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History magazine - researches
Reference:

Yakut National Holiday – Ysyakh: traditions and modernity

Gogolev Anatolii Ignatevich

ORCID: 0000-0002-9694-7826

Doctor of History

Professor of the Department of World National History, Ethnology, Archaeology; M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University

677000, Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk, ul. Belinsky, 58, office 608

cafvi1990@mail.ru
Yakovleva Kapitolina Maksimovna

ORCID: 0000-0002-5381-8960

PhD in History

Associate Professor, Department of World National History, Ethnology, Archaeology; M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University

677000, Russia, Sakha (Yakutia) region, Yakutsk, ul. Belinsky, 58, office 612

kapa1985@mail.ru
Mikhailova Sargylana Mikhailovna

ORCID: 0009-0006-9730-3762

Master's degree, Department of World National History, Ethnology, Archeology; M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal Universit

677000, Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk, ul. Belinsky, 58, office 612

s.mhlva@gmail.com
Mikhailova Saina Andreevna

ORCID: 0000-0002-8485-8631

Master's degree, Department of World National History, Ethnology, Archeology; M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University

677000, Russia, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Yakutsk, Belinsky str. 58, office 612

smkhlv@mail.ru

DOI:

10.7256/2454-0609.2024.1.69289

EDN:

MALATM

Received:

11-12-2023


Published:

08-01-2024


Abstract: The subject of the study is the transformation of rites and rituals in the structural part of the traditional Ysyakh holiday among the Yakuts. In the traditional sense of the Yakuts, ysyakh was a calendar and ceremonial holiday after which the economic cattle breeding year began. In addition, the traditional holiday vividly reflected the religious ideas of the Yakuts – receiving blessings from the bright deities of Ayyy. During the genesis and transformation of this holiday through the prism of historical periods, the appearance of the holiday and religious beliefs are transformed, but the use of ritual utensils and food remains within the framework of rituals. In the work, the subject of research is mainly revealed through the prism of tradition and modernity. The work is divided into the structure and rituals of the traditional holiday in the first part, in the second half the authors' materials on the modern celebration of Ysyakh in 2022. The main methods in the article are diachronic, the method of included observation, as well as interviewing. The novelty of the study lies in the fact that the national holiday Ysyakh is considered within the framework of its genesis, from tradition to modernity. Today, the holiday is an important ethnocultural and regional event in the territory of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the work contains relevant materials from the Olonkho Ysyakhs and the local urban district in the territory of the Vilyui group of uluses for 2022. As a result of the work, the authors conclude that despite the historical conditions through which this holiday passed, it retained its original idea: the beginning of a new economic cycle, the birth of nature, the worship of the bright deities of Ayyy, the preservation of the sacredness of food in rituals and rituals.


Keywords:

yakuts, holiday, ysyakh, Ayyy, food, rite, ritual, sprinkle koumiss, transformation, cultural code

This article is automatically translated.

Ysyakh is a traditional calendar and ritual holiday of the Yakuts, which is "a unique spiritual wealth of the Yakut people." Ysyakh reflects all the elements of traditional culture, both material and spiritual [1, p. 65.]. According to one version, the name of the holiday "Ysyakh" comes from the word "ys" – to sprinkle or sprinkle [2, p. 154], and the rite "Kymys yhyta" – sprinkling or sprinkling of earth and fire with kumys is one of the central events of the celebration. The same meaning is given to the ceremony of kumysopitiya – "ayah tutuu". E. N. Romanova: The "Kumys Festival" (as foreign researchers called Ysyakh) paid special attention to the ritual of kumys drinking and kumys itself – as a sacred drink of the Yakut deities" [3]. It is believed that kumis has a reference to the deities "Ayyy", because among the Yakuts any dairy food is called "urun as", in which the word "urun" in its sacred meaning is identified with the supreme deity "Urun Aar toyon". According to the Yakut worldview, the whole surrounding world is endowed with its "kut-sur", which is the basis of the life principle, which is placed in a material object. And according to the cosmological ideas of the Yakuts, the world is divided into three levels: upper, middle and lower, and each of them has its own spirits, and the upper and lower ones also have deities.

Mentions of the national holiday of the Yakuts can be found in ethnographic studies, starting from pre-revolutionary times, in I. Ides [4], J. I. Lindenau [5], A. F. Middendorf [6], R. K. Maak [7], etc. A significant contribution to the study of this holiday was made by the works of I. A. Khudyakov [8], V. L. Seroshevsky [9], V. F. Troshchansky [10]. The works of researchers from the pre-revolutionary period are descriptive of the holiday itself and its rituals, and the Yakut worldviews associated with them. It should be noted the works that appeared in the Soviet period from such researchers as G. V. Ksenofontov {11} {12}, N. M. Alekseev [13], K. D. Utkin [14], G. U. Ergis [2], N. A. Alekseev [1], A. I. Gogolev {15} {16}. In their works, these authors consider the origins of the national holiday, as well as the religious and traditional views of the people associated with it. In the post-Soviet period, Ysyakh became the subject of study in the works of E. N. Romanova [17], V. E. Vasilyev [18], A. I. Yakovlev, K. M. Yakovleva {19} {20} {21}.

E. N. Romanova presents Ysyakh as a complex, multifunctional phenomenon, which reflected the features of the economic, cultural, social, ethnic and spiritual life of the Yakuts at different stages of their historical development [17]. V. E. Vasiliev considered the Ysyakh holiday in comparison with the Buryat Taylagan holiday, based on the Alaric records of G. V. Ksenofontov. Thus, in the development of Tailagan and ysyakh from the cult of animals to the cult of leaders, the gradual evolution of the structures "sharee – aranga – serge" among the Buryats and "Arahas – careh – serge" among the Sakha is obvious. The author concludes that based on the reconstruction of rituals, Buryats and Yakuts have the same ideas about "warm" and "cold" spirits [18]. The modern ysyakh within the framework of the study of the cultural landscape is studied in the articles by A. I. Yakovlev and K. M. Yakovleva {19} {20} {21}.

