can only say that the people from your krav are very nice, even beautiful and good-natured.
10. The Chuvash are a national team, a mixture of EUROPE and ASIA. My mother was fair-haired, my father had very dark hair (Pontic type). Both are Caucasians.
11. I wouldn’t say that Russians and Chuvashs are the same. Now, let's arrange them in descending order. From Caucasoid to Mongoloid peoples of the Volga region: Kershennr, Tatar-mishrlr (62 Pontids, 20 SE, 8 Mongoloids, 10 sublapponoids), Mordovian-Moksha (close to the Mishars not only in culture, but also in anthropology), Mordovian-Erzya, Kazanla ( Kazan Tatarlars), Chuvash (11 - pronounced Mongoloids, of which 4% are pure, 64 are transitional between Mongolides and Caucasians, with a preponderance of Euro-, 5% - sublapponoids, 20% - pontids (among the lower classes), SE, Baltids
12. On my father’s side I am Chuvash, so if my grandmother had Asian facial features, then my grandfather had a European face..
13. I haven’t seen the Chuvash. Maybe Chapaev is Chuvash?
14. no

Chuvash always found themselves at the crossroads of peoples and civilizations. This shaped their culture, but more than once brought them to the brink of death. It determined friendship with neighbors and, at the same time, enmity. It prompted the creation of a state in order to then repeatedly recreate it from the ashes. The fate of this people is difficult. Just like the path of Russia itself and its other ethnic groups.

“The Chuvash tribe is still an unsolved page of history,” these words of the famous Tatar writer of the twentieth century Zarif Bashiri capture the whole essence of the complex and even mysterious origin of the Chuvash people.

Entertaining quest: Bulgarian-Suvar ancestors

Ethnogenesis, in terms of the degree of confusion, resembles a game of thimbles: “I twist and turn - I want to confuse.” Try to find the grain in the depths of centuries without confusing the archaeological layers of the historical pie. Today we will follow the representatives of the Chuvash people to get acquainted with their ancestors and trace life path ethnicity.

On the northern slopes of the Tien Shan, Altai and in the upper reaches of the Irtysh in the 3rd-2nd centuries BC. the Bilu, Bugu, Cheshi and Puley tribes appeared. They belonged to the Oguro-Onur ethnic community. These proto-Bulgarian tribes, in turn, were representatives of the western wing of the Xiongnu tribes.

The Huns... Yes, it is from them that the ancient Bulgars/Bulgarians, Suvars and some other ethnic groups trace their ancestry - the ancestors of the Chuvash people. (we use the traditional transcription of Russian chronicles, while keeping in mind “our” Volga Bulgarians, and not the Balkan ones).

The similarity of language, economy, life and culture speaks in favor of the fact that one should look for familiar Chuvash features in the “Caucasian faces with a slight Mongoloid admixture” of the Volga Bulgarians. By the way, Chuvash - the only surviving language of the Bulgarian branch - is different from all other Turkic languages. It is so dissimilar in general characteristics that some scientists even consider it an independent member of the Altaic language family.

Central Asia

The East poured into Europe. The mass exodus began with the Huns, who carried other peoples with them to the west. By the beginning of the 1st century AD. the cucumber tribes took advantage of the moral “right of the nation to self-determination” and went their own way - to the west, separately from the Huns. This path turned out to be not straight, but zigzag: from north to south and back to the north. In the 2nd century AD. Ogur tribes invaded Semirechye (the south-eastern part of modern Kazakhstan and northern Kyrgyzstan), where they received the ethnonym Sabir (from the Persian Savar, Suvar “rider”) as a nickname from local Iranian-speaking agricultural tribes. As a result of mutual assimilation with the Iranian-speaking Usuns, a Proto-Bulgarian ethnic community was formed.

Some researchers believe that it is there, in Central Asia, in the language of the ancestors of the Chuvash, ancient Iranian words are fixed (in modern speech there are about two hundred of them). Under the influence of Zoroastrianism, the paganism of the people is formed, and the ancient Iranian cultural influence is reflected in the Chuvash material culture, for example, women's hats, embroidery patterns.

Caucasus and Azov region

In the 2nd-3rd centuries AD. Bulgarian and Suvar tribes settled on the right bank of the Lower Volga, occupying the territories of the North Caucasus and the Azov region.

But, strictly speaking, the name “Bulgarians” was first mentioned only in 354 - in the anonymous “Chronograph”, written in Latin. It became widespread during the creation of “Great Bulgaria” - their first state formation. Ethnicity confidently promotes new round development - settled life and the formation of statehood.

This is how the Volga Bulgarians first found their native expanses, where they would build their first state. But from geographical application to the formation of the people there are still almost seven centuries of trials. And not just “state building”.

From afar for a long time - they flowed to the Volga

In the 40s of the 5th century. The militant leader Attila became the head of the Huns for 20 years, uniting the tribes from the Rhine to the Volga under his rule. The ancestors of the Chuvash, who lived in the Volga region at that time, ended up as part of a “nomadic empire”, of which even the Roman Empire was a tributary. However, with the death of Attila, the empire fell apart.

Finding themselves first under the rule of the Western Turkic Khaganate, the Bulgarian tribes continued the struggle for independence. In the first quarter of the 7th century, their ruler Kubrat united his people along with the Suvar and other Turkic-speaking tribes into a union called “Great Bulgaria”. “Independence Day” finally came - the ruler managed to achieve autonomy from the Turkic Kaganate.

Great Bulgaria is located on the territory between the Azov and Caspian seas. And the capital became the city of Phanagoria.

