1. Sabantui: role, place and perspective of development

The modern epoch is characterized by intensive processes of globalization, deep political-economical, ideological and spiritual integration. So it actualized the problem of preservation and development of the national - cultural originality, unique historical traditions of people. Globalization forces to pay close attention on questions of observance of the ethno-cultural rights, studying and propagation of the best samples of material and spiritual heritage of all people. To solve the given problem is the most important and determinative task for the multinational Russian Federation that allows to take into consideration in full measure and to realize the national and regional interests within the framework of the single country.

 The history of Tatar national culture can be considered as a component of the history of formation and development of humanitarian and spiritual potential of the world civilization. In this connection the meaning of the modern Sabantui as the developing part of world cultural - civilized process, as the holiday, which has received the international recognition is huge. It is considered as original supreme achievement, the standard of traditional culture of Tatar people, including the ritual part connected with labour activity and celebration of the foremost people in agriculture and reviving ancient ceremonies, games and sports competitions. As well as all national holidays Sabantui is penetrated with ideas of life continuation, immortality of mankind, an appeal to happiness, to well-being, to longevity, to rich crop and prosperity in the house. Human life, families, the human collective, shown in festivals, is inseparable from life of nature. The continuity of life in calendar ceremonialism is emphasized by the role which belongs in it to so-called "basic" categories of family structure – to old men, women and especially to children. Participation in national holidays of all generations representatives, including children of all ages, symbolizes close connection between people in comprehension of national culture, eternal continuation of mankind and indissolubility of the family ties. All this in the full measure is peculiar also to celebratory rites of Tatar people. Today it is convexes in the idea and practice of Sabantui holiday carring out. Ethno pedagogical value of Sabantui holiday is great. Every person sows himself both as the spectator and as the active participant of all its ceremonies that makes it an important element of ethno pedagogic. It determines the growing unquenchable interest to Sabantui not only by Tatar people, but also by the representatives of other nationalities.

Modern Sabantui has personified all best that has been produced by Tatar people in carring out of the calendar holidays within many centuries. Since 1990 Sabantui has been inscribed in the List of Legislatively Authorized Republican Holidays. It allows considering it as the historical phenomenon not only in the system of calendar customs and ceremonies of people but also as a component of Republican holidays.

The Executive Committee of the World Tatar Congress has made an inestimable contribution into preservation and propaganda of ideas and values of traditional Sabantui holiday. It creation is not by chance connected with spiritual renaissance of Tatar people in the beginning of the 1990-ies. The scaled activity of the Congress gave the opportunity “to move” the geography of Sabantui conduction: today it is carried out in almost 70 world countries. Visit and participation of the Presidents of the Russian Federation – B.Eltsin in 1995 and V.Putin in 2001 –  in the Tatarstan’s holiday played the great role in strengthening of public interest to Sabantui.

The experience of revival and transformation of Sabantui holiday is unique. It accumulates immutable values of people wisdom, ethics, physical and moral stableness; pedagogy, stable rules, standards and principles of people public behavior, communication, dialogue and co-operation. Not the least of the fact is that the truly national character of the ancient holiday, which favours social development of the person and spiritual progress of the society, promote preservation of international consent and social stability – it has immutable value in itself. Sabantui always was and still is the important mean of strengthening of the family and consolidation of the Tatar nation. In many cases the holiday elements are the prototypes of the past, the historical sources that reflect way of life, customs and traditions of people, peculiarities of their mentality and national character.

Sabantui began to be perceived as the distinctive standard of celebratory ceremonialism by all people of the country. Sabantui ceremonies, games and competitions full of ideas of humanism, kindness and validity strengthen Sabantui role not only in the national heritage of Tatar people preservation, but also in tolerance and culture of peace propaganda. 

Sabantui continued the traditions of the ancient Greek Olympic Games and turned out from different elements of the ancient Turkic ceremonies. During Volga Bulgarian epoch Sabantui became mass holiday; people celebrated the end of the spring agricultural works and summer coming. In the period of the Kazan Khanate existence Sabantui has got the status of the main mass national holiday.