Oktyabrskaya I. V. in the second part of the ethno-confessional atlas defines that the "holiday" expresses freedom from the stress of everyday life and the joy of finding it. Archaic holidays originated in the cyclical cultures of the past and symbolized a return to the time of global creation. A holiday in traditional culture is a necessary part of the economic and cultural cycle in the unity of utilitarian and sacred technologies aimed at maintaining life in a series of generations. The author also notes that in the course of modernization, the traditional holiday has undergone significant changes, adapted to the changing socio-cultural context: its attachment to economic and cultural practices has been lost, ritual-mythological and often magical components have been leveled, functions have changed. But its symbolic codes associated with the affirmation of freedom, joy and creativity remain understandable regardless of the changed context [22].

Within the framework of this work, the authors considered the national holiday Ysyakh and its transformation process from the traditional to the modern period. In the work, the authors use a number of historical and special methods, such as methods of scientific description for analyzing the collected field material, as well as a diachronic method for studying the national holiday of Ysyakh through the prism of successive epochs, so that a number of features and transformations can be identified. In addition, ethnographic methods of included observation and semi-structured interviewing of the participants and organizers of the holiday were used to collect material on the modern holiday. The work includes the results of an ethnographic expedition to the Vilyui group of uluses of the RS(Ya) (2022).

The "renaissance of traditional culture" [23], which began in the 1990s in the territories of the former Soviet Union, due to its collapse, led to transformational processes in the culture of each ethnic community. The traditional culture of the Yakuts did not stand aside either. This process manifests itself in the revitalization of traditional codes through the prism of mass and elite culture. This trend has certainly influenced the formation of ethnocultural identity and new cultural codes. One of the examples of the revitalization (reconstruction) of the representation of the traditional culture of the Yakuts is the national holiday Ysyakh.

A traditional holiday.

According to the mythopoeic ideas of the Yakuts, the ancestor of the Ysyakh holiday is "Elley Bootur", who is also considered the first ancestor of the Yakuts, who created the belief in the bright deities – "Ayyy". The purpose of this celebration is connected with the onset of the new year among the Yakuts, with the beginning of a new economic season. The main meaning of the holiday is the offspring of horse cattle. From the second floor. In the 19th century, the importance of Ysyakh is gradually being lost, which was due to an increase in cattle farming and a significant decrease in the herd horse – "sylgy". From a religious point of view, the ancient meaning of the Ysyakh holiday is to praise the solar deity.

The Ysyakh holiday has several varieties. The first type is spring, associated with the customs and ritual actions of the summer calendar. Ysyakh is celebrated without a large "algys" and a feast in honor of "Kulun kymyha", noble guest ancestors, in the chanting of the sacred horse. The second type is the autumn Ysyakh, in honor of the end of summer, dedicated to the destructive forces of autumn and the deity "Ulu Toyon". The third type – the summer Ysyah"Ulu Tunah yhya?a" takes place in June, is dedicated to the traditional beliefs of the Yakuts and has the character of a public holiday.

This ysyah consists of three interconnected parts: 1) "Ayah Tutar" or chanting to the deities – honoring the main deities with the holding of "choroon" (exaltation and petition from them); 2) "Kumis ihiite" (kumis drinking) – drinking kumis by the assembled people, which was consecrated by the ancient solar deity "Urun Ayyy toyon"; 3) Cultural and entertainment events – circular dance "ohuohai", sports games, horse racing.

The first part of Ysyah is "Ayah tutar", which is held during the ceremony of meeting the sun. For the Khangalass Yakuts (one of the first Yakut families), the main event held in the big birch bark urals was "Mool uraha". The Urasa entrance door was located on the east side, where the sun rises. On the opposite side of the door, inside the urasa, the organizer of the ysyakh, the host of the holiday, was sitting on the main chair. Five or seven invited, honored guests were sitting opposite him. Near the door there is a place for the "shaman Ayyy" (hereinafter "algyschyt" – priest), in a white robe. In the old days, the white robe of a shaman was sewn from the skin of a white colt, as a sign of imitation of the supreme deity "Urun Ayyy". The "algyschyt" from the northern uluses had a hat without iron plaques, made of a spotted or white colt suit. On the tip of the cap, horsehair was sewn – "ciel", which reached to the neck (like the helmet of the ancient Greeks). In the central uluses, "algyschyt" wore hats of the "dyabaka" type. Instead of a tambourine – "dalbyr" ("deibir") – the handle is made of birch, and the bundle itself consists of horsehair. The "Ciel" from "daybier" is the same white color as the "ciel" from the hat. His assistant, the second "algyschyt" has "ebir hamyyah" – a ritual spoon for sprinkling. Also, there were two young men who had not reached the age of marriage standing near the door, each of whom holds a bowl for kumis – "choroon". With the first rays of the sun, the praising "algys" begins – the rite of blessing. The one who opens the first "algyschyt" begins the ceremony with these words:

"Sette sarah kytalyk

Urun kurduk,

Sette ayyy kyyh argyhym,

To?us subai turuya u?r?n kurduk

To?us ayyy uola gy?gelerim,

Betteh kalin ere!

A?ys iileh-sa?alaah

Aan Iye doidum ichchite,

Eyigin atynyria dien

Ayyy aimah kihitin-su?hutun

Aranachchylyr onohuulaahpyn.

