Kerəşen Tatars

History

During the 16th and 17th centuries, Moscow’s expansion into the Middle Volga after the 1552 Kazan conquest was driven by religious and political motives. Ivan IV framed it as a fight against “enemies of Orthodoxy,” leading to forced conversions, mosque destruction, and the founding of Orthodox churches. The Kazan diocese, established in 1555, aimed to promote Christianity and loyalty to the Russian state. Archbishop Guriy targeted the Kazan elite with promises of political and economic benefits. Religious institutions expanded, displacing Muslim Tatars and restricting their practices. Some Tatars converted for practical reasons but often retained elements of their Muslim heritage.

By the mid-17th century, conversions intensified, with harsh penalties for those returning to Islam. Mass baptisms were driven by both persuasion and coercion. 

In the late 19th century, Russian missionary organizations, supported by the state and the church, sought to convert non-Russian groups like Kerəşens. They established schools, translated religious texts, and ordained Kerəşen clergy. Despite these efforts, conversion rates remained low, and the Kerəşens retained their distinct cultural traditions. Subgroups such as the Nağaybək, who integrated with Cossack communities, preserved their separate identity through military service and cultural adaptation. 

In the 19th and early 20th centuries, global religious shifts and socio-economic changes influenced Kerəşen culture. In mixed-population areas, Orthodox Christianity and Islam influenced religious practices, with younger generations increasingly converting to Islam, driven by family ties, social benefits, and seasonal labor contacts. Orthodox clergy sought to sever Muslim ties by encouraging newly baptized Tatars to identify as Chăvaş, integrating Chăvaş cultural elements, and promoting Christian identity through missionary schools. This led to a decline in pagan and Islamic traditions, despite resistance from older generations.

Between 1917 and the 1940s, the Kerəşen community faced significant socio-political and cultural changes as Russia transitioned to a totalitarian regime. Following the 1917 revolution, the Kerəşen National Society pursued cultural and educational self-expression, but Bolshevik policies, including religious suppression and educational restructuring, led to a decline in Kerəşen identity.

Despite these challenges, the late 1980s and early 1990s saw a revival in Tatarstan, with public organizations, leaders like Ğərəy Rəxim, and the Tuğanaylar newspaper working to preserve Kerəşen heritage.

Culture

Let’s now talk about culture. Kerəşennər preserve a fascinating blend of pre-Islamic, Islamic, and Christian-influenced traditions, deeply tied to their agricultural lifestyle and communal bonds.

Despite long exposure to Abrahamic faiths, they retained unique practices. One notable example is the ut yañartu (fire renewal) ceremony, symbolizing purification and the start of a new life cycle. Another significant ritual involved villagers and livestock passing through fire to rid themselves of illness and misfortune.

Kerəşennər held the East sacred, often facing it during prayers. Clear skies and sunlight were essential for rituals, as the sun symbolized the Supreme Deity. Remnants of a solar cult included healing rites for eye diseases, with offerings like white ducks or chickens made to the sun. White horse sacrifices, once common, declined in the early 20th century due to Orthodox restrictions. Reverence for the moon and stars persisted, with stars seen as linked to human souls — falling stars symbolized death. Nature worship remained central, with prohibitions against cutting sacred trees or harming animals, believed to disrupt cosmic balance.

Spring Rituals

One notable spring rituals is the rain-calling ceremony çuq, observed in rural villages, lasting one to three days. The Kerəşennər gathered for prayers led by elderly women in mourning attire, followed by sacrifices of white chickens, whose meat was used to prepare porridge—bərmənçek botqası, for the communal meal, believed to bless the community and ensure a good harvest. Similarly, the keləw ritual, performed in fields or homes, sought healing and divine aid. Local beliefs in Earth and Water spirits also influenced practices, such as leaving a small untended field as an offering. As Easter approached, children gathered willows for Palm Sunday, visiting homes to offer the branches in exchange for treats and playfully whipping each other with them.

