Ash. Ritual Life of the Kyrgyz in the Early 20th Century. Part - 17

Ash: first day (kemegesin chavat)

sayak

Horse races on the day of digging the hearths for the memorial feast. The hearths are dug in the form of special pits outside the yurts.

The races of this day are held over distances of 20-30 versts, followed by foot wrestling (kuros), horseback wrestling (engish), and a tournament (saish).

After this, the irchi (singers) announce with a song that the distribution among the yurts will begin now.

Osh District

Kemeges bayga — no treats are given to anyone — the first of the four days of ash. The "allies" and other invited guests arrive for the spectacle. They stay and eat with relatives (the latter), while the "allies," living nearby, stay with themselves. The "allies" are invited for the next day (kengesh bayga), and others for konok bayga. On this day, those who live close may come, but they return home at night without receiving any treats. Only particularly honored guests are treated on this day. If someone from afar still arrives, they find shelter on their own with relatives, not claiming the hospitality of the ash hosts. If many guests and runners gather on this day, they arrange kok boru and am chavat (races), but if few, they do not arrange them.

They dig pits for the installation of cauldrons and cook the meat that will be distributed the next day.

In the case of a modest ash, although the name kemeges bayga remains, on this day guests are already treated with food prepared the previous day and night.

Ash: third day (kalta bayga)

Osh District

Upon the arrival of horses from kalta bayga, when the prizes are distributed, it is announced to the gathered aksakals (of the clans) that a certain group will be given so many rams for the sojus, another group — so many, and so on, so that they send people there to receive them. Then they immediately discuss what distance to set for the races for konok bayga and from where they should start.

After receiving the rams, they prepare them and have dinner. Meanwhile, the horses go to the designated point. After dinner, they gather the aksakals, and they, having reviewed the total amount of prize goods (the organizer indicates it to them), distribute it into separate prizes.

On this day, they accept marakalash (participants of maraka).

Bayga is mainly held in the fall — only for memorials.

Ash: fourth (main) day of the memorial (not at chashtysh)

sayak

After the migration and morning tea, the guests are again announced by the irchi that everyone should gather for the big bayga — chong at chashtysh — at the same place as yesterday, to attend the races of adult horses, sometimes over 40-50 versts, where large prizes are awarded (25, 15, and nine horses). After the races are over, the guests immediately disperse to their homes. Thus, they spend only one night as guests.

Osh District

Konok bayga — a large bayga (for guests) with horses staying overnight at the start. The horses are sent to the start the evening before, they spend the night there and start racing early in the morning, before dawn.

Guests are usually invited to konok bayga.

Ash: fifth day

Races of four-year-old horses. The prizes are small. The distance is up to 50 versts in both directions.

The races on the third and fifth days are mainly organized not by the hosts of the ash and not by children, but by friends and close relatives of the deceased.

Ash: sixth day

Preparations are made for the big race, the prizes are divided, usually numbering 15; in the evening, meat prepared before the start of the ash is distributed to all the people, i.e., not only those living in the erected yurts but also those who lived in the auls.

Ash: seventh day

This day constitutes the essence of ash and is more expensive than all other days. Usually, there are 15 prizes... The enormous difference between the first and other prizes makes everyone fight for the top position...

To avoid misunderstandings during the distribution of prizes, a large distance is usually set for the races — from 80 to 100 versts in both directions. As a result, half of the horses perish, and if some do reach the finish line, it is the best: some only at a light trot, while others at a walk. It happens that the riders walk and urge the horses, just to make sure they reach... It was customary to award a prize even if the horse itself did not make it, but its head was brought.

As a means to win a prize, a ruckus is initiated. For this, halfway, the owner of the horse places about 10 riders, who, waiting for their horse, catch it on the gallop, remove the boy-jockey and drive the horse without a rider. If one horse is galloping ahead without riders, it is often delayed, the boy is knocked down, and sometimes even killed.

