ABOUT REPUBLIC OF BURYATIA
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Buryatia is a unique land with its wild and virgin nature, endless steppes and taiga, Buddhist temples, nomad’s tents and shamans. There are more than 300 sunny days a year in Buryatia and for anyone who lives in the republic it’s unimaginable to be without blue sky and sun shining brightly. The climate is dry, winters are without severe frosts and temperature in summer is not so high.
By its diversity the Buryat landscape can be equally compared to Swiss Alps, steppes of Mongolia or the woods and plains of the European part of Russia. Buryatia is mountainous land. Its highest mountain is Munku Sardyk, the highest in Eastern Siberia - 3491 meters high. People call it Ancient Sinciput of Asia. There is hardly a place in Russia where such a variety of scenery can be found. Except mountains there are boundless steppes, thick forests and quite lakes, rapid mountain rivers with crystal clear icy water and, of cause, world famous Lake Baikal. Large and small lakes are a part of enchantment in different parts of Buryatia. The largest and most beautiful is Lake Baikal. For people of Buryatia Lake Baikal is a matter of love and doration and a great concern as well. They call it “A Sacred Sea”. Almost all rivers in Buryatia flow into Lake Baikal. Selenga, Barguzin and Verkhnyaya Angara Rivers are among them. But a ”self-willed” Vitim is the only river falling into Lena River, the great Siberian river.
Nature has smiled upon Buryatia as it has a rich abundance of vegetable animal life having the unique and rare species like Barguzin Sable, Baikal Seal and omul. The abundance of the coastal flora is an inexhaustible store for Eastern medicine.
The Republic of Buryatia is located in central part of the Continent of Asia. Buryatiya is a mysterious place of the world hidden in the bondless area of Great Siberia. The total area of republic is 351.3 square kilometers, which is about the territory of Germany. It’s bounded by Irkutsk and Chita regions, Republic of Tuva and Mongolia. It’s washed by one of the greatest and magnificent lakes in the world –
Baikal.
The territory of present day Buriatia was inhabited since ancient times by various tribes and peoples. The most ancient evidence of inhabitance of people in the territory of Buryatia can be traced back to the Stone Age, approximately thirty-forty thousand years ago. The Buryats are ancestors of militant tribes of Huns who invaded Asia and Europe about 2000 years ago. Chingis Han was another Buryat tribe leader to conquer Asia and Europe in 11th century. Numerous monuments of material culture of legendary Huns – III-I centuries B.C. prove this hypothesis. The tribes inhabited the territory of Buryatia were involved in the events at the times of Chingis-Hun, XI-XIII centuries A.D.
For centuries the Buryats were nomads moving from one place to another and carrying on barter with China, Mongolia and other Siberian tribes. In the mid XVII century the first Russians appeared here in search of wealth, furs and gold. It’s a period of joining Buryatia to Russia.
Buryatia keeps its miracles and ancient secrets very carefully. It’s filled with mysticism of
Siberian Shamanism, with the wisdom of Buddhism, and with the humility of
Orthodox Christianity.
Buryatia is the only place in Russia where Buddhism is the predominating religion. Buddhism in Buryatia exists as Lamaism. In Transbaikal region it spread since XVII century. Lamaism and Shamanism have considerably influenced each other. Buddhist cult structures, datsans, are marked with splendid architecture and multicolored interior decorations. Now there are 20 Buddhist temples in Buryatia.
Ivolginsky Datsan is the center of Buddhism in Russia and a place where the body of Buddhist monk Pandito is kept. He was buried 80 years ago and has been found without traces of decomposition. The body remains in the temple and its phenomenon involves a plenty of believers, scientists and tourists. Datsan is 40 km from the capital of Buryatia.
One of the treasures of the eastern culture, Atlas of Tibetan Medicine is kept and studied in Ulan-Ude. The rich theoretical and practical heritage of Tibetan medicine is being mastered by Buryat doctors.
