Joint exhibition project of the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) with the masters of the creative association "Patterns of Muryu." A series of works "Olonkho Land" is accompanied with photographs and a video selection dedicated to the national holiday Ysyakh.

Ysyakh Olonkho (2018-07-30) by Anatoly ShestakovNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Aal Luuk Mas

The World Tree, whose roots go to the Lower World, the crown grows in the Middle World, and the branches are directed high into the sky, where the deities of the Upper World dwell. The World Tree Aal Luuk Mas is one of the central images in the Yakut epos Olonkho. It is the tree of life, the tree of fertility and the center of the Universe.

The sacred tree (2017) by Vasilyeva Marfa AlekseevnaNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Aar Kuduk masses - the "sacred tree of abundance", grows in the center of the universe and connects all three worlds (upper, middle and lower). Its roots go down to the very underworld, from where another comes back to become a pillar for hanging dishes with cream from the rulers of cattle. The top of a mighty tree reaches heaven. Having passed that circle of the sky where the lord of stumbling people and quick-moving cattle dwells, it reaches the bright country Uryung Aiyy Toyon and becomes its sacred confit. In the special hypostasis of the world - the tree of life - they live "I will reach ichchilere" (spirits of the localities) and "from-mas ichchilere" (masters of grasses and trees, fields), sending every good luck and harvest of herbs.
Vasilyeva Marfa Alekseevna

Ysyakh Tuymaada (2018-07-23) by Anatoly ShestakovNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Osuokhay

The national circular dance of the Sakha people, originated thousands of years ago.

Сайын ахтыл5ана (2017) by Illarionova Margarita InnokentievnaNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Osuokhay - the ancient dance of the Yakuts, sun-worshipers. This is a circular dance of the Sakha people, who enjoy special love from the people and is one of the main components of the ethnic culture in the framework of the national holiday Ysyakh. The life and welfare of the Yakuts depended mainly on the fertility of livestock and on nature. What year will be directly influenced by what wintering will be like. Therefore, the meeting of the onset of summer has always been solemn, joyful in nature and is associated with the celebration of Yysah. In the words of the ancient dance, prayers were algysy, addressed to the patron deities of cattle and equestrian cattle Jessegui, Ieiyehsit, to the spirits-owners of nature ichchi, as well as the glorification of nature, different seasons. The circle of a mouth can include more than a hundred, on large Ysyakhs - up to a thousand dancers. Dancing, taking each other's hands, with their left legs begin measured steps in the movement of the sun, which indicates the worship of the ancient Yakuts to the sun. Accompanied by the osuokhay songs, the chorus and the dancers after him must repeat them. Famous singing masters are especially gifted people, improvised poets, who possess special magic of the word, richness of the pictorial means of the language used, impact on the dancers, tireless dancers, toyuksutom and singer with a strong Yakut folk voice, they enjoyed great popularity and love of the people.
Illarionova Margarita Innokentievna

‏‏‎ Ysyakh of Tuymaada. Holy rite of the sunNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

The ritual of meeting the sun

The ritual ceremonial ceremony on the mythology of the Sakha people with the first rays of the rising sun magically draws together the boundaries of the world of people and the world of celestial deities. People at sunrise raise their hands, taking energy, the warmth of the sun.

Аар Тойон (2017) by Degtyareva Tatyana GavrilievnaNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Among the ancestors of the Yakuts, one of the central places was occupied by the cult of Heaven, which is embodied in the image of Yuryung Aiyy Toyon.
Uryung Aiyy Toyon is a personified image of the sky, one of the main creators of the Universe and all things, including gods, the supreme ruler of the world. About Yuryung Aiyy Toyon there is the following mythological plot: “Once in the old time, over three skies, with warm breath, like a summer warm wind, with three souls, having stretched a camp, like a three-year stallion, stood pensively Uriing Aiyy Toyon. He spread the two White suns on the sides, created the third and hung them between heaven and earth and said: Yakut people, descended from three white foams, strengthen, be fruitful and multiply!
According to the ideas of people, he lives on the ninth tier of the eastern sky. The second deity is the sun deity. In ancient times, the peoples of Yakutia worshiped the sun. They perceived the luminary as their own progenitor and considered themselves "children of the white sun". The ritual ceremonial ceremony "Meeting of the Sun" - according to the mythology of the Sakha people, with the first rays of the rising sun, the magical convergence of the border of the world of people and the world of celestial deities takes place. People at sunrise raise their hands, taking energy, the warmth of the sun.
In the morning at 3-4 hours, with the first rays of the sun, people make a wish, and then this desire is fulfilled.
Prior to the rite of "meeting the sun," the rite of "purification."
In nature, it is a big smoke stool, and inside the house there is a small bell or dei-biir.
This is done to ensure that nature was supportive and successfully passed the rite of "meeting the sun."
Degtyareva Tatyana Gavrilievna

Ysyakh in Verkhnevilyuisk (2018-06-25) by Anatoly ShestakovNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Koumiss

A drink of the Turkic peoples, made from the milk of mares. In Yakutia, kumis is drunk from the сhoron, the sacred Yakut vessel.