State 2.0

The death of the ruler of Great Bulgaria, Kubrat, led to a split into the western and eastern parts - into two tribal unions. The first, pressed by the Khazars, led by Asparukh, moved to the west, where they later created the Bulgarian kingdom.

Part of the Eastern Bulgarians (the so-called “silver”) in the 70s of the 7th century moved first to the upper reaches of the Don, and then to the Middle Volga region. Those who remained on the spot submitted to the Khazars.

The theory about the seizure of the lands of local Finns by newcomers from the Eastern Bulgarians is disputed by modern historians. Archaeologists echo that when the Bulgarians arrived, the lands were already practically empty - the Imenkovo ​​population (Slavs who moved from the Middle Dnieper) disappeared in the 7th century, and the Volga Finns, who turned out to be the closest neighbors, lived in isolation. The Middle Volga region became a place of active interaction between the Volga-Finnish and Permian-Finnish populations with the Ugric tribes penetrating from Western Siberia.

Over time, the Bulgarians occupied a dominant position in the Middle Volga, managing to unite in an alliance and partially assimilate with the local Finno-Ugric tribes (the ancestors of the modern Mari, Mordovians and Udmurts), as well as the Bashkirs.

By the 8th-9th centuries, plow farming was established among the new settlers, and a transition to sedentary forms of farming took place. Back in the 10th century, the famous Arab traveler Ibn Fadlan mentioned that the Bulgars were actively engaged in cultivating the land: “Their food is millet and horse meat, but they also have wheat and barley.” large quantities, and everyone who sows something takes it for himself.”

In the “Risalia” of Ibn Fadlan (10th century) it is noted that the Bulgarian Khan Almush still lives in a tent.

Settlement, agriculture and even some kind of economic organization... Most likely, at the end of the 9th century, the state of Volga Bulgaria already existed. It was created in the context of the ongoing struggle against the Khazars, which contributed to the strengthening of autocracy in the state. In difficult times, the ruler relied on an eternal scheme: to unite the people with a common goal of survival and to hold with a firm hand the main levers of power, including financial ones. Even in the first quarter of the 10th century, Khan Almush concentrated in his hands the collection and payment of tribute to the Khazars from the tribes of the Middle Volga region subordinate to him.

A Question of Faith

Back in the first quarter of the 10th century, Almush, in order to fight the Khazars, turned for support to the Baghdad caliph Mukhtadir, who in 922 sent an embassy to Volga Bulgaria. As a result, most Bulgarians converted to Islam.

However, the Suwaz tribes refused. They retained the former name “Suvaz” - Chuvash, while those who remained later assimilated with the Bulgarians.

At the same time, the scale of the spread of Islam in Volga Bulgaria cannot be exaggerated. In 1236, the Hungarian monk Julian called it a powerful kingdom with “rich cities, but all there are pagans.” Therefore, it is too early to talk about the division of the Bulgar ethnic community into Muslims and pagans before the 13th century.

Since 965, after the defeat of the Khazar Kaganate by Russia, new stage development of Volga Bulgaria. Territorial expansion is actively underway, as a result of which the Bulgarian ethnic group “subjugated all its neighbors...” (Al-Masudi). By the end of the 12th century, the northern part of the state reached the Kazanka River, the eastern - to the banks of Yaik and Belaya, the southern - to Zhiguli, and the western included the right bank of the Volga. The center of Volga Bulgaria until the middle of the 12th century was the city of Bolgar (Bulgar), and from the second half of the 12th to beginning of XIII centuries - Bilyar. Some researchers refuse to call these cities capitals, preferring to call them “centers”, because They believe that Volga Bulgaria was rather a union of independent principalities with separate capital cities.

The Bulgarian tribes (the Bulgarians themselves and related Suvars) are drawing closer together, and the Finno-Ugric peoples are also integrating. As a result, even before the Mongol invasion, a more or less unified nationality was formed in the Bulgarian state with its own common language of the Chuvash type.

Rus': only business and nothing personal

From the end of the 10th century until Mongol conquest The most active relations are developing between Volga Bulgaria and Russia. She is not yet Mother Rus' - the relationship is not one of love, but quite a commodity-money relationship. The Volga trade route passed through Bulgaria. By playing the role of an intermediary, she provided herself with decent benefits.

However, partnerships alternate with periods of military confrontation, which was caused mainly by the struggle for territory and influence over various tribes.

They failed to unite in a military alliance in the face of the Horde enemy, but the states made peace.

"Non-Golden Age" of the Horde

The real test for Volga Bulgaria was the invasion of the Golden Horde. At first, the courageous resistance of the people stopped the invasion. The first clash between the Bulgarians and the Mongols occurred after the Battle of the Kalka River in 1223. Then the Mongols sent a detachment of five thousand to Bulgaria, which was defeated. The attacks in 1229 and 1232 were also successfully repulsed.

The victory of the Volga Bulgarians over the Mongols, according to historian Khairi Gimadi, had far-reaching consequences: “Until the mid-30s of the 13th century, the Mongol invasion of Europe was delayed.” As for the Bulgarians themselves, they had no doubt that the next invasion would be more serious, merciless and would not last long. Therefore, intensive work begins to strengthen cities. In 1229, the peace treaty with Vladimir-Suzdal Russia was extended for six years.

However, in 1236 the Bulgarians were unable to resist Batu's army. Russian chronicles write about the defeat like this: “The godless Tatars came from the eastern countries to the Bulgarian land, and took the glorious Great Bulgarian and beat with weapons from the old man to the naked child, taking a lot of goods, and burning their city with fire and captivating their entire land " The Mongols ravaged Bulgaria and destroyed almost all important cities (Bulgar, Bilyar, Dzhuketau, Suvar).