Altan tanalaidah

Ayyy wola kahlan

Jonathan erebin!

K?mus k?mideh k?n uola kýílen

Ku?geyen erbin!

Urui buollun!" (three times),

Having said this, he holds the forelock of a white horse with his hand and gives a sign to the second priest. Then the guys scoop up with the help of "ebir hamyyah kumys" from "choroon", which they hold in their hands, and sprinkled on the fire twice. Then, those present said "urui" three times and took two sips of koumiss, starting with the chapter "toyon". Then begins the "algys" to the supreme deity – "Urun Ayyy toyon".

"Bulugas kharakhtaakh bulan kurbat.

Hapta?ai murunnaah taba aattaabat

Ataannaah Aar toyon,

Us sakhany urdupput Urun Ayyy toyon,

Urun Ayyy dyakhtara

Kubei hotun...

Bu urun tunah s?ll?g?yutten

Ahaan-sien, michil gyn...

Khoruutugar tuuleh eder sylgy kurduk

Urun k?mus sabereleeh Ayyy toyon,

Eiehe algys etiitin eten

En beyen ayyy t?rutteebit o?olorun

Sylgy trutterin yytan, elbat dien

K?rdn erbit...

Urui-aihal buollun!" (three times).

Twice, a little bit was poured from koumiss into the sacred fire - "aal wat". The people present, along with the priests, also took two sips of koumiss. Then "algyschyt", turning to the southeast, began "algys" for "Wardaah Dü?g?y", then for "Ynahsyt", after for "Homporun Hotoy" and then for "Nelbei Ayyyhyt". In the second half, the spirit-mistress of the Earth – "Aan Alakhchyn khotun" was sung, then the spirit-master of hunting and the forest – "Baai Bayanai" and the spirit-master of rivers and lakes – "Kuh Bolloh toyon". After finishing "algys", with the help of "ebir khamiyah" he performed the rite of "tankha kabiher" – a foretaste of the future. This ended the ceremony of meeting the sun and asking for blessings from the deities. "Ayah tutar" could also be held outdoors in the "tuhulge", as it was held in the old days in the zarechny ulus. In this case, the ceremony of meeting the sun (petitioning the deities) took place in the same way as inside urasa. A fire was lit on the "tuhulge", which was a guide to the deities. After the "algys" for the supreme deities, the "Elle" began for the founder of the Ysyah.

"Urun Ayyy toyonton t?rutteh

La yeah Yar Hai

Bastaky kymys y?ya?yn terilin aybyt,

Egelgeleh, eheleh Elle,

Eiehe anaan anal kymystaah ihiti

Tuttaran erbit!

Urui buollun, tuscul buollun!"

This ceremony ended with a wish of happiness and well-being to the audience. "Algyschyt" poured the consecrated koumiss into a special dish – "siri ihit", the opening of the holiday begins and then sprinkles the earth around, thereby illuminating the altar. In addition, the sacred horse, which was tied to a hitching post, was sprayed with kumys after a special "algys". Colorful pieces of cloth were attached to the mane and tail of this horse.

If the "ayah tutar" ceremony is not held in a building, the "algyschyt" is alone. But instead, the priest has assistants-escorts: these are nine unmarried youths on the right side, lined up according to height and age with kumis in their hands; on the left side there are seven to eight virgin girls, lined up according to height, also from kumis, but in birch bark dishes. The priest read "algys" standing on one knee, treating the spirit of fire twice, the assistants sprinkled the earth.

The second part of the ysyakh is the kumis drinking. Traditionally, the dramatic scene of the victory of spring over winter was shown at the Ysyakh when drinking kumis. Spring in white and winter in black fought in the center, then staged distillations to show the victory of white over black. After that, the drinking of koumiss began with the "ymya" (circular cup for koumiss), launched in the direction of the sun's movement. According to the ideas of the ancient Yakuts, drinking kumis consecrated "Urun Ayyy toyon" from one "choroon" is a symbol of the Yakut kinship.

And the final part of the Ysyah is "k?r–nar, oonnuu, unkuu", i.e. cultural and entertainment events. In the traditional period, women started in the Suntar "ohuohai", and only then, at the end of the competition, men pulled up. The round dance was based on the movement of the sun – from east to west and was dedicated to the sun.

The place to celebrate Ysyakh is "tuhulge". In "tuhulge" one of the central structures is the "Aar ba?ah serge" (sacred sacrificial hitching post), made of large larch and richly decorated with patterns, which was placed on the eastern side. At its top, horse heads were made at the cardinal points. A sacred horse is tied to this "serge" (hitching post), so that the head is pointed to the east. Etymology "Aar ba?ah serge" means serge (hitching post) for a pure sacred deity and is a symbolic prototype of "Aal Luuk mas" (world tree). Based on the data that has come down to our days, in some places "Aar baah serge" was installed at dawn. The installation of this "serge" means the dawn, the awakening of nature. According to the worldview of the Yakuts, as well as in olonkho, it is believed that Aan Alakhchyn Khotun lives in Aal Luuk Mas. Therefore, the established serge is compared to the awakening of nature at the direction of the mistress of the Earth. The host spirits of vegetation are considered to be "Ereke-Gyereke" - the children of "Aan Alakhchyn". "Aar ba?ah serge" is also called "Ba?ahtaah Urgel serge".

According to traditional beliefs, it is believed that the supreme deities do not descend to earth in order not to get dirty. Therefore, "Ba?ah Urgel serge" serves as a "ladder" to the Middle World for the deities who descend in time. Together with them, the ancestors who became "Ayyy" descend and settle at this serge until the end of the holiday. "Tuhulge" is located behind "Aar ba?ah serge" on the eastern side.