This race concludes the ash, and the guests head straight home, not stopping at the yurts. The heirs have honored their father, but they themselves may have remained impoverished.

Ash: competitions, games

Osh District

Onkyo chavish — bald men (with scabs from scab on their heads) hit each other with horse throats and lightly on the head until one of them wins.

Ienish — horseback wrestling.

sayak

Osh District

Ienish.

Atala vash — they mix flour in water and search for a coin at the bottom of the vessel with their mouths in liquid jelly.

Buka-tartish — two people get on all fours (on their knees), turning their backs to each other, wearing loops of lasso (or folded in half) around their necks, and pull in opposite directions.

Talas

It tartish⁶⁰.

Sarybulak
buku

Zhaganash chavish — two riders, bare to the waist, fight using whips. In case the whip is knocked out of the rider's hands, there is a spare behind his back.

They shoot while galloping at a Chinese yamb.

Taz suzush turgon⁶¹ — bald men charge at each other headfirst.

They dig a large pit up to the knees. A camel covered with a kymkap is placed there. The exit from the pit is only on one side. The camel is tied to a post and the lasso is tangled in such a way that it is almost impossible to untie it. Spectators stand around.

A naked woman must untie the camel, walking along the edge of the pit and having to bend down all the time.

If she unties the camel, she takes it with the cover for herself⁶².

Picking up a coin from the ground; lowering the horse's head — sal-moyin; wrestling — kures.

Ash: site competition.

Songköl
sayak

In saish, one can only hit below the neck and above the waist. Two groups participate, each presenting their fighter. They provide the fighters with the necessary clothing and help them dress. The batyr is dressed in his clothes, and on top of him is a terdik and kalpaks.

Then he sits on a horse, behind the saddle in the toroka (straps at the back of the saddle. — B.K., S.G.) a thick chapan is tied to make it comfortable to sit; a stick (for example, a whip) is wrapped in the chapan for strength.

If the opponent is so strong that it is difficult for him to stay in the saddle, this construction will help him. Once assured that he is comfortable sitting, the batyr dismounts, kneels, and in the usual gesture asks for bata (blessing) from his supporters. After receiving this wish for victory, he gets back in the saddle, one person takes his horse by the bridle and leads it to the edge of the arena. In the middle of the arena, there are two mediators (kalys), who guide the tournament. If the opponents miss, the same handlers take them back, holding the horses by the bridle, to the edges of the arena (to the end that is closer). Victory is considered when the opponent is thrown from the saddle.

Osh District

In saish, only men participate. The fighters wear tokum under their chapans — woolen vests. The tip of the spear is cut like a bakhan, so it does not slip off upon impact. It is customary to strike only in the chest.

Sarybulak
buku

Er sait. The spear is made with a fork, with one horn being slightly shorter and blunt, while the other is longer and pointed; the first prevents the second from penetrating the body upon impact. The fighters wear sharpildak — leather armor covering the chest and back, and over them, quilted chapans. On their heads, they wear topu and over it a scarf. Two witnesses (kalys) are chosen from both sides, who watch over the order in the tournament.

Before the tournament, the participants of the fight, wearing belts around their necks, with whips in hand, go to their group of spectators and receive bata — wishes and prayers from them.

The arena for the fights is equal to 20 desyatins. The fighters and two witnesses stand at its ends. When all the spectators chant bata in unison, the fighters rush towards each other. The weapon is kazak — a spear without an iron tip.

The prize consists of seven or nine heads of livestock. If there are nine, one of them must be a camel, the rest are horses.

Women fight in the same way, but weaker.

At funerals, a combat called seys is arranged. Two young men (batyrs) on good horses, armed with spears, try to knock each other out of the saddle... Sometimes two women fight in this way. The winner receives a prize. The prize won is not shared with anyone. For death and injury in these competitions, no compensation is paid (khuna).

Ash: prizes

sayak

The prizes received in the races are divided among the villagers proportionally to each person's involvement.