Spring’s Great Thursday, preceding Easter, was marked by remembrance rituals. Pancakes (belen and qoymaq) and flatbreads were prepared to honor the dead, who were believed to walk invisibly among the living. Ritual washing and food offerings reflected Kerəşennər’s deep respect for ancestors, as Thursdays (atna kiç) were considered sacred for communion with spirits. Kerəşennər, despite converting to Orthodox Christianity, preserved traditions tied to Muslim saints, which often blended pre-Islamic ancestor worship with Islamic practices. Local Orthodox clergy tried to suppress these rituals, but records from the 19th century describe Kerəşennər honoring their ancestors at old Muslim graves, inviting mullahs to lead prayers and sacrifices.

Easter and the Qızıl Yomırqa Rite

In the lead-up to Easter (Olo kön), Kerəşennər practiced the Qızıl Yomırqa ritual, where eggs were dyed red and exchanged among villagers on Easter morning as a symbol of renewal and prosperity. Olo kön is the most significant holiday for Kerəşennər, symbolizing the resurrection of Christ. Preparations begin with cleaning the house and cooking festive foods, including baking kulich. The night before Easter, special prayers are recited, and people keep the light on throughout the night.

Qayın Bəyrəme

Another spring highlight is the Qayın bəyrəme (Birch Festival), celebrated around Trinity Sunday. This event, significant for the youth, involved sewing new clothes and decorating a birch tree with ribbons, scarves, and towels, symbolizing vitality and renewal. The birch tree was eventually cast into the river, marking the end of the celebration.

Troyça

Troyça or Trinity Sunday, another major holiday, involves cleaning graves and remembering the deceased. On the Saturday night before, the Uyın gatherings took place, where young people from neighboring villages came together for socializing and traditional games, a round dance, and singing. This celebration, held in the forest, continues until dawn.

Summer and Harvest Rituals

Spring and summer rituals were similar to those of Kazan Tatars, including a Sabantuy festival, known locally as sörən or şıylıq. Kerəşennər also celebrated local fairs or Christian feast days in neighboring Russian villages. These festivals included games, and courtship rituals, sometimes leading to marriages or engagements. The summer festival, often tied to a Christian holiday, resembled the Cıyın festival in Kazan Tatar villages or was known as Yafraq bəyrəme (the Leaf Festival), typically aligned with the Feast of St. Peter and St. James.

Narduğan

The winter solstice brought the festive period of Narduğan, from December 25th to January 5th, coinciding with Christmas and Epiphany. This joyous occasion included elaborate costumes, rituals, fortune-telling, games, and social bonding, marking the winter solstice with entertainment and spiritual reflection. More on Narduğan here.

May Bəyrəme

May bəyrəme, or Maslenitsa (Butter Week), is celebrated seven or eight weeks before Easter and marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. It is celebrated with sledding and horse races, where the horses are decorated with colorful ribbons, and people dress in festive clothes. An exciting ritual, ut atlaw, involves men and youths jumping over fire to symbolize the seasonal transition. Some villages also practice the çoman ozatu ritual, burning old items to symbolize winter’s end, followed by a feast that may include marriage celebrations. 

Preserving heritage through songs and rituals

Each of these holidays is enriched with ritual songs that help connect the community to the divine and nature. The guest ritual, or erət cerü, is a significant aspect of the Kerəşen people's culture, separate from weddings. Older generations engage in these visits during specific holidays such as Christmas, Pentecost, Easter, and the autumn Feast of the Protection. These visits involve songs performed during meals, referred to as guest songs (qunaq köye), table songs (tabın köye), and drinking songs (eçke köye). The guest song accompanies toasts and wishes, marking family gatherings. 

Despite Christian influence, Kerəşennər have preserved many pre-Christian customs, blending them with agricultural practices. These rituals not only mark time but foster community bonding and the passing of cultural knowledge, reflecting their deep connection to the seasons, agriculture, and communal life.

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History and Culture of the Kerəşen Tatars (16th–20th Centuries), Sh. Mərcani Institute of History, Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan

R. Urazmanova “Rites and holidays of Tatars of the Volga Region and Ural” 2001