The favorite holiday of the Tatar people Sabantuy is both ancient and new, a holiday of labor, in which the beautiful customs of the people, their songs, dances, rituals merge together.

 

The name of the holiday comes from the Turkic words: saban - plow and tui - holiday. Previously, Sabantuy was celebrated in honor of the beginning of spring field work (at the end of April), but now - in honor of their completion (in June).

 

This ancient holiday was described in his writings in 921 by the famous researcher Ibn Fadlan, who arrived in the Bulgars as an ambassador from Baghdad.

 

In the old days, the celebration of Sabantuy was a big event, and they were preparing for it for a long time. Throughout the winter, girls and young women have been preparing gifts – weaving, sewing, embroidering. In the spring, before the start of the holiday, young horsemen collected gifts for future winners in competitions and folk games in the village: embroidered shawls and towels, pieces of calico, shirts, chicken eggs. The towel embroidered with a national pattern was considered the most honorable gift. Collecting gifts was usually accompanied by cheerful songs, jokes, jokes. Gifts were tied to a long pole, sometimes the horsemen tied themselves with collected towels and did not take them off until the end of the ceremony. Aksakals, a kind of Sabantuy council, appointed a jury to award the winners, followed the order during the competitions. The culmination of the holiday was the Maidan - competitions in running, jumping, national wrestling - kerash, and, of course, horse racing.