In 1241, the Mongols turned Volga Bulgaria into the Bulgar ulus of the Golden Horde. Moreover, the occupied territories had special significance for them: the city of Bulgar, before the construction of Sarai, was the capital of the Golden Horde, and later became the summer residence of the khans of the Jochi ulus.

Kazan Tatars

Mongol rule forced the population to move north. At the same time, there was an increased penetration of the Kypchaks into Volga Bulgaria, who, occupying the most important positions in the administration of the ulus, gradually moved to a settled life. The surviving Bulgarian elite, thanks to their religious community - many converted to Islam in the 9th-10th centuries - gradually became closer to the newcomer Kipchaks-Tatars, as a result of which by the 15th century. the nationality of the Kazan Tatars was formed.

As part of the decrepit Golden Horde, the Bulgar ulus was subjected to numerous raids. In 1391 and 1395, the territory was devastated by the troops of Tamerlane, Novgorod robbers and Russian princes. The devastation was completed by the Mangyt yurt of Prince Edigei (later the Nogai Horde). As a result, the Bulgarian ancestors of the Chuvash as an ethnic group found themselves on the verge of extinction, having lost their historical homeland, statehood, elite and ethnic identity. According to historians, at least 4/5 of the population was destroyed.

Chuvash Daruga of the Kazan Khanate

After the collapse of the Golden Horde in the Middle Volga region, Ulu-Muhammad created the Kazan Khanate in 1438 with its center in Kazan. In addition to the Kipchak-Tatars, who served as support for the ruler, a significant part of the population were Chuvash, Mari, Mordovians and Udmurts, who were the main tax-paying class. Also, part of the Bashkir lands was part of the Kazan Khanate.

Most of the Chuvash who found themselves part of the Kazan Khanate lived on the mountainous side of the Volga (north of modern Chuvashia), as well as on its left bank. Therefore, the territory east of Kazan, where they lived, was called the “Chuvash Daruga” (“Daruga” is an administrative unit in the Kazan Khanate).

Since a significant part of the feudal lords and nobility professing Islam remained in Kazan, the influence Tatar language and there were few Muslim clergy in the area. On the territory of the former Volga Bulgaria, on the basis of Bulgarian ethnoculture, by the end of the 15th century, the formation of two ethnic groups - Tatar and Chuvash - was completed. If in the first, Bulgarian ethnicity was practically replaced by Kipchak-Tatar, then the Chuvash, according to ethnographer Rail Kuzeev, “while preserving the archaic Turkic language, at the same time developed a culture that was in many respects close to the culture of the Finno-Ugric people.”

33 misfortunes

As part of the Kazan Khanate, the Chuvash found a place to live. But this life was not easy due to tax burdens. The descendants of the once powerful Volga Bulgaria were obliged to pay a burdensome tribute, were involved in the construction of fortresses, and performed pit, road, stationary and military duties.

But the war brought the greatest suffering to the Chuvash people. Starting from the second half of the 15th century, the territory of their residence became a zone of Russian-Kazan confrontation. Thus, the Tatars marched across the Bulgarian-Chuvash land against the Russians 31 times, and the Russians against the Kazan Khanate - 33 times. Along with regular raids by Nogai nomads, campaigns became a real disaster for the population. These factors largely determined the willingness of the Chuvash to accept Russian citizenship.

To be continued

And behavior. The Chuvash people live in the center of the European part of Russia. Characteristic character traits are integrally connected with the traditions of these amazing people.

Origins of the people

About 600 kilometers from Moscow is the city of Cheboksary, the center of the Chuvash Republic. Representatives of a colorful ethnic group live on this land.

There are many versions about the origin of this people. It is most likely that the ancestors were Turkic-speaking tribes. These people began migrating west as early as the 2nd century BC. e. Seeking a better life, they came to the modern territories of the republic back in the 7th-8th centuries and three hundred years later created a state that was known as Volga Bulgaria. This is where the Chuvash came from. The history of the people could have been different, but in 1236 the state was defeated by the Mongol-Tatars. Some people fled from the conquerors to the northern lands.

The name of this people is translated from Kyrgyz as “modest”, according to the old Tatar dialect - “peaceful”. Modern dictionaries claim that the Chuvash are “quiet”, “harmless”. The name was first mentioned in 1509.

Religious preferences

The culture of this people is unique. Elements of Western Asia can still be traced in rituals. The style was also influenced by close communication with Iranian-speaking neighbors (Scythians, Sarmatians, Alans). The Chuvash adopted not only their everyday life and economy, but also their manner of dressing. Their appearance, costume features, character and even religion were obtained from their neighbors. So, even before joining the Russian state, these people were pagans. The supreme god was called Tura. Later, other faiths began to penetrate into the colony, in particular Christianity and Islam. Jesus was worshiped by those who lived on the lands of the republic. Allah became the head of those who lived outside the area. In the course of events, Muslims became dissatisfied. Yet today, most of the representatives of this people profess Orthodoxy. But the spirit of paganism is still felt.

Merging two types

Various groups influenced the appearance of the Chuvash. Most of all - Mongoloid and Caucasian. That is why almost all representatives of this people can be divided into fair-haired Finns and representatives of dark hair. Blonde hair is characterized by light brown hair, gray eyes, pallor, a wide oval face and a small nose, the skin is often covered with freckles. At the same time, they are somewhat darker in appearance than Europeans. Brunettes' locks are often curled, their eyes are dark brown and narrow in shape. They have poorly defined cheekbones, a depressed nose and a yellow skin type. It is worth noting here that their features are softer than those of the Mongols.