On the main "tuhulge" there is a pillar on four bases – "Tu?Rt atakhtaah tu?lbe tuhulge" (tuhulge of abundance), decorated with young birches, the two longest branches are connected in the form of an arch. Thus, as if showing the heavenly deities that the "kumys tuhulge" is open. They also light a fire from well-dried wood on the "tuhulge" so that there is no smoke. In front of the sacred fire stood the "algyschyt", its nine and seven assistants-escorts stood on both sides. Behind him, the guests of the holiday were located in three circles, the eastern side (from where the sun rises) remained open. Behind everything is the "Mool uraha". Since Ysyakh is mainly dedicated to the Yakut deities, the Yakuts believed that the holiday should be held without unnecessary fuss and fuss. Therefore, the presence of a black shaman and singing on a tambourine were forbidden on these days.

Ysyakh is accompanied by a large feast, at which the entire range of Yakut cuisine was presented, primarily meat and dairy food. E. N. Romanova notes: "An analysis of the calendar of pastoral peoples showed that in ancient times the New Year holiday was closely associated with the time of livestock offspring and the abundance of meat, milk and dairy products"[3], this leads to the conclusion that the celebration of Ysyakh by the Yakuts is dedicated to the period of time when meat and milk were in abundance. Therefore, it was believed that the more food, especially fatty, meat and dairy at a feast, the richer and more authoritative the hosts of the holiday. Food for the Yakuts is not only a source of energy, but also a sign of demonstrating the authority of a person, his material and social status. As noted by R. I. Bravina: "The prestigious sign of food is clearly manifested in the entertainment of guests, which was expressed in the verb "maanylyr" – to honor, first of all, to treat with the best dishes" [24, p. 33], the author also mentioned its sacred meaning not only at solemn, but also for turning points for both man and for of the whole people [24, p. 34].

Ysyah in Soviet times.

The origins of the preservation and transmission to future generations of the traditional Ysyakh holiday go back to the 1920s and 1930s. even during the formation of a new policy in the state. One of the first Ysyakh holidays in the new state was held on July 20-21 in Tattinsky ulus, which was dedicated to the second anniversary of the autonomy of the bloodless liquidation of the insurgency of the Pepelyaev adventure [25]. This celebration has acquired an ideological coloring, Ysyakh has received the form of an ideology translator.

Here, one can cite the example of the Victory Day in 1945 in the village of Borogontsy in Central Yakutia, where the ritual traditional action ("algys") It was dedicated to the cult of personality of I.V. Stalin. At the opening ceremony, as a rule, presentations were made on the results of work in the village. Due to the secularization conditions in the lane of Paul. In the XX century, "algyschyt" opened the ceremony in a traditional costume without any priestly attributes, except for the presence of young boys and girls on both sides. "Algyschyt" pronounced blessings to the people, wishes for the offspring of cattle, and the final part was dedicated to the "father of nations" – I. V. Stalin [Ysyakh. A film essay on the National holiday of the Yakut people [Film]: doc. the film / directed by V. Streltsov. the USSR. Produced by the Irkutsk Newsreel Studio, 1946].

Ysyah in the second half. XX century. it already had national, theatrical features, and in some areas it was held as a sports contest. The 1960s were the beginning of a departure from the harsh policies of the 1950s (criticism and debunking of the cult of Stalin's personality), which was also reflected in the national holiday. So, in the newsreel from 1968, we do not see a portrait of the "Father of Nations" I. V. Stalin at the opening of the Ysyakh. Stage performances were held at the festival – dances of the sterkhs and others [Ysyakh 1968. Film essay [Film]: doc. film / Yakuttelefilm, 1968]. We also observe a similar picture at the 1986 holiday in the village of Khamagatta of Namsky ulus [Ysyakh in the village of Khamagatta of Namsky ulus: [video].[Yakutsk : B. P.], 1984], stage stylized costumes were mostly worn not only by the speakers, but also by the visitors themselves. The opening was usually accompanied by an "algys", "algyschyt" still wore the traditional male costume without any obvious differences defining him as a priest. Horses were traditionally present during the ceremony. Reporting meetings and theatrical ideological performances were held here. The Ysyakh of 1986 is already more similar to the modern type of celebration, although it still had a theatrical character and had quite a lot of stage performances (dancing, singing). It should be noted that the guests of the holiday in most cases did not wear traditional costumes, but dressed up like for any other holiday.

A modern holiday.

At the present stage, Ysyakh is not only a calendar and ritual holiday, as it was in the ethnographic period, but also a national one, bearing the cultural and ethnic code of the people. In the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) in 1991, the national holiday Ysyakh acquired the status of a state holiday, and now June 21 is considered a non-working day [Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Yakut-Sakha SSR dated 05/17/1991 "On declaring June 21 as the day of the national holiday Ysyakh and a non-working day"]. This decree is characterized as "an important step in the revival and development of the good centuries-old tradition of the Yakut people" [Virtual exhibition dedicated to the national holiday of YSYAKH [Electronic resource] / Website of the Presidential Center of M. E. Nikolaev (Nikolaev Center). URL: https://nikolaevcentre.ru/virtual/10/index.html (date of access: 08.12.2023)]. The holiday has become a unifying symbol of the revival not only of the traditional culture of the people, but also of humanistic trends in Russian national projects. As the researchers note: "From the middle of the twentieth century to the present day, the national holiday of the Yakuts has been changing, preserving its core – the meeting of summer, the ritual of kumis drinking – "ayah tutuu", traditional sports, the national circular dance "ohuohai" [20].

