The attitude of the Tatars of the Kirov region (Russia) to religious rites

Abstract

In modern Russia, much attention is paid to the preservation of cultural traditions of different peoples and faiths, but at the same time many aspects remain undisclosed in research. A rich material for study exists in the multiethnic and multicultural Kirov region. Tatars occupy the second largest population in the region and have their own rich cultural traditions based on Islam and influencing the culture of the region. The purpose of the research is to study the attitude of Tatars to religious rituals on the example of the Kirov region. To achieve this goal, ethnosociological expeditions were undertaken in 2018-2023 to the Malmyzhsky and Kilmezsky districts of the Kirov region as one of the most representative areas where the Tatar population lives. Within the framework of the expeditions, methods of included observation were used, as well as interviews in the form of interviews. As a result, the attitude of the Tatars towards such religious ceremonial as the obligatory observance of prayer, marriage (nikyah), the prohibition on eating pork, as well as the special position of women was revealed. As the study showed, Tatars in the Kirov region do not have a canonical manifestation of the foundations of Islam, but a folk faith characterized by a simplified perception of these foundations: not all Tatars observe the fivefold prayer, some of them also eat pork. It remains important for the Tatar population to observe the nikyah rite at marriage, but at the same time there is a relaxation in choosing a partner – he can be of any nationality, but must be a Muslim or convert to Islam. There are certain changes in the situation of women: there are no restrictions on their rights and freedoms, and not all Muslim women adhere to a strict and closed style of dress. In addition, the Tatars' desire to combine the traditional way of life with the modern dominant culture, as well as with other national cultures of the region ("neighborly mutual assistance", holding various festivals of traditional cultures, assimilation of Tatars) was revealed. It was concluded that the attitude towards traditional confessional rituals in the Tatar community is softened and does not imply strictness in observance. The results of the study are useful for building intercultural communications between various stakeholders (government, business, non-profit organizations).