Social Life in Tatarstan 
www.slitat.org
Social Life in Tatarstan |
Social life of Republic Tatarstan.
history & geography in brief
various information about Republic of Tatarstan and its inhabitants.
Organizations and Assotiations
History: The republic of Tatarstan (Tataria) is one of the largest regions in Russia, Republic within the Russian Federation.
Tatarstan emerged from the former Kazan Khanate (1438-1552), which itself was a successor state to the Golden Horde. After the fall of Kazan to Ivan the Terrible in 1552, only loyal Tatars were allowed to remain in the city on the low lying shore of Lake Kaban. Others were pushed into the outlying regions and to this day, it is there one finds the language and traditions strongest. The history of the Tatar part of Kazan is a rich one, peopled with merchants, industrialists, teachers, mullahs, skilled craftsmen, composers and musicians, poets and writers. Eventually some Tatar merchants were allowed to own their own houses and shops in the Upper Town and their wealth permitted them to engage in charitable deeds: the printing of books, the building and maintenance of schools and mosques. Thus Kazan became a center of enlightenment and religious renewal. Tatar scholars and philosophers were known beyond the Russian Empire and their works played a major role in the national revival of a number of Muslim states. Tatarstan is now an autonomous republic within the Russian Federation.
The Tatarstan Constitution has been completely reworked to accommodate demands
made by the government in Moscow. It still allows that Tatarstan has two government
languages, Tatar and Russian, although Russians no longer seem to take this
assertion
seriously. And it includes an additional clause assenting to Tatarstan’s special role in
preserving Tatar language and culture among the Tatar Diaspora, which constitutes the
majority of ethnic Tatars.
Just under half of the total population of 4 million call themselves Tatar (48%), and ethnic Russians make up about 43%. There are 8 nationalities in Tatarstan the population of which is over 10 thousand people. Alongside with Tatars (52.9 percent) and Russians (39.5 percent) there are Chuvashes, Udmurts, Ukrainians, Mordvinians, Maris, Bashkirs, et al. During last years, the number of Azerbaidzhanians, Armenians, Tajiks, Uzbeks permanently residing in the republic increased. Tatarstan is home to about one hundred different ethnic groups, in fact, hence the constitution of the republic does not speak of "Tatars" but of "the people of Tatarstan". Roughly seven million Tatars live in the former Soviet Union countries, and they are the second largest ethnic group in the Russian Federation. The Third World Tatar Congress was held in Kazan in August, 2002 under the motto "We are one individisible nation".
Geography: The Tatarstan Republic is located on the eastern frontier of Europe at the confluence of the Volga and the Kama rivers. The most outlying points of the Republic are at 56°39' North, 53°58' South, 45°15' West and 54°18' East. The distance from Moscow is 797 km. The Tatarstan Republic covers an area of 68,000 sq. km which is roughly the size of such countries as Ireland, Lithuania, and Sri Lanka. The Republic stretches for 290 km from North to South and for 460 km from West to East. In the north, it borders Udmurtia, in the west - Mari El and Chuvashia, in the east - Bashkortostan, and in the south - Samara Region. Relief of the Republic of Tatarstan is of flat character, 90% of the territory is 200 meters above sea level, with average height of 170 meters. The highest point of the Republic is 381 meters, the lowest point being 35 meters. The stable crystalline foundation of the platform is deep seated and is blocked all over by sedimentary rocks of 2000 meters, that makes Tatarstan seismically safe territory.
Administrative system: Republic of Tatarstan consists of 43 regions, 21 towns and 19 of urban settlements of republican value listed in the Constitution of the Republic of Tatarstan. Capital - Kazan. Head of Region: the President Mintimer Shaimiev. The President is the head of state and highest official in Tatarstan. He heads the executive system of the republic and directs the Cabinet of Ministers - executive and administrative authority. The Cabinet is accountable to the President. The candidature of a Prime Minister is suggested by the President and approved by the Parliament of Tatarstan. Unicameral State Council (Parliament) is the supreme representative and legislative authority of Tatarstan. The bodies of local self-government are independent within their powers and do not belong to the system of state authorities.
Flag: three horizontal bands: red, white, green. According to official explanation: red band symbolizes fight for happiness, bravery and courage, white band symbolizes peace, concord and honest future, green band symbolizes hope, freedom and wealth.