From June 17 to 22, 2022, students and teachers of the Faculty of History of the Northeastern Federal University named after M.K. Ammosov conducted an ethnographic expedition to the Vilyuysky and Verkhnevilyuysky districts, as a result of which field material was collected on the national holiday Ysyakh. Departure to this group of uluses is due to the fact that the Vilyuysky district has long been one of the centers of dense settlement of Yakut cattle breeders.

Ysyakh in both localities begins with the meeting of the sun, then on the same morning, closer to noon, the opening ceremony of the holiday is held, which is conducted by "algyschyt" with the help of the algys rite (blessing), kumis sprinkling and kumis drinking, accompanied by a theatrical performance.

The ceremony of meeting the sun ("kunu korsuu siere-tuoma") has a sacralized, obligatory character. So, at the meeting of the sun in the area "Tugehtei" at 3:20 in Verkhneviluysky ulus, they began to conduct a blessing ceremony "algyschytom" and sprinkling of the earth (sprinkling of the Middle World and the area) with the presence of horses. "Algyschyt" is usually dressed in a white robe: a white caftan, shoes and a headdress. Thus, G. V. Ksenofontov saw in the image of the "ayyy shaman (algyschyt)" nothing more than the horse itself, and explained the presence of horses, mares, foals and stallions on the Ysyakh by the fact that the deity himself lives in them (Dyogoy Ayyy) [17, p. 31]. In the area – "tuhulge", smoke smoke is necessarily carried out ("tupte"). At the end, the guests and everyone get up in a ritual dance – "ohuohai", it is noteworthy that there were 3 rows in the dance on the spot due to the large number of people. The final stage is the meeting of the sun itself – for this, the guests pull their hands palms up, absorbing the pure energy of the sun, as if cleansing themselves from all adversity [26].

The Ysyakh ulus celebration in Vilyuysk also began with the ceremony of meeting the sun on the night of June 17-18, and by 11 a.m. on June 18, the opening of the holiday took place. The entire celebration in Vilyuysk (June 18-19) took place in the ethnographic complex "Khomustaakh". The meeting of the sun began with the national theatrical dance of the sterkhs ("kytalyk"), at the second stage, the traditional ceremony of algyschyt was held and the earth was traditionally sprinkled with kumys, those who came received the energy of the sun and at the end the guests were treated to traditional food - pancakes and kumys [27].

During the opening ceremony, "algys" was held, "algyschyt" fed the fire with the help of koumiss, pancakes, salamat (porridge made of flour and butter) and "ciel" (horsehair), while singing the deities of Ayyy and also lighting the food that was presented to all the guests of this celebration. One of the central actions of the celebration of ysyakh was the rite of sprinkling the area with kumis for the deities and spirits of the Yakut land. Ysyakh continued with the kumis drinking of the head of the Vilyuysky ulus, S. N. Vinokurov, and the mayor of Vilyuysk, N. V. Afanasyev. After that, koumiss, pancakes and "uteheleh et" (pieces of boiled meat on skewers) were presented to all the guests present [27].

Also, during the celebration on June 18, a "serge" (hitching post) was installed in the ethnographic complex in honor of the 100th anniversary of the formation of the Yakut ASSR. Before the establishment of "serge" in the land, "algyschyt" pronounced the words of blessing and sprinkled it with kumis. Then, before the installation, the "algys" ceremony was also held, accompanied by feeding the fire with horsehair, koumiss and pancakes, in honor of the blessing [27]. It is necessary to note the ritual of donation revealed during the included observation: a personal offering from the guests of the holiday to the pit where the serge was installed – copper coins (jubilee, 10-ruble) were placed and a wish was made. In the old days, they also put "altan kharchi" (a copper coin) at the base of the hitching post, for example, in Soviet times, unknowingly, when transferring "serge" to another place (which could not be done exclusively) – it was impossible to appropriate the coins found.

The xvth anniversary republican holiday "Ysyakh Olonkho" was held on June 20-21, 2022 in the village of Verkhnevilyuysk of Verkhnevilyuysky ulus. The main events took place in the area of "Tugehtei", including the opening ceremony, where three priests were involved. The rite of feeding the fire was performed by the first "algyschyt", using the previously mentioned items: "ciel", pancakes, salamat and koumiss. The ceremony of sprinkling earth and fire was performed by all three priests in turn. The ceremony of kumysopitiya began with the head of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) A. S. Nikolaev, then the head of the Verkhnevilyuysky ulus V. S. Poskachin and other honored guests [26].

Specially designated places for "tuhulge" organizations were organized on the territory of the festival. As for the guests who were not attached to one organization or another, they ate in "khorchuoppa" – eating houses (as the people call the places where paid meals are served on a holiday), then in the menu provided by catering organizations, pancakes were among the types of traditional Yakut food. The guests of honor of the holiday were invited to the urasa of the Head of the ulus, where a table with traditional dishes was prepared separately. The most honored guests and the host of the holiday are sitting at the central table [26].

Cultural and entertainment events and sports competitions still remain one of the constituent elements of the holiday. The program of the celebration is full of various kinds of contests, and each guest will be able to find an interesting event for himself. The events can be divided into sports, concerts, contests of national costumes, dishes, and products for both adults and children. As for the issue of sports competitions, competitions in national sports ("hapsai, mas tardyhyta, atah oonnyuta") for girls and boys and the annual tournament "Bulu Bootur", in which men from Vilyui ulus take part, representing their village or city [27], in Verkhneviluysky Competitions were held every year: "Er hohuun" for men and "Tumen tuurei bukhatyr" for boys, "Us iileh hapsai" among men for prizes from the heads of the Upper Vilyui ulus, where each provided one foal – "ubaha" [26]. In addition to sports competitions, horse races were also held on both Ysyakh holidays – "at suurduute" {26} {27}.