The Chuvash differ from neighboring groups. Characteristic for both types are a small oval head, a low bridge of the nose, narrowed eyes, and a small, neat mouth. Average height, not prone to obesity.

Casual look

Every nationality unique system customs, traditions and beliefs. It was no exception, and from ancient times these people made cloth and canvas independently in every house. Clothing was made from these materials. Men were supposed to wear a linen shirt and trousers. If it became cool, a caftan and a sheepskin coat were added to their look. The Chuvash had patterns unique to themselves. The woman’s appearance was successfully emphasized by unusual ornaments. All things were decorated with embroidery, including the wedged shirts that the ladies wore. Later, stripes and checks became fashionable.

Each branch of this group had and still has its own preferences for the color of clothing. Thus, the south of the republic has always preferred rich shades, and northwestern fashionistas loved light fabrics. Each woman's outfit included wide Tatar trousers. A mandatory element is an apron with a bib. It was especially diligently decorated.

In general, the appearance of the Chuvash is very interesting. The description of the headdress should be highlighted in a separate section.

Status determined by helmet

Not a single representative of the people could walk with his head uncovered. This is how a separate movement in the direction of fashion arose. Such things as tukhya and hushpu were decorated with special imagination and passion. The first was worn on the head by unmarried girls, the second was only for married women.

At first, the hat served as a talisman, a talisman against misfortune. Such an amulet was treated with special respect and decorated with expensive beads and coins. Later, such an object not only decorated the appearance of the Chuvash, it began to talk about social and marital status women.

Many researchers believe that the shape of the dress resembles Others provide a direct link to understanding the design of the Universe. Indeed, according to the ideas of this group, the earth had a quadrangular shape, and in the middle stood the tree of life. The symbol of the latter was a bulge in the center, which distinguished married woman from a girl. Tukhya had a pointed conical shape, hushpu was round.

The coins were chosen with special care. They had to be melodic. Those that hung from the edges hit each other and rang. Such sounds scared away evil spirits - the Chuvash believed in this. The appearance and character of a people are directly related.

Ornament code

The Chuvash are famous not only for their soulful songs, but also for their embroidery. The skill grew over generations and was passed down from mother to daughter. It is in the ornaments that one can read the history of a person, his belonging to a separate group.

The main embroidery is clear geometry. The fabric should only be white or gray. It’s interesting that girls’ clothes were decorated only before the wedding. There was not enough time for this in family life. Therefore, what they did in their youth was worn for the rest of their lives.

Embroidery on clothes complemented the appearance of the Chuvash. It contained encrypted information about the creation of the world. Thus, the tree of life and eight-pointed stars, rosettes or flowers were symbolically depicted.

After the popularization of factory production, the style, color and quality of the shirt changed. The older people grieved for a long time and assured that such changes in the wardrobe would bring disaster to their people. And indeed, over the years, true representatives of this genus are becoming fewer and fewer.

World of traditions

Customs say a lot about a people. One of the most colorful rituals is a wedding. The character and appearance of the Chuvash, traditions are still preserved. It is worth noting that in ancient times wedding ceremony no priests, shamans or government officials were present. Guests of the event witnessed the creation of a family. And everyone who knew about the holiday visited the homes of the newlyweds’ parents. Interestingly, divorce was not perceived as such. According to the canons, lovers who married in front of their relatives must be faithful to each other for the rest of their lives.

Previously, the bride had to be 5-8 years older than her husband. When choosing a partner, the Chuvash put their appearance last. The character and mentality of these people required that, first of all, the girl be hardworking. They gave the young lady in marriage after she mastered housekeeping. An adult woman was also tasked with raising a young husband.

Character is in customs

As previously mentioned, the very word from which the name of the people comes is translated from most languages ​​as “peace-loving”, “calm”, “modest”. This meaning absolutely corresponds to the character and mentality of this people. According to their philosophy, all people, like birds, sit on different branches of the big tree of life, each is a relative of the other. Therefore, their love for each other is limitless. The Chuvash people are very peaceful and kind people. The history of the people does not contain information about attacks on the innocent and arbitrariness against other groups.

The older generation keeps traditions and lives according to the old pattern, which they learned from their parents. Lovers still get married and swear fidelity to each other in front of their families. Mass celebrations are often held, at which the Chuvash language sounds loudly and melodiously. People wear the best suits, embroidered according to all the canons. They cook traditional lamb soup - shurpa, and drink home-made beer.

The future is in the past

IN modern conditions With urbanization, traditions in villages are disappearing. At the same time, the world is losing its independent culture and unique knowledge. Nevertheless, the Russian government is aimed at maximizing the interest of contemporaries in the past of different peoples. The Chuvash are no exception. Appearance, features of life, color, rituals - all this is very interesting. To show the younger generation the culture of the people, university students of the republic hold impromptu evenings. Young people speak and sing in the Chuvash language.

The Chuvash live in Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, so their culture is successfully breaking through into the world. Representatives of the people support each other.

Recently it was translated into Chuvash language general ledger Christians - the Bible. Literature is flourishing. The ornaments and clothing of the ethnic group inspire famous designers to create new styles.

There are still villages where they still live according to the laws of the Chuvash tribe. The appearance of men and women in such gray hair is traditionally folk. The great past is preserved and revered in many families.

The Chuvash are a unique people who have been able to carry their authenticity through the centuries. It is the fifth largest nation in Russia, most of whose representatives speak the Chuvash language - the only living one of the extinct Bulgar group. They are considered the descendants of the ancient Sumerians and Huns, however modern history The Chuvash gave a lot. At a minimum, the homeland of the symbol of the revolution Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev.