Shamanism had existed long before Buddhism and Christianity came to Buriatia. Some ritual ceremonies are kept by present day, the example of it is paying tribute to some sacred places during long travels. In Buryat language it is called “Obo” or “Barisa”.
The first orthodox churches were built in Buryatia in the second half of he XVII century after the first Russian settlements had appeared there. There are still remaining old churches and chapels in some villages, which testify the spread of Christianity in Buryatia during different periods of history.
Many legends are connected with old believers who settled in Buryatia after the split of Russian Orthodox Church. So called
Semeyskie brought their own culture and specific way of life with the religion.
More than a hundred nationalities live in Buryatia and it explains variety and diversity of culture. The
Buryats is the largest ethnic minority group. Friendly relations among different communities have been maintained for many years. National traditions such as respect and care of old people and children, are still kept by modern generation.
There are 14 active Buddhist Datsans, 12 Buddhist Communities, 17 Orthodox churches and curacies, 7 old orthodox affiliations, 1 Roman Catholic Church, more then 20 religious sects and trends in the Republic today.
Different ethnic groups inhabited Buryatia had their own types of houses. Evenks lived in chooms made of reindeers skins or bark,
Buriats – in multiangular dwellings or felt yurtas, Russians – in wooden houses.
Like most of Siberians the people living in Buryatia appreciate nutritional food. Traditional food is simple in cooking, meat and milk dishes prevail. There is a legend that Buryat representatives brought as a present the alcoholic beverage made of milk of a hundred of white mares to Peter the Great. The national dish “boozy” or pozy are very popular in Buryatia. Minced meat of pork, mutton and beef is used for its cooking. There may be specific combinations of meat in different regions of the republic.
Economy of republic is based on agriculture, the timber, textile and food industries and fur farming. Fishing and hunting are also important. Buryatia passed the long way of development from nomadic tribes and cattle-breeding to the advanced space technologies.
Buryatia is rich in health resorts located near hot and mineral springs and therapeutic muds. They are well known and popular in Russia. The Nilova Pustyn’ resort, Arshan resort on the territory of Tunkinsky national park, 9 Khongor-Uula mineral resources in Tunkinskaya valley, Goryachinsk resort on Lake Baikal.
Rich deposits of zink, lead, gold, molybdenum, tungsten, asbestos, beryllium, strontium, scandium and other rare elements are of great economic value. All varieties of nephrite – from white to black (symbolize the Sky, Earth, Wisdom and Eternity) being more precious then the gold in ancient times in the East can be met only in Buryatia.
Historically Buryatia was found in the crossroad different cultures that stand in close friendship and mutual enrichment. Just that became the foundation for original and distinctive culture of Buryatia. There are five theaters in Ulan-Ude, they are the Buryat Opera and Ballet House,
National Drama Theater named after H.Namsarayev, Russian Drama
Theater named after N. Bestuzhev, Puppet Theater and the Youth
Studio-Theater. There are also philarmonic society, ensemble of folk singing and dancing Baikal, a lot of folk groups as well.
The musical culture of Buryats is deeply rooted in folk songs, the first musical instrument “hoor” played in X century.
Academician Gmelin set to notes the folk Buryat melody in 1740. Russian music got its specific shades in Buriatia. The present range of expression in music is diverse: from songs to opera, from sounds of hoor and yatag to a symphony.
Buryatia is a land of skilful craftsmen and talented painters. Their art is inspired by the customs and traditions of the people, the heritage of cult icon painting, charm and beauty of the Buryat nature. Rich collection of art is represented and exhibited in
Ethnographic Museum, the Museum of History and others.
People of Buryatia celebrate not only holidays which are common in Russia (New Year, Women’s Day, Independence Day etc) but national holidays also such as
Sagaalgan (the New Year according to the Moon Calendar in January-February, it lasts for the whole month),
Surkharbaan (nation festivity celebrated in summer, songs, dancing and sport activities).
Buryata is a truly fairy-tale place in the very heart of Siberia! You are welcome to Buryatia!
You are welcome to Buryat Republic! |