Сандалы (2017) by Bochkareva Ekaterina MikhailovnaNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

The national dishes of the Sakha people are famous for their calorific value, high taste qualities that saturate the appetites of the most capricious gourmets. Kumis in the representation of Sakha is a sacred drink and a symbol of "ilge" - "white grace and abundance", in which lies the kut-sur (soul) of all unborn people, horses and cows. It is believed that koumiss is the earthly incarnation of the heavenly dairy lake, on the shores of which lies the dwelling of Uriing Aiyy Toyon, the supreme ruler of the world. During Ysyakh through drinking koumiss, people are introduced to the higher mysteries of life. Kumis is drunk from a choron, a sacral vessel.
Bochkareva Ekaterina Mikhailovna

Agricultural enterprises of Amginsky district (2018-07-22) by Anatoly ShestakovNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Haymaking

July in Yakutia - haymaking time.

Summer motive (2017) by Fedorova Valentina AfanasyevnaNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

At the beginning of the month (according to the old style), 2-3 day "Petrovsky" rains were expected. After them, mass mowing began. The hayfield determined the successful overwintering of cattle and, accordingly, the family, and every day the hayfield was extremely valuable, as the proverb says, “The Day of the Year feeds”.
Fedorova Valentina Afanasyevna

Procession (2018-09-09) by Anatoly ShestakovNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Yakutsk

Founded by Peter Beketov on September 25, 1632.

Ostrog tower (2017) by Luginova Valentina GeorgievnaNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

1632 in the month of June, according to legend, the 29th, on the right bank of the r. Lena, on the so-called Gimadaysky tract, laid Lensky or Yakutsk Ostrozhek, the beginning of the current city of Yakutsk. Its founder was Yenisei Cossack centurion Pyotr Beketov, who arrived at the middle course of Lena from its headwaters, accompanied by a small detachment of Cossacks and various industrial people. The year 1632 is considered not only the date of the founding of the city, but also the time when the Lensky Region was incorporated into the Russian state.
Luginova Valentina Georgievna

Anabarsky district (2019-03-01) by Anatoly ShestakovNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

North and Arctic Yakutia

The indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East.

Wealth of the Northern Region (2017) by Sleptsova Elena GavrilievnaNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

On the vast territory of the northernmost mountains of our republic, an endless chain of peaks of the Verkhoyansk Range, live the descendants of the once very powerful and civilized people - the Evens.
Since ancient times, their ancestors who inhabited these lands were famous not only for their hardy and brave reindeer herders and hunters, but also for their wise, talented narrators, singers, thinkers.
Steep passes trampled by deer, narrow paths leading to snowy peaks, deep rocky gorges, fast-flowing rivers and green taiga stretching for thousands of kilometers are the land of the proud, hardened by the harsh climate of a small people who formed their unique, original culture in the extreme North.
Sleptsova Elena Gavrilievna

Anabarsky district (2019-03-01) by Anatoly ShestakovNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Reindeer

Symbol of the life of the indigenous peoples of the North.

Deer (2017) by Atlasova Maria SemenovnaNational Library of Republic Sakha (Yakutia)

Evenks and Evens, as well as Yukagirs and Northern Yakuts, are traditionally engaged in reindeer herding. Especially significant for the Evens and the Evenks is the veneration of white deer, which is associated with their religious beliefs. It is believed that the first domesticated animals are the dog and deer. There is a cult of "Deer-Sun", coming from deep antiquity. Namely, the image of the Sun from immemorial antiquity was perceived as an imaginary Great Pepe-forerunner.
During the summer-ritual holiday of the New Year and the meeting of the Sun, the elders of the clan addressed the sun with the following words: "Oh, the spirit of the great Sun, the Sun - mothers! Your earth sons turn to you! Tell us a happy destiny! Give us smart and strong boys and ruddy girls!"
Reason your deer! Send us your wealth - deer frisky and fast. For you, we have sprinkled the earth with the blood of a sacrificial animal, with the milk of your deer for you, we have arranged a great feast - evinek and our cheerful dance. And yes, spread, oh - the Sun, happiness and grace, multiply our deer herds and our deer - enkelbu, send us hunting luck!
O great Sun, the spirits of the localities and the spirit of nature, listen: for the happiness of future generations of nomadic Evens, save your golden deer - "by drawing menen folbut ayot bivkali"!
Atlasova Maria Semenovna

Credits: Story

Alexey Ivanov,
author and curator of the project «Culture of Yakutia in the world space» (inclusion of regional cultural of institutions of Yakutia into the project Google Cultural Institute), initiator of support for the Yakut language and languages of indigenous peoples in machine translators, research fellow of the National Library of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Lyudmila Zhirkova,
honorary worker of the general education of Russia, Teacher of teachers, national master of the Sakha (Yakutia) Republic

Anatoly Shestakov,
press Service of the Head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the Government of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia)

Exhibition of 2018

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.
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