Where do they live?

More than half of the representatives of the Chuvash people - 67.7%, live on the territory of the Chuvash Republic. She is the subject Russian Federation and is located on the territory of the Volga region federal district. The republic borders with Ulyanovsk and Nizhny Novgorod regions, Tatarstan, Mordovia and the Republic of Mari El. The capital of the Chuvash Republic is the city of Cheboksary.

Outside the Republic, the Chuvash live mainly in neighboring regions and in Siberia, a small part - outside the Russian Federation. One of the largest Chuvash diasporas in Ukraine - about 10 thousand people. In addition, representatives of the nationality live in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.
On the territory of the Republic of Chuvashia there are three ethnographic groups. Among them:

1. Horse Chuvash. They live in the northwestern part of the region, have local names turi or virial.
2. Middle-bottom Chuvash. Their location is the northeast of the Republic, dialect name anat enchi.
3. Grassroots Chuvash. They live in the southern part of the region, in the Chuvash language they have the name anatri.

Number

The Chuvash are the fifth largest ethnic group in Russia: about 1,400,000, according to the 2010 census. Of these, more than 814 thousand people live on the territory of the Chuvash Republic. About 400 thousand Chuvash are located in neighboring regions: Bashkortostan - 107.5 thousand, Tatarstan - 116.3 thousand, Samara - 84.1 thousand and Ulyanovsk - 95 thousand regions.
It is worth noting that the number of Chuvash by 2010 decreased by 14% compared to the 2002 census. Negative dynamics brought this indicator to the level of 1995, which ethnographers perceive as a negative result of assimilation.

Name

The main version of the origin of the name is associated with the ancient tribe “Suvars” or “Suvazy”. It was first mentioned in the 10th century in the memoirs of the traveler of Arab origin Ibn Fadlan. The author wrote about a tribe that was part of the Volga Bulgaria and refused to convert to Islam. Some researchers believe that it was the Suvars who became the ancestors of the Chuvash, who went to the upper reaches of the Volga in order to avoid the imposition of an alien religion.

In chronicles, this name was first mentioned only in the 16th-17th centuries, during the period of the Chuvash Daruga joining the Russian state after the fall of the Kazan Khanate. One of the earliest evidence is the description of the mountain Cheremis (modern Mari) and Chuvash by Andrei Kurbsky, who spoke about the campaign against Kazan in 1552.
The self-name of the people is Chavashi, which is considered traditional definition nationality. The name of the nationality in other languages ​​is similar in sound: “chuash” and “chuvazh” - among the Mordovians and Tatars, “syuash” - among the Kazakhs and Bashkirs.
Some researchers believe that the roots of the name and the people go back to the ancient Sumerians, but geneticists have not found confirmation of this theory. Another version is associated with the Turkic word javas, which means “peaceful, friendly.” By the way, such character traits, along with decency, modesty and honesty, are characteristic of modern Chuvash people.

Language

Until the 10th century, the language of the Suvazian tribes existed on the basis of ancient runic writing. IN X-XV centuries, during the close proximity to Muslim tribes and the Kazan Khanate, the alphabet was replaced by Arabic. However, the sound of the language and the definition of local dialects became increasingly distinctive during this period. This allowed the formation of an authentic, so-called Middle Bulgarian language by the 16th century.
Since 1740, a new page in the history of the Chuvash language began. During this period, Christian preachers and priests from the local population began to appear in the region. This led to the creation in 1769-1871 of a new version of writing based on the Cyrillic alphabet. The basis of the literary language was the dialects of the lower Chuvash. The alphabet was finally formed by 1949, and consists of 37 letters: 33 of them are characters of the Russian alphabet and 4 additional Cyrillic characters.
In total, the Chuvash language has three dialects:

1. Grassroots. It is distinguished by an abundance of “hooking” sounds and is widespread downstream of the Sura River.
2. Horse. “Outlining” phonetics, characteristic of the inhabitants of the upper reaches of the Sura.
3. Malokarachinsky. A separate dialect of Chuvash, characterized by changes in vocalism and consonantism.

Modern Chuvash language belongs to the Turkic language language family. Its unique feature is that it is the only living language of the extinct Bulgarian group in the world. This is the official language of the Chuvash Republic, which, along with Russian, is the state language. It is taught in local schools, as well as educational institutions some regions of Tatarstan and Bashkiria. According to the 2010 census, the Chuvash language is spoken by more than 1 million Russian citizens.

Story

The ancestors of the modern Chuvash were the nomadic tribe of Savirs, or Suvars, who lived in the Western Caspian region since the 2nd century AD. In the 6th century, its migration to the North Caucasus began, where part of it formed the Hunnic kingdom, and part was defeated and driven out to Transcaucasia. In the 8th-9th centuries, the descendants of the Suvars settled in the Middle Volga region, where they became part of the Volga Bulgars. During this period, there was a significant unification of culture, religion, traditions and customs of peoples.

In addition, researchers note a significant influence on the language, objects of material and spiritual culture of the ancient farmers of Western Asia. It is believed that the southern tribes, who migrated during the Great Migration of Peoples, partially settled in the Volga region and assimilated with the Bulgarian-Suvar peoples.
However, already at the end of the 9th century, the ancestors of the Chuvash separated from the Bulgarian kingdom and migrated further to the north due to their rejection of Islam. The final formation of the Chuvash people ended only in the 16th century, when the assimilation of the Suvars, Tatars from the neighboring Kazan kingdom and Russians took place.
During the reign of the Kazan Khanate, the Chuvash were part of it, but they remained separate and independent, despite the need to pay tribute. Soon after the capture of Kazan by Ivan the Terrible, the Chuvash accepted the power of the Russian state, but throughout history they defended their rights. Thus, they participated in the uprisings of Stenka Razin and Emelyan Pugachev, opposed the arbitrariness of officials in 1571-1573, 1609-1610, 1634. Such self-will caused problems for the state, therefore, until the 19th century, a ban on blacksmithing was in force in the region to stop the production of weapons.