Also, within the framework of the program of both holidays, competitions of dance and song competitions, national clothes, poetry reading and tongue twisters, and handicraft production were held. One of the central contests was singing "osuohai", as well as reading "olonkho" [26]. In addition to the above, a three-day blacksmithing competition for the manufacture of a Yakut knife was held in Verkhneviluysky ulus in the area "Chap Uustara" in the village of Kantik, where famous blacksmiths from all over the republic participated [26]. A non-stop reading of the olonkho "Gyuluruyar Nyurgun Bootur" was organized here [26].

In addition to competitive events, concerts were held for participants and guests of the festival. So, within the framework of the holiday, three concerts were held in Vilyuysk: "Tunal yhiah nuural tuunuger" songs and dances accompanied by bayan, a youth concert "Eder saas uryute", "Nostalgia alyptaah doroono" concert by Ascalon Pavlov and German Stepanov – Baytykan [27]. Within the framework of Ysyakh Olonkho, concerts were held in Verkhneviluysk: "Kare Kantik siriger" concert from guests, "Yllyllar Uhee Bululer" anniversary concert of the Yakut national orchestra, "Yhakha kalbit ytyk baliem" festive concert for guests, "Talaan takhsyta yrya ieyiite, toyuk tuscula ukuu uryute" from pupils of a children's school art named after N. I. Boylokhova, "Hot Aiyy" live sound concert [26]. Also, one of the central events for the guests of Verkhnevilyuysky Ysyakh was the screening of a play based on olonkho by A. T. Titarov "Hardaachchy Bergen" from the Olonkho Theater [26].

Thus, the structural traditional three-phase part of the holiday was preserved in Soviet times, reaching the modern stage of celebration. The first part of the Ysyakh, associated with the ceremony of sprinkling kumis, carries a sacred meaning – maintaining a constant balance between people and "Ayyy". To this day, the second part remains – the rite of kumis drinking from one cup in a circle after the blessing, however, on major holidays, there is no need for this, now it is not an element of a mass character, it is enough if nominally important invited guests do it, including, for example, the heads of uluses, the head of Yakutia – "Il Darkhan". And the third final phase of the celebration, both in the ethnographic period and in the modern one, is sports competitions, horse races, contests of storytellers and creative ensembles. Also, the celebration is always closely connected with the traditional cuisine of the people. Food at the festival is the subject of bloodless sacrifice, establishing connections between deities and spirits that exist in the Yakut mythological worldview. Also, among the Yakuts, food on a holiday acts as a symbol of the unification of the people, as a determining factor of the property and social status of the arranging party.

The analysis of the field material collected in the ethnographic expedition allows us to conclude that in the context of globalization, Ysyakh remained the cultural niche for the people in which it is possible to reflect their traditional culture. So, at the present stage, the role of the traditional fermented milk drink koumiss has been fully preserved at the Ysyakh festival. The practice of treating guests by the host-organizer has remained, but has changed.

It should also be noted that at the modern holiday as a place of popularization of culture and revitalization of traditions, new places of sacralization appear in the localities – "tuhulge", new ritual actions introduced by people themselves. This wide format of reproduction of new actions (profane – sacred) takes place due to the fact that certain actions are not prohibited in society in any way if a person believes or believes that this action is the most correct or effective. So, people psychologically adjust their inner world, worldview.

Ysyakh, founded by Elley Bootur, in its original meaning is a symbol of the unity of various fragments of ancient peoples who united on our land and founded the Sakha people. Thus, the national holiday Ysyakh represents the unique traditional culture of the Yakuts, embodying the worldview of the people, the material and spiritual and moral values of the ethnic group. Of course, the course of history modifies ysyakh, but the core and significance of the national holiday among the Yakuts remains to this day.