Osh District

The distances and prizes for the races on the first three days are determined by the organizer of the ash.

Mayash
sayak

Mayash — if a wealthy person does not want to organize bayga and the like, his people slaughter several heads of various livestock, make hearths, and prepare treats all night. During the day, invited guests arrive, they are treated, they perform prayers, and leave without any special festivities.

After ash: marriage of the widow

sayak

After the guests leave, close relatives remain, and the hosts slaughter livestock and arrange the marriage of the widow (widows) of the deceased with his brother or another chosen relative. The next day, they disperse as well. For the last time, women sing their koshok during ash in the morning on the day of the marriage.

Osh District

According to Sharia, a widow is not allowed to remarry within four months and ten days after her husband's death, even if the ash was held earlier (for example, after three months), but if the ash was later, she can remarry after the ash.

During the nikah, the widow's mourning clothes are removed, and the women caring for her persuade the widow, who does not want to part with her widowhood, to change these clothes for ordinary ones provided by the groom.

Before the nikah, the groom is not allowed to visit the widow.

After the ash, the widow can remarry in any case.

kainazar

After the ash, the widow remarries after two to three years.

If the widow intends to remarry, her relatives remove the mourning clothes; if she remains a widow, the relatives of the deceased husband do this a week or ten days after the ash, slaughtering livestock and making treats.

Braiding the widow's hair

Kokomerin
sayak

Chach jidi — braiding the widow's hair on the 40th day (kyrky). Women and girls, widows and close relatives of the deceased untie their braids upon his death and walk with their hair down.

While the men are at bayga, the guest women braid the hosts' hair, during which they cry and sing their koshok. After this, mourning is lifted from everyone except the widow (widows), and they can go to other yurts.

Songköl
sayak

Chach jiydi — braiding hair on the fifth, sixth, and tenth days. After the husband's death, the widow lets her hair down and walks with her hair down until the named ritual, when livestock is slaughtered and bayga is arranged. After this, the women from the same village braid the widow's hair again.

Osh District

Chach jiyar. On the third day, women gather, slaughter a ram, and the guests braid the widow's hair into two braids, during which everyone sings koshok.

solto-talkhan

Chach uru — the widow, who has let her hair down after her husband's death, has it braided again after seven days. During this, a ram is slaughtered and a prayer from the Quran is recited.

kainazar

Chach jidi — braiding hair a few days after the husband's death (on the 40th day).

Death of a woman, child

Songköl
sayak

Upon the death of a wife, the husband does not wait for ash to remarry, and there is no mourning in the yurt.

Osh District

For a woman, mourning is worn: mother, daughter, sister — only in the form of a blue shirt. Koshok is sung in her husband's yurt.

For children, mourning is not worn, and memorials are not held for either the woman or the children.

solto-karamooin

For a woman, ash is arranged on a significantly smaller scale; her horse is also slaughtered.

Commentary:

60 Buka tartysh — (literally, "wrestling, tugging bulls, bulls"); it tartysh (literally, "wrestling, tugging dogs") — a type of competition consisting of tugging a rope while on all fours (Yudakhin K.K. Op. cit. p. 15, 711).
61 Taz suzush turgon — literally, "budding of the scabby."
62 A similar spectacle is described by Sabir Abdimanov in the story "From the Depths of the Tian Shan Mountains. Description of the Funeral and Memorials of the Kyrgyz Manat 'Davdal Batyr'" (Shuro, 1913, No. 5, p. 159. Manuscript translation from Tatar by J. Karmysheva), and by G.N. Simakov (Social Functions... p. 120). The connection of such rituals with fertility magic is beyond doubt. Such reenactments are common during the period of the revival of the plant world, intended to symbolize and promote the reproduction of fruits, animals, and people (Frazer J. Op. cit. p. 363). In our case, such an act is presumably intended to facilitate the future revival and fertility not of the deceased himself, of course, but of his soul.

Memorials. Ritual life of the Kyrgyz in the early 20th century. Part - 16