#tuvans

rosemerry wahtola trommer

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Turkic ethnies part 2 !

The Bashkirs are a Turkic people inhabitants of the region of Bashkorstan officially in Russia. They speak bashkir and russian. They are Sunni muslim. There are around 2 millions of them.

The Nogais are a Turkic people inhabitants of the region of Stavropol and Dagestan officially in Russia. They speak nogai and russian. They are Sunni muslim. There are around 120 000 of them.

The Turks or Turkish are a Turkic people inhabitants of the country of Turkey. They speak turk. They are muslim. There are around 75.7 millions of them, with almost 3 millions of them in Germany.

The Tatars are a group of Turkic people inhabitants of the region of Tatarstan officially in Russia. They speak russian, tatar, siberian tatar, or crimean tatar. They are Sunni muslim. There are 6.8 to 12.8 millions of them, with 5 millions in Russia, 400 000 in Uzbekistan and 319 000 in Crimea.

The Tuvans or Tuvinians are a Turkic people inhabitants of the region of Tuva, officially in Russia. They speak tuvan, russian, mongolian and chinese. They are Tibetan buddhist, and tengrist. There are around 300 000 of them.

The Yakuts or Sakha are a Turkic people inhabitants of the region of Yakutia officially in Russia. They speak yakut and russian. They are shaman, and eastern orthodox. There are around 500 000 of them.

Nomads of Tuva (My Great, My Beloved Siberia) - Stanislav Chekmaev

Forests and mountains occupy 82 percent of the Siberian republic of Tuva. The Altai Mountains in the west and the Sayan Mountains in the north and east guard the republic from the outside world. While the capital Kyzyl is reachable by plane from Irkutsk, Novosibirsk, and Krasnoyarsk or by motorway from Khakassia, the rest of the region is only accessible by a helicopter from the Russian Emergencies Ministry.

Tuva – at that time the “Urjanchai Republic” – was made a protectorate of the Russian Empire 102 years ago. Prior to 1914, Tuva had been a Mongol and Chinese province. The majority of inhabitants continue to speak Tuvan rather than Russian, with the exception of elderly people who learned the language during the Soviet period.

Isolated from the outside world, Tuvans continue to live as their ancestors did: rearing sheep and horses and hunting wild animals. They build yurts – some of which have no water supply or electricity. Cheap Chinese solar batteries have become the most widespread source of electricity; however, they only hold enough charge to keep a lamp burning for a couple of hours in the evening.

A nomadic people, the Tuvans would complete three or four migrations a year at the time of the Scythians. Nowadays they change their place of settlement twice a year, loading their belongings onto an oxcart or, for those who would venture to do so, a truck. In spring the Tuvans set off for the mountain pastures, and, as winter comes they head back down to the steppe from the cold peaks.

The Tuvans practice Buddhism and Shamanism. In the case of drought, the High Shaman calls together his fellow shamans to perform a ritual until the salutary rain begins to fall. When afflicted by illness, family problems, disturbing dreams, or hoping to clear their home from evil spirits, Tuvans will turn to a shaman for help – even those who consider themselves Buddhists.