Coat of arms: the arms is circular, red with white winged snow leopard. The disc is bordered with white line and around it with green circle bearing yellow ornament all around except in lower part where there is inscription "TATAPCTAH" (i.e. "Tatarstan" in cyrillic letters). The red circle is also a rising sun — symbol of rebirthmenth. Ak Bars (snow leopard) is an ancient symbol of Turkish peoples. He has wings, because he rules over land, water and heaven. He has shield, because he defends the people. Uprised hand is an imperial gesture.
Religion: Islam ('Euro-Islam'), Christian Orthodox Church, others (Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism)
The region code is: 7 - as region of Russia (for most part of region's towns city code is 843)
Currency: Russian Rouble
Culture of Tatarstan is molded from the culture of Volga Tatar people, Russian and European culture. Tatarstan culture had been formed on the “East-West” border during hundreds years.
Tatarstan consists of two main ethnic groups roughly equal in number: Tatars (48.5%) and Russians (43.3%). Tatars all over the world regard the territory of Tatarstan as their historical birthplace and the center of their cultural development. The Tatars enjoyed statehood in the form of the Bulgar Khanate, the Golden Horde and Kazan Khanate. They were later annexed by Russia under Ivan the Terrible, but the Tatars have always played a special role in the history of Russia. Certain traits of state structure and social life of Russia were influenced by the Golden Horde, while Russian culture experienced some influence on the part of Tatar culture.
The Tatars accepted Islam in 922. Orthodox Christianity has been historically perceived by the Tatars as the religion and culture of the Russian conquerors. Christianization is associated with the most tragic pages in the annals of Kazan Khanate. Only since late 18th century, after Catherine the Great's decree on religious tolerance, were Muslims no longer persecuted in Russia. In the 19th century Islam was reformed. This new version of Islam which combined Muslim canons with the ideas of liberalism (the so-called jadidism) could be called 'Euro-Islam'.
The Muslim movement in Russia has, both in the past and nowadays, been headed by the Tatars. At the moment there are no religious frictions in Tatarstan. Indeed, the republic can serve as an example of peaceful coexistence of the two world religions, and its positive experience could be of use for other countries.
The Tatars have a level of culture and education high enough to claim their own statehood. The Russians understand that, but in their turn want to play the same role in the republic as the Tatars.
The Tatar nationality has its own language, which belongs to Turkic branch of the Altaic language family. However, as a result of frequent contact with the Uygur and Kazak people, the Tatars also use Kazak or Uygur language. The Tatars' written language is based on Arabic letters, but now they often also use Kazak and Uygur characters.
Most of the Tatar people are adherents of Islam. Tatar cuisine includes scones, zhuafan, pastries, beef and mutton dishes, as well as various vegetables. Meats from pigs, donkeys, or mules are forbidden in their diet. Tatar drinks include the beer-like "keerxima", which is made from fermented honey, and 'Kesaile", a wine brewed from wild grapes. Many Tatar will identify themselves as Muslims before they will identify themselves as Tatar. Unlike devout Muslims, however, 25% of the Tatar will eat pork. The most important cultural element is food - a Tatar might forget her religion, her language, her customs, but she certainly won't forget how to make peremech (aka cheburek). She might not even be a Tatar at all - if she has tasted peremech, she'll keep making them for the rest of her life.
Tatars celebrate their "Saban Festival" (or "rites of spring") each year after they finished their spring ploughing. This is an ancient agricultural festival that is celebrated simultaneously with the anniversary of the founding of the Russian Tatar Republic on June 25. These celebrations have their origins in shamanism (the belief in an unseen world of gods, demons, and ancestral spirits). Tatar people also celebrate Corban Festival, Almsgiving Festival and Kaizhai Festival in line with other Islamic believers. Their favorite sports include wrestling, horse racing, and tug of war.
The Tatar are a group of Turkic people who have substantial colonies in virtually every republic of the former Soviet Union. While the main population is centered around the Volga region, some also live in many of the Central Asian republics.
The physical appearance of the Tatar varies from blue-eyed blondes to more Mongoloid features. In general, they have oval faces with little facial hair. They speak a unique language called Kazan Tatar, although many now claim Russian as their mother tongue. They are a settled people, mostly peasants and merchants, who have completely lost their traditional tribal structure.