References
1. Alekseev, N.A. (1992). Traditional religious beliefs of the Turkic-speaking peoples of Siberia. Novosibirsk, Russia: Nauka, Siberian Branch Publ.
2. Ergis, G.U. (1974). Essays on Yakut folklore. Moscow, Russia: Nauka Publ.
3. Romanova, E.N. (2007). The national holiday Ysyakh is a symbol of Yakut culture. Popular science magazine "Taltsy”, 1(30). Retrieved from https://www.pribaikal.ru/talci-item/article/2255.html
4. Eades, I., & Brand, A. (1967). Notes on the Russian embassy in China (1692-1695). Moscow, Russia: Nauka Publ.
5. Lindenau, Ya.I. (1983). Description of the peoples of Siberia (first half of the 18th century): Historical and ethnographic materials about the peoples of Siberia and the North-East. Magadan, Russia: Book. publishing house.
6. Middendorf, A.F. (1878). Travel to the North and East of Siberia. St. Petersburg, Russia: Printing house of the Academy of Sciences.
7. Maak, R.K. (1994). Vilyuisky district. Moscow, Russia: Yana Publ.
8. Khudyakov, I.A. (1969). Brief description of the Verkhoyansk district. Leningrad, Russia: Nauka, Leningrad branch.
9. Seroshevsky, V.L. (1993). Yakuts: experience of ethnographic research. 2nd ed. Moscow, Russia: Assoc. "Ros. polit. encyclopedia".
10. Troshchansky, V.F. (1902 or 1903). The evolution of black faith (shamanism) among the Yakuts: with 10 figures and 4 applications. Kazan, Russia: Typo-lithography of the Imperial University.
11. Ksenofontov, G.V. (1992). Uranhai sakhalar. Essays on the ancient history of the Yakuts. Yakutsk, Russia: National Publishing House of the RS (Ya).
12. Ksenofontov, G.V. (1977). Elleiad: materials on the mythology and legendary history of the Yakuts. Moscow, Russia: Nauka Publ.
13. Alekseev, N.M. F. 4. Op. 1. D. 10. Archive of the Yakut Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Yakutsk, Russia.
14. Utkin, K.D. (1994). Ysyakh as an ethnocultural phenomenon. Yakutsk: Sitim Publ.
15. Gogolev, A.I. (2002). The origins of mythology and the traditional calendar of the Yakuts. Yakutsk: YSU Publishing House.
16. Gogolev, A.I. (1993). Yakuts (problems of ethnogenesis and formation of culture). Yakutsk: YSU Publishing House.
17. Romanova, E.N. (1994). Yakut holiday Ysyakh: Origins and ideas. Novosibirsk: Science. Sib. ed. firm Publ.
18. Vasiliev, V.E. (2020). Buryat tailagan and the kumys holiday Ysyakh: towards the reconstruction of the archetypes of sacrifices among the Turks and Mongols. North-Eastern Humanitarian Bulletin, 4(33), 2020.
19. Novgorodov, I.N., Yakovlev, A.I., & Yakovleva, K.M. (2022). Language, holiday yhyakh and haplotype as indicators of the identity of the Yakuts in the dynamics of the cultural landscape of Yakutia: XIV-XXI centuries. Bulletin of the Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilyov. Series Philology, 141(4), 79-91.
20. Yakovlev, A.I., & Yakovleva, K.M. (2019). Traditional Yakut holiday Ysyakh in the modern cultural landscape. Society: philosophy, history, culture, 1(57), 122-126.
21. Yakovlev, A.I. (2020). Tyusyulge in the modern cultural landscape: a historical and anthropological perspective. Humanities in Yakutia: studies of young scientists, pp. 73-80.
22. Novosibirsk region: ethno-confessional atlas. Part 2: Holidays and festivals. (2017) Novosibirsk: Publishing house IAET SB RAS.
23. Bragina, D.G. (2016). Transformation of the traditional culture of the Yakuts: (end of the 20th – beginning of the 21st century). Novosibirsk.
24. Bravina, R.I. (2013). Traditional food as the language of Yakut culture. In: M.N. Gabysheva (ed), A.N. Zvereva (ed). Yakut food culture: popular scientific illustrated publication. St. Petersburg: Russian collection Publ.
25. Documents (protocols, extracts from protocols, reports, etc.) on the state of political educational work in the YASSR, the activities of the cultural and educational society "Sakha-Omuk", the holding of the national holiday "Ysyakh" in the Tattinsky ulus, etc. F. P-3. Op.3. D.338. National Archive of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
26. Field materials of the authors-1 (FMA-1), 2022, Verkhnevilyuysky district, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
27. Field materials of the authors-2 (FMA-2), 2022, Vilyuysky district, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

First Peer Review

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For many centuries, Russia has been a multinational state in which peoples living in the boundless Eurasian spaces are connected by a common destiny, but at the same time differing in language, culture, religious affiliation and temperament. The President of the Russian Federation, Vladimir Putin, rightly notes that the strength of our country "lies in diversity, because Russia was born as a single centralized state, as a multinational and as a multi-confessional state, we, in fact, absorbed everything from a young age, with mother's milk." In this regard, it seems important to turn to the study of the culture of ethnic groups of multinational Russia. These circumstances determine the relevance of the article submitted for review, the subject of which is the traditional calendar and ritual holiday of the Yakuts Ysyakh. The author sets out to consider the meaning of the name of the holiday, analyze the available literature, and show festive traditions. The work is based on the principles of analysis and synthesis, reliability, objectivity, the methodological basis of the research is a systematic approach, which is based on the consideration of the object as an integral complex of interrelated elements. The scientific novelty of the article lies in the very formulation of the topic: the author seeks to characterize the history and modernity of the Yakut holiday ysyakh. Scientific novelty is also determined by the involvement of archival materials and field materials of the author. Considering the bibliographic list of the article, its scale and versatility should be noted as a positive point: in total, the list of references includes 26 different sources and studies. The source base of the article is represented by unpublished documents (the National Archive of the Sakha Republic, the Archive of the Yakut Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, field materials of the author), as well as ethnographic works by J.I. Lindenau, A.F. Middendorf, etc. Among the studies involved, we will point to the works of G.V. Ksenofontov, E. N. Romanova, V.E. Vasilyev, A.I. Yakovlev, K.M. Yakovleva and other specialists, whose focus is on ysyakh "as a complex, multifunctional phenomenon, which reflected the features of the economic, cultural, social, ethnic and spiritual life of the Yakuts at different stages their historical development". Note that the bibliography is important both from a scientific and educational point of view: after reading the text of the article, readers can turn to other materials on a non-topic. In general, in our opinion, the integrated use of various sources and research contributed to the solution of the tasks facing the author. The style of writing the article can be attributed to scientific, at the same time understandable not only to specialists, but also to a wide readership, to anyone who is interested in both the Yakut people in general and their traditions in particular. The appeal to the opponents is presented at the level of the collected information received by the author during the work on the topic of the article. The structure of the work is characterized by a certain logic and consistency, it can be distinguished by an introduction, the main part, and conclusion. At the beginning, the author defines the relevance of the topic, shows that "ysyakh reflects the ethnic specifics of the Sakha people, in the festive process of which all elements of traditional culture, both material and spiritual, are vividly expressed." It is noteworthy that, as the author of the reviewed article notes, ysyah "in the second half. XX century. it already has national, theatrical features, and in some areas it was held as a sports contest." At the same time, the work shows that "the structural traditional three-phase part of the holiday was preserved in Soviet times, reaching the modern stage of the celebration of Ysyakh." The main conclusion of the article is that although "the course of history modifies the celebration of Ysyakh, but the core and significance of the national holiday among the Yakuts remains to this day." The article submitted for review is devoted to an urgent topic, will arouse readers' interest, and its materials can be used both in educational courses and in the framework of studying the cultural diversity of Russia. There are separate comments to the article: 1) The title of the article should be adjusted to make it more substantive. 2) It is necessary to read the text from the point of view of the Russian literary language. So, the author's text says: "So, on the example of the ysyakh celebrations in Vilyuysk and Verkhnevilyuysk. The role of the traditional fermented milk drink koumiss has been fully preserved, etc. After correcting these comments, the article can be recommended for publication in the journal "Historical Journal: Scientific Research".