From that time it roamed from century to century, enriched itself with new forms and content, turned into the genuine international sport-playing, theatrical and humanitarian forum. The Sabantui highest moral goals are to provide democracy; to maintain and renew peacemaking principles, views, ideas and values; to put person in traditional spring mood for he works hard and lives in peace with nature, with other people and with himself. Peacemaking component is present in all the structural elements of Sabantui scenario, in the rituals and plot compositions of the cultural and sport competitions.

People started to prepare to Sabantui long before the holiday. The day before Sabantui is the day when everybody should go to the Russian bath, clean the yard, look after the horses, and prepare maidan – the place for celebrations and competitions. But the most important is to forget all the offences, to patch up all the quarrels and conflicts. To come to Sabantui being angry, vicious or aggressive was equal to sin. It is the centuries-old tradition that is preserved till present days.

The main Sabantui banner – huge embroidered cloth that flies in the middle of maidan – calls to peace, harmony and friendship. The wisest and most respected old men presided the Sabantui program respectively and peacefully. Soft gentle music and songs, flashing dances of the holiday participants make one optimistic. The main event of the holiday is the moment when wrestlers appear on the competition ring. In this sport there is no the person who lost ignominiously but there is batyr-winner. It is important that batyr and the person who is weaker left the competition ring together, friendly shaking hands.

The rules of Sabantui games (pot beating, rope stretching, racing in the sacks, etc.) carring out also incline the idea of peace. Even the most reckless sport competition – horse-racing – is full of high humanitarian meaning. According to the general Sabantui rule nobody should leave without a present, even the horse who had come the last should receive prize. Old Tatar ladies hang patterned cloth on the foamy neck of the tied horse. In this ritual that seems insignificant we can see people’s humanism: racers who have got over the distance in the stubborn struggle (irrespectively of the fact who had won the competition) caused joy to people and therefore they meet with their praise, approval. This affecting ritual is known as “horse of hope”. It has another meaning that is deeper and that really reflects Tatar people customs. Old ladies, widows tie patterned cloths, shawls, napkins on the horse’s neck, mane, and harness. They try to cover almost the whole horse and keep saying: “I gave promise for my daughter could successfully give birth to a child”, “… for my cow gave birth to a heifer”, “…for peace and calm come into the Earth”…

Sabantui is carried out in many regions of Russia, CIS, Europe, Asia and America. It has long ago exceeded the bounds of the pure national holiday. It is very important that Sabantui preserves its original essence, distinctive national “sign” – special national spirit and character of the Tatar people. Sabantui expresses the best features of the Tatar people – hospitality, open-hearted, tolerance, complimentarity, hard-working, courage – in symbols, norms, principles. At the same time Sabantui could absorb valuable elements of other ethnic cultures and that is why it has become the important factor of the general spiritual development.

Such an important and integrating Sabantui mission was repeatedly mentioned by different international organizations.

For the first time the idea of Sabantui inscribing in UNESCO List of World Intangible Heritage was discussed during the first visit of Tatarstan official delegation headed by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan M.Shaimiev in Paris in UNESCO headquarters and during the President’s meeting with UNESCO Director General K.Matsuura in June 2002. During the presentation of the exhibition devoted to 1000 years anniversary of Kazan city UNESCO Director General has got the indispensable Sabantui attributes: brightly patterned national hat – tjubiteika and Tatar national robe.

It is not mere chance that after that visit UNESCO initiated World Non-material Heritage List formation where they intended to inscribe the masterpieces of world spiritual culture. Today there are almost 60 nominants in the List including Tatar national holiday Sabantui.

UNESCO representatives, who had the opportunity to participate, to see, to estimate and to feel the force of emotional and intellectual influence of the ancient holiday over the person, invariably gave high estimation to Sabantui.