Appearance

The appearance of the Chuvash was influenced by the long history of migration of the ancestral people and significant mixing with representatives of the Bulgar and Asian tribes. Modern Chuvash people have the following types of appearance:

• Mongoloid-Caucasian type with a predominance of European features - 63.5%
• Caucasian types (with brown hair and light eyes, as well as with darker skin and hair, brown eyes) - 21.1%
• pure Mongoloid type - 10.3%
• sublaponoid type or Volga-Kama race with mildly expressed Mongoloid characteristics - 5.1%

From a genetic point of view, it is also impossible to distinguish a pure “Chuvash haplogroup”: all representatives of the nation are of mixed race. According to the maximum correspondence among the Chuvash, the following haplogroups are distinguished:

• Northern European - 24%
• Slavic R1a1 - 18%
• Finno-Ugric N - 18%
• Western European R1b - 12%
• Jewish J inherited from the Khazars - 6%

In addition, genetic connections between the Chuvash and neighboring peoples have been discovered. Thus, the Mari, who in the Middle Ages lived in the same region with the Bulgarian-Suvars and were called the Mountain Cheremis, share with the Chuvash a mutation of the LIPH chromosome gene, which causes earlier baldness.
Among the typical appearance features it is worth noting:

• average height for men and short for women;
• coarse hair that naturally rarely has a curl;
• darker skin tone and eye color in Caucasians;
• short, slightly depressed nose;
• the presence of epicanthus (a characteristic fold in the corner of the eyes) in representatives of mixed and Mongoloid types;
• the shape of the eyes is almond-shaped, slightly slanting;
• wide face;
• prominent cheekbones.

Ethnographers of the past and present noted soft facial features, a good-natured and open expression associated with character traits. The Chuvash have bright and agile facial expressions, easy movements, and good coordination. In addition, representatives of the nation were mentioned in all testimonies as neat, clean, well-built and neat people who created a pleasant impression with their appearance and behavior.

Cloth

IN everyday life Chuvash men dressed simply: a loose shirt and trousers made of homespun cloth, which was made from hemp and flax. The look was completed with a simple hat with a narrow brim and shoes made of bast or leather. By appearance shoes differed between the habitats of the people: Western Chuvash wore bast shoes with black footcloths, eastern Chuvash preferred white color. It is interesting that men wore onuchi only in winter, while women complemented their look with them all year round.
Unlike men, who wore national costumes with ornaments only for weddings and religious ceremonies, women preferred to look attractive every day. Their traditional clothing included a long, tunic-like shirt made of white store-bought or homespun cloth and an apron.
Among the Western Viryalas, it was complemented by a bib, traditional embroidery and appliqués. Eastern Anatri did not use a bib, but made an apron from checkered fabric. Sometimes there was an alternative option, the so-called “modesty apron.” It was located on the back of the belt and reached mid-thigh. An obligatory element of the costume is a headdress, of which Chuvash women had many variations. In everyday life they used light-colored scarves, canvas surpans or headbands similar to an Arab turban. The traditional headdress, which has become one of the symbols of the people, is the tukhya cap, shaped like a helmet and richly decorated with coins, beads and beads.

Chuvash women also hold other bright accessories in high esteem. Among them were ribbons embroidered with beads, which were passed over the shoulder and under the arm, neck, waist, chest and even back decorations. Feature ornaments - strict geometry of shapes and specularity, an abundance of rhombuses, eights and stars.

Housing

The Chuvash settled in small villages and villages, which were called yaly and were located near rivers, lakes and ravines. In the southern regions the type of settlement was linear, and in the northern regions it was the traditional cumulus-cluster type. Usually, related families settled at different ends of the yawl and helped each other in every possible way in everyday life. The increase in population in the villages, as well as the traditional modern formation of streets, appeared in the region only in the 19th century.
The home of the Chuvash was a solid house made of wood, for insulation of which straw and clay were used. The hearth was located indoors and had a chimney; the house itself had a regular square or quadrangular shape. During their neighbors with the Bukharans, many Chuvash houses had real glass, but in the future most of them were replaced with specially made glass.

The courtyard had the shape of an elongated rectangle and was traditionally divided into two parts. The first contained the main living house, a summer kitchen with an open fireplace and all the outbuildings. Products were stored in dry cellars called nukhreps. In the back part they laid out a vegetable garden, equipped a corral for livestock, and sometimes there was a threshing floor there. There was also a bathhouse located here, which was available in every yard. Often an artificial pond was dug next to it, or they preferred to locate all buildings near a natural reservoir.

Family life

The main wealth of the Chuvash is family relationships and respect for elders. Traditionally, three generations lived in a family at the same time, the elderly were carefully looked after, and they, in turn, raised their grandchildren. Folklore is permeated with songs dedicated to love for parents; there are even more of them than ordinary love songs.
Despite the equality of the sexes, the mother, “api,” is sacred for the Chuvash. Her name is not mentioned in abusive or vulgar conversations or ridicule, even if they want to offend a person. It is believed that her word is healing, and a curse is the worst thing that can happen. Eloquently testifies to the attitude towards the mother Chuvash proverb: ““Treat your mother with pancakes baked in your own palm every day - you still won’t repay her with kindness for kindness, or labor for labor.”