Second Peer Review

Peer reviewers' evaluations remain confidential and are not disclosed to the public. Only external reviews, authorized for publication by the article's author(s), are made public. Typically, these final reviews are conducted after the manuscript's revision. Adhering to our double-blind review policy, the reviewer's identity is kept confidential.
The list of publisher reviewers can be found here.

Review of the article "The National holiday of the Yakuts - Ysyakh: traditions and modernity" The subject of the study is the national holiday of the Yakuts and the process of its transformation from the traditional to the modern period. The research methodology is based on the principles of science, objectivity and historicism. The work uses historical-genetic, historical-chronological methods. In addition, the authors used "a number of historical and special methods, such as methods of scientific description to analyze the collected field material, as well as a diachronic method to study the national holiday of Ysyakh through the prism of successive epochs, so that a number of features and transformations can be identified. In addition, ethnographic methods of included observation and semi-structured interviewing of the participants and organizers of the holiday were used to collect material on the modern holiday." The relevance is determined by the fact that the Ysyakh traditional holiday currently occupies an important place in the social and public life of the Yakut people and has been declared a state holiday in the republic since 1991 by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Yakut-Sakha SSR dated 05/17/1991. Every year, June 21 in the Republic of Yakutia (Sakha) is a holiday and a day off. The study of the origins of this holiday, its transformation over a long historical period (ethnographic period, Soviet and post-Soviet) is important and relevant. Scientific novelty is determined by the formulation of the problem and objectives of the study. The novelty is due to the fact that the article attempts a comprehensive study of this holiday on a wide range of sources and field research materials, including materials from the ethnographic expedition of 2022. Style, structure, content. The style of the article is scientific with descriptive elements, which makes it possible to show the origins of the holiday, its transformation in various periods of the history of the Yakuts, how the holiday is currently taking place, what significance this holiday has in the social and public life of the Republic of Yakutia (Sakha). The structure of the article is aimed at achieving the purpose and objectives of the article. The structure of the work consists of the following sections: Introduction; Traditional holiday; Ysyakh in Soviet times; Modern holiday. The introduction reveals the subject of the study, the goals and objectives of the article, and the relevance. The author presented a sound and qualitative analysis of the works of folklorists, ethnographers, etc., dedicated to the Ysyakh holiday in the past (and currently. The analysis of these works shows which topics related to this holiday were considered earlier and which issues require further study. The section "Traditional holiday" shows the origins of the ysyakh holiday, it is noted that it was associated with the onset of the new year, a new economic cycle among the Yakuts and the main meaning of the holiday was the celebration of the offspring of horse cattle, ysyakh was accompanied by a kumis party and a joint meal. Since the second half of the 19th century, the significance of this holiday has gradually been lost, which was due to the fact that the Yakuts began to engage more in cattle breeding and a decrease in the economic life of the Yakuts of herd horse breeding. The section "Ysyakh in Soviet times" shows that the holiday became a translator of Soviet ideology in the 1920s and 1940s, and in the 1960s and 1980s the holiday took theatrical forms with ideological accompaniment. Since the late 1980s and in the post-Soviet period (i.e. at the present time), the authors of the reviewed article note that "Ysyakh" has become "not only a calendar and ritual holiday, as it was in the ethnographic period, but also a national one, bearing the cultural, ethnic code of the people." In this section, based on the materials of field research in 2022, the authors show all the stages of the holiday, show how the rituals are conducted, who conducts them and reveal the meaning of the rituals, note the importance of all kinds of contests, concerts, sports competitions, horse races, storytelling contests and creative ensembles. In conclusion of the article, the authors draw reasonable conclusions on the topic under study and note that at present "ysyakh has remained the cultural niche for the people in which one can reflect their traditional culture.... The role of the traditional fermented milk drink koumiss has been fully preserved. The practice of treating guests by the host-organizer has remained, but has changed…The national holiday Ysyakh represents the unique traditional culture of the Yakuts, embodying the worldview of the people, the material and spiritual and moral values of the ethnic group. Of course, the course of history modifies Ysyakh, but the core and significance of the national holiday among the Yakuts remains to this day." Bibliography. The bibliography is one of the advantages of the work, and it shows that the authors have a deep and comprehensive knowledge of the topic under study. The bibliography consists of 27 sources (these are fundamental works on folklore and history of the peoples of Siberia and the Yakuts, articles dedicated to the Ysyakh holiday, the history of certain regions of Yakutia, etc.). The appeal to opponents is presented at the level of work on the topic and the results obtained. The appeal to the opponents is also presented in the bibliography. Conclusions, the interest of the readership. The article is written on an interesting and relevant topic, and will undoubtedly be of interest to specialists and a wide range of readers interested in the culture and history of the Yakuts and other peoples of Siberia.