In Buryatia, “Tatarcha dictation” was supported by people of different nationalities
As part of the annual World Educational Action “Tatarcha Dictation” held by the World Congress of Tatars, the Autonomy of the Tatars of Buryatia on September 11-13, 2021 organized a large-scale cultural event that brought together not only Tatars, but also many friends of the autonomy. The dictation was attended by 95 people, 5 schools, 2 houses of culture of Kyakhtinsky, Selenginsky, Mukhorshibirsky, Bichursky, Khorinsky, Zaigraevsky districts of the republic and the House of Friendship of Ulan-Ude. The organizer of the dictation was Deputy Chairman of the RNСAT Mansur Gazizyanov.
It was unique that many participants in the dictation wrote in their native language for the first time, for others – Tatar is not their native language or the language of communication. People of different nationalities simply came to support “their Tatars” in an effort to remember their roots and traditions and speak their native language, which was used by neighbors, parents, grandfathers and grandmothers sometime in the 40s and 50s.
Most of the adults and children went to the dictation as a holiday – in national costumes and Tatar headdresses. The organizers presented the participants of the action with pens from the World Congress of Tatars with the personal inscriptions “Min – Tatars” and “Tatarlar, bez berdam”.
In the House of Friendship of the Peoples of Buryatia “Tatarcha dictation” ended with the festival of Tatar national cuisine “Balish-bairam”, dedicated to the father of Tatar cookery, Yunus Akhmetzyanov. Balish-bairam was held with the support of the Administration of Ulan-Ude. Master classes on baking balish with meat, kosh tele and baursak were shown by local craftswomen Guzaliya Zakirova and Faniya Gareeva. And, of course, it was not without the signature dish of the Autonomy of the Tatars of Buryatia – the Baikal chak-chak with pine nuts and traditional Tatar tea drinking. A soulful festive concert from the vocal-pop group Lakkiton”, the SKTs “Kristall” and the original singer Sarbia Fazylbekova took place.
At all six educational sites in Buryatia, “Tatarcha dictation” smoothly flowed into the interdistrict Festival of Tatar cuisine, and passed in one breath – happy guests and hospitable hosts, sincere atmosphere, Tatar songs – this is an excellent occasion for warm communication and popularization of folk traditions, native language and culture. On this day, the keepers of Tatar traditions demonstrated the diversity of national traditions and the richness of Tatar cuisine. Nourishing triangles – echpochmak and unleavened flat cakes with hot mashed potatoes – kystyby, tender pancakes – “kiyau koymaklary”, balisha with various fillings and fragrant tea with thyme and currant were skillfully executed and reflected the national Tatar flavor.
The Tatar dictation with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus and the branches of the RNCAT in the districts was written by schoolchildren from the 2nd grade to the 11th grade. The dictation took place in the border Ust-Kyakhta, taiga Tegda, productive Kharashibiri, in the hospitable Old Onokhoy and the sea buckthorn region of Selendum. The Tatars of Buryatia did not set the task of checking the literacy of their native speech. We proceeded from local realities, where we do not have teachers of their native language, most Tatars do not know grammar, they lose their language and practically do not speak it. But we all have a desire to touch the life-giving source of our culture. Therefore, the Council of Autonomy suggested that everyone should write a dictation based on the tale of the great Gabdulla Tukay “Sөtkә tөshkәn tychkan (Mouse that fell into milk).” To make “Tatarcha dictation” informative, exciting and successful for all, without exception, participants in the dictation. Considering the unprecedented scale of the republican action, the autonomy of the Tatars of Buryatia have coped with its task.