Children are no less important in family life than parents: they are loved and welcomed regardless of the degree of relationship. Therefore, in traditional Chuvash settlements there are practically no orphans. Children are pampered, but not forgotten early years instill hard work and the ability to count money. They are also taught that the main thing in a person is kămăl, that is, spiritual beauty, the inner spiritual essence that can be seen in absolutely everyone.
Before the widespread spread of Christianity, polygamy was allowed, and the traditions of sororate and levirate were practiced. This means that after the death of her husband, the wife had to marry her husband's brother. Sororat allowed the husband to take one or more of his wife’s sisters as his wife, successively or simultaneously. The tradition of minorat, that is, the transfer of inheritance to the youngest in the family, is still preserved. In this regard, the youngest of the children often remains for the rest of their lives in their parents’ house, caring for them and helping with the housework.

Men and women

The Chuvash husband and wife have the same rights: the man is responsible for everything that happens outside the home, and the woman takes full responsibility for everyday life. Interestingly, she can independently manage the profit she receives from the sale of products from the yard: milk, eggs, fabrics. It values ​​hard work, honesty and the ability to have children most of all.

It is especially honorable to give birth to a boy, and although girls are loved no less in Chuvash families, their appearance means additional troubles, since each of them has to be paid a substantial dowry. The Chuvash believed that the later a girl gets married, the better: this will allow her to accumulate more dowry and thoroughly learn all the intricacies of housekeeping. Young men were married as early as possible, so in traditional families the husband is often several years younger. However, women had the right to inherit from their parents and husband, so they often became the head of the family.

Life

Today, as throughout history, agriculture continues to play a major role in the life of the Chuvash. Since ancient times, people have been actively engaged in agriculture, using three-field or slash-and-burn systems. The main crops were wheat, rye, oats, spelt, peas, and buckwheat.
Flax and hemp were grown to create fabrics, and hops and malt were grown to produce beer. The Chuvash have always been famous as excellent brewers: every family has own recipe beer. For holidays, stronger varieties were produced, and in everyday life they drank low-alcohol varieties. Intoxicating drinks were produced from wheat.

Livestock farming was not so popular because there was a lack of suitable forage land in the region. Households raised horses, cows, pigs, sheep, and poultry. One more thing traditional occupation Chuvash - beekeeping. Along with beer, honey was one of the main export goods to neighboring regions.
The Chuvash have always been involved in gardening, planting turnips, beets, onions, legumes, fruit trees, and later potatoes. Among the crafts, wood carving, basket and furniture weaving, pottery, weaving and handicrafts flourished brightly. The Chuvash achieved great success in woodworking handicrafts: the production of matting, ropes and ropes, carpentry, cooperage, carpentry, tailoring, and wheelwork.

Religion

Today, more than half of the Chuvash formally profess Christianity, but there are still associations of adherents of traditional paganism, as well as religious syncretism. A few groups of Chuvash profess Sunni Islam.
In ancient times, the Chuvash believed that the world was a cube, in the center of which were the Chuvash. Along the shores the land was washed by oceans, which gradually destroyed the land. It was believed that as soon as the edge of the earth reached the Chuvash, the end of the world would come. On the sides of the cube were the heroes guarding it, below was the kingdom of evil, and above were the deities and spirits of those who died in infancy.

Despite the fact that the people professed paganism, they had only one supreme god, Tour, who ruled the lives of people, sent disasters to them, and emitted thunder and lightning. Evil was personified with the deity Shuittan and his servants - evil spirits. After death, they tortured sinners in nine cauldrons, under which they kept the fire burning for eternity. However, the Chuvash did not believe in the existence of hell and heaven, just as they did not support the idea of ​​​​rebirth and transmigration of souls.

Traditions

After the Christianization of society, pagan holidays were correlated with Orthodox ones. Most of the ritual celebrations occurred in the spring and were associated with agricultural work. Thus, the holiday of the winter equinox Surkhuri marked the approach of spring and the increase in sunny days. Then came the analogue of Maslenitsa, the sun festival of Savarni, after which Mancun was celebrated for several days, coinciding with the Orthodox Radonitsa. It lasted several days during which sacrifices were made to the sun and ceremonies of veneration of ancestors were carried out. The month of remembrance was also in December: the culture believed that the spirits of ancestors could send curses and blessings, so they were placated regularly throughout the year.

Famous Chuvash

One of the most famous natives of Chuvashia, born near Cheboksary, is the famous Vasily Ivanovich Chapaev. He became a real symbol of the revolution and a hero of national folklore: they not only make films about him, but also come up with witty jokes about Russian ingenuity.

Andriyan Nikolaev was also from Chuvashia - the third Soviet citizen to conquer space. Among his personal achievements is working in orbit without a spacesuit for the first time in world history.

The Chuvash have a rich historical and cultural past, which they have been able to preserve to this day. The combination of ancient beliefs, customs and traditions, adherence to the native language help preserve authenticity and transfer the accumulated knowledge to new generations.

