This year, the fifth International Festival of Traditional Culture of the Turkic World of Russia “Urmai Zalida” (Chuvashia) is held from   May  6 to 7, 13, 2017.

The bearers of the ethnic culture of the Tatars in the Chuvash Republic are about forty thousand, they have their own local history. Mainly, the indigenous Tatar nation of Chuvashia, formed as Tatar-Mishars, has a rich Turkic heritage.

The Tatar population of Chuvashia lives comfortably, having its ethnic schools, club and leisure facilities, mosques, state municipal administrative buildings. The public has a secular unity, a secular social organization, the “National and Cultural Autonomy of the Tatars” of the Chuvash Republic. Due to the active participation of members of the Tatars ‘autonomy, more than forty major events were held in the republic: the Urmai Mony International Festival, the All-Russian ART-MADHIA, the republican tournament on the Tatar-Bashkir struggle, the hockey tournament for the Tatars’ autonomy prizes, local  and republican national holidays “Sabantui”, “Kurban-bayram”, “Maulid”. On the television channel “New Century” (Kazan, Republic of Tatarstan), the signal of which covers the territory of the Chuvash Republic, incl. Tatar villages (Tatar Suguty, Dolgi ostrov, Tokaevo, Urmayevo, Shigyrdany, Chichkany) during 2015-2017, TV programs were recorded: Zhyrlyk Ele, Khalkym Minem, Tamchy show, Aivlym Tormish, “Tayan Noctasy”, “Manzara”, “Karavai”, “Aulak ey”, “Nasyyhat” “Belem Denyasy” about the life of the Tatar-mishar of the republic, folk ensemble “Mishar” of the Urmayev information and cultural center, which is the visiting card of the Tatar- Mishars of Chuvashia and represented in different years the culture of the republic’s Tatars at international competitions in Turkey, Kabardino-Balkaria, in the Crimea, in Tatarstan. At the invitation of the Tatar community of the Chelyabinsk region, the ensemble from May 8 to May 11  this year is  leaving  with a large concert program to  Ust-Bugaryak rural settlement of Kunashak district of   the Chelyabinsk region.  It has invitations to participate in the All-Russian festival “Tugyaryak-uen” (August 6-9) in Kazan, August 15-28 at the International inclusive Festival “Altyn Maydan-Crimea”.

The festival space erases the boundaries of language barriers, unites people of all ethnic groups and nationalities. Authentic and folklore ensembles, individual performers (vocalists, instrumentalists) will enjoy the age-old and modern song traditions. Anyone who wants  to plunge  into the atmosphere of evening gatherings (aulak), learn folk games and dances will enjoy such an opportunity. The fair of crafts will develop the richness and diversity of the applied art of the Turkic peoples of the world. A variety of master classes (musicians, artists, artisans) will enable festival guests to take a direct part in an overall creative creation, to see how popular musical instruments are made. Together with musicians, unique performers, participants will be able to master the skills of playing on ethnic instruments. Anyone can learn the art of forging metal, master the techniques of weaving, national embroidery, painting, wickerwork and many other traditional folk crafts.

As part of the preparation and holding  the organizing committee and the directorate of the festival has been formed, they worked with the Ministry of Culture of the Chuvash Republic, the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan, the Federal National and Cultural Autonomy of the Tatars, with the socio-cultural centers of the republic, the Executive Committee of the World Congress of Tatars and the Assembly of Peoples of the Chuvash Republic.

The festival “Urmai Zalida” is dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the socio-cultural life of the Tatars of the Chuvash Republic, the 10th anniversary of the national and cultural autonomy of the Tatars of the Chuvash Republic.

The first distant  tour was attended by more than 30 regions of Russia, CIS countries, Turkey, China, only about 700 participants. On the second round, in full, 11 regions  about 400 people   took part.

For the leaders of the creative Turkic collectives of Chuvashia, the Republic of Mari El, the Nizhny Novgorod region, and the Republic of Tatarstan, a 72-hour workshop was held on the theme: “Modern technologies for the revival, preservation and transfer of the cultural heritage of ethnic groups, folklore: ethnic dance, ethnic singing – vocal, ethnic theater , ethnic instruments: gusli, kurai, saz, talianka-accordion (experience, problems, perspectives) “.

Ajtuganova Milyausha Lyabibovna, the famous person, for 25 years, she curated the information space of the festival “Urmai Mony” on the TNV channel, participated in the events more than once, and  with a positive attitude accepted the new festival “Urmai Zalida” . Milyausha Lyabibovna is an associate professor of the Department of Electronic Mass Media of the Kazan Federal University, head of the Department of Film and Television Directing at the Kazan State Institute of Culture, Professor.

Also,  prominent professionals of Chuvashia, Tatarstan, Nizhny Novgorod region will work as judges.

In connection with the transfer of the Republican Sabantui in Cheboksary, the Gala Concert – a concert of the winners of the festival is postponed from May 8 to May 13, everything will take place at the park of culture and recreation “Lakreevsky Forest”, already with the participation of the collectives from the Chuvash Republic and the Republic of Tatarstan.

At the festival compete in the following categories:

I. Traditional folklore ensembles, working in an authentic form;

II. Folklore ensembles working in the style of ethno-futurism;

III. National instrumental performance: performance on the traditional musical instruments of the Turkic world: all kinds of harmonics, kurai, dumbra, mandolin, gusli, balalaika, violin, kubyz, weed, pipe, stinger, horn, bagpipes, etc.

IV. National solo vocal performance: folk songs, retro author’s songs:

V. National folklore and choreographic performance: performing folk dances.

VI. Painting

VII. Decorative and applied arts.

Tomorrow the participants will start arriving, the participants will live in  private houses of the village of Urmayevo, at  the hotel “Cruise” in the village of Komsomolskoye, in the hostel of the Kanash transport and energy technical school.

Residents of Urmayevo are ready and happy to welcome guests, samovars are polished, national dishes are baked, most importantly everyone says: “RAHIM ITEGES, WELCOME !!!”