Tatar men usually wear embroidered white shirts, under a black waistcoat or black robe, with a black or black and white embroidered hat. Young people like to wear peaked caps, and long leather shoes. Women wear white, yellow, or amaranth pleated one-piece skirts as well as small hats, with a short 'veil' covering the back of the head and neck. The younger generation of Tatar wear contemporary city-style clothes. However, the older collective farm members wear traditional dress.
Among the Tatar, the father is the legal head of the household. He is also in charge of the family income and how it is spent. The women usually cook, carry water, wash clothes, and tend to the livestock while the men do more strenuous labor.
Organizations and Assotiations
know more? write me
Social Youth Organization “Fatherland Union”
The largest republican social organization working for commemoration
of Fatherland defenders.
The Student League
The Student League of the Republic of Tatarstan created in 1996 prepared 16
programs intended for settling social problems, developing science and intellectual
creativity, supporting youth initiatives.
Womens public association "Femina"
(in Association of the independent women's organizations ANZhO)
Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan
WPA "Femina" was registered by Naberezhnye Chelnys Meria
in May 25, 1994. Its registration number is 654.
Address: Flat 182, 57a 40 Let Pobedy Street , Naberezhnye Chelny, 423815, Tatarstan.
Contact person: Yelena Mashkova, Director of the organization
homepage: www.owl.ru/eng/women/aiwo/femina.htm
e-mail: elena@femina.kazan.su
The group was created with the goal of breaking down - starting at the rank and file level - the deep-rooted stereotypes of women's roles, showing the true status of women in the town and throughout the region, keeping them well-informed and raising their self-consciousness, drawing the attention of the town authorities to women's problems.
Wishing to unite in order to jointly discuss and settle "feminine" problems, to provide everyone with perspectives for creative activities, to establish links with international women's organizations, led eventually to setting up a women's association.
The Group falls into the category of local organizations and is operating in Naberezhnye Chelny, Tatarstan. Started in November 1990 on a voluntary basis, Femina was then registered as a non-state, independent, non-profit women's organization.
The Group is currently involved in the following 3 major lines of activity:
Informational line: At the present time, a professional camera base is being
created for Femina Women's TV Program.
The project is intended for women of the city and region and provides for making,
twice a month, 20-25 min. TV shows on the topics like "Problems of Survival", "Women
and Law", "Women and Violence", "Women's Business", "Women
and Health", "Women and Business", "Women and Family", "Women
and Culture". The project was sponsored by John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur
Foundation, the grant awarded for one year from 1-st of September 1995; Eurasia
Foundation, the grant awarded for one year from 1-st of May 1996. Within the
framework of the informational line published a magazine for girls. Its
title is "Girls Ask for Attention" and its primary concern is women's
human rights issues. Supported by Global Fund for Women, the Group publish
the monthly "Women's Notebook". Supported by the Ford Foundation,
hosted the interregional festival of TV programs for women "Women's Topic".
Antinuclear Society of Tataria
President AC of Tatarstan Garapov A.F.
adress: 420034 Kazan, p/h 90, Russia, Tatarstan
e-mail: reno@reno.kcn.ru
homepage: http://www.mi.ru/~ant
Society took part in many conferenses, actions
for Nature protection on the Volga's region and on the Ural. Many articles
were published in different papers and magazines. There were many speeches
on the Region and All-Union radio channels. First protest marches against the
nuclear power stations construction were carryed out
on the territory of Tatarstan and Bashkiria. There were the first (in 1990)
and the second (in1996) All-Union antinuclear conference for antinuclear moving
and nuclear energy problems.
Brigade "Nature Conservation Service"
of the students of Kazan State University
address : 420008 Republic of Tatarstan, Kazan, Kreml st. 18, KSU, faculty
of biology, Nature Conservation Service.
e-mail: sop-kazan@mail.ru
editor in a chief : Richard Fitzmaurice rfitzm@mail.ru
Nature Conservation Service - is non-commercial organization of Kazan State University's students. Established in 1971 by the students of nature conservation department. Conservation of biodiversity, monitoring and protection of national reserved territories and ecological education are main direction of our work. It cooperate with governmental and non-governmental organizations in area of nature conservation. It is open for communication with any organizations and persons who agree with necessity and importance of conservation of environment, soil and water, living creatures not only to save the resource base of humanity, but for Nature to survive, so graceful and so endangered. It is closed and do not contact with fascist and over antihumanity groups. Brigade is the member of The Movement of Nature Conservation Brigades and of International Social Ecological Union.
you can find some information about other organizations here