Video

At different times, scientists put forward various theories of the origin of the Chuvash - either from the Khazars (A. A. Fuks, P. Hunfalvi), then from the Burtas (A. F. Rittich, V., A. Sboev), then from the Huns (V. V. . Bartold), then from the Finno-Ugric peoples (N.M. Karamzin, I.A. Firsov), then from the ancient Avars (M.G. Khudyakov), then from the Volga Bulgarians (V.N. Tatishchev, N.I. Ashmarin, 3. Gombots), then from the Sumerians (N. Ya. Marr), etc. In total, they come down to the following concepts:

1) the basis of the Chuvash people (ethnic group) is the local Finno-Ugric (Mari) population, which experienced strong cultural and especially linguistic influence from the alien Turkic-speaking Bulgarian-Suvar tribes;

2) as an ethnic group, the Chuvash were formed mainly on the basis of the pre-Bulgarian Turks, who supposedly penetrated in large numbers into the Middle Volga region until the 6th century. n. e., that is, before the Bulgarians and Suvars appeared here;

3) The so-called Kazan school. Some Kazan researchers are searching for evidence of the hypothesis about the beginning of the formation of the Chuvash ethnic group on the basis of Turkic-speaking tribes that allegedly penetrated the region in the 2nd-3rd centuries. n. e. She claimed that the ancestors of the Chuvash appeared earlier than the Volga Bulgarians.

The first of these concepts (“autochthonous theory”) did not stand up to criticism and is now not supported by anyone, since its supporters ignored the role of Turkic-speaking tribes - one of the main ethnic components of the Chuvash - and in their research were limited to the territory of the Chuvash region and the later stages of ethnic history.

As for the second concept, it began to be actively developed only in the last twenty years. A number of prominent scientists (R. G. Kuzeev, V. A. Ivanov, etc.) attribute the time of mass penetration of the Turks into the Volga-Ural region to the last centuries of the 1st millennium AD. e. and they connect this precisely with the migration of Bulgarian tribes from the North Caucasus and the Azov region. At the same time, one of the convincing evidence of the late migration of the Turks to the Middle Volga region is the weak and unclear identification of ethnic groups among the newcomer Turks in comparison with the neighboring Finno-Ugric peoples. The ethnic differentiation of the Chuvash, Tatars, Bashkirs - that is, those peoples whose history was closely connected with the Volga Bulgarians - into independent nationalities ended relatively late, only in the 13th-16th centuries.

The question arises, what exactly is the Bulgarian heritage of the Chuvash? The most fundamental argument is language, for Chuvash is the only surviving language of the Bulgarian branch. It differs from all other Turkic languages ​​in that the sound “z” in them in the Chuvash language corresponds to the sound “r” (so-called rhotacism), and the sound “sh” corresponds to the sound “l” (lambdaism). Rhotacism and lambdaism are also characteristic of the Bulgarian language. For example, Chuv. kher "girl" - common Turkic. kyz; Chuv. khel "winter" - common Turkic. - shoo, etc.

The discovery of Chuvash words in Volga-Bulgarian texts played a huge role in the development of the Bulgarian theory of the origin of the Chuvash gravestone inscriptions XIII-XVI centuries, made in the XIX century. Kazan researcher X. Feyzkhanov, and the discovery of elements of the Chuvash type language in the ancient Slavic-Bulgarian source - “The Name Book of the Bulgarian Princes”. The similarity of the economy, life and culture of the Chuvash and Bulgarians is also evidenced by numerous archaeological studies. The former inherited from their rural ancestors the types of dwellings, the layout of the estate, the location of the house inside the estate with a blank wall facing the street, rope ornaments for decorating gate posts, etc. According to experts, white women's clothing, headdresses (tukhya, hushpu, surban), jewelry (belt, braids), which were common among the Chuvash until recently, were common among the Bulgarians, including the Danube. In the pre-Christian religion of the Chuvash, constituting the most important part of the ethnic specificity of spiritual culture, Old Bulgarian pagan cults were traditionally and persistently preserved, containing some features of Zoroastrianism - the religion of the ancient ethnic groups of Iran and Central Asia.

The concept of Bulgarian-Chuvash ethnic continuity is believed to be supported by further development and specification in modern research on archaeology, ethnography, linguistics, folklore and art of the peoples of the region. To date, significant material has been accumulated and partially published, characterizing the main stages of ethnogenesis and ethnic history of the Chuvash people. Of great value are the works of V. F. Kakhovsky, V. D. Dimitriev, M. F. Fedotov and A. A. Trofimov, in which, unlike some other works, the problems of Chuvash history, culture and language are considered taking into account many factors . IN last decades major studies by Chuvash scientists appeared about different sides traditional culture of the people, economic activity, social and family life, features folk knowledge and philosophy, artistic creativity, modern social and ethnic processes.

The ancestors of the Bulgarian tribes, like all Turks, came from Central Asia. On this vast territory since the 3rd millennium BC. e. The ancient ancestors of the Turkic-speaking peoples, the Huns, were widely settled. In the neighborhood there were also Mongolian, Tungus-Manchu, Finno-Ugric, and Indo-European tribes, who in the 3rd-2nd centuries BC. e. were conquered by the Huns. The Huns were under strong linguistic and cultural influence from China. Some scholars consider the Chuvash language of Unity to be a remnant of the language of the ancient Huns. Closer ethnic group from which the Bulgarians came, the Oguro-Onogurs are considered to have lived along the northern ostrogans of the Tien Shan and in the upper reaches of the Irtysh. The area of ​​formation of sabirs (suvars) also lay in the regions of the Irtysh. The time of stay of the ancestors of the Bulgarian and Suvar tribes in Central Asia was imprinted so clearly that it is no less reflected in the culture, especially the language of the Chuvash. The Chuvash have a number of strong parallels with Turkic peoples Altai and Southern Siberia, in particular the Khakass, Uighurs, Shors, Tuvans, Altaians. Manifests itself in the commonality of elements of utensils, housing, ornaments, etc. In addition, the main elements ancient religion The Sayan-Altai Turks are manifested in the complex of the pagan cult of the Chuvash. Chuvash language preserved the most ancient words used in the era of weak isolation of the Turkic and Mongolian languages.