Vol 8, No 1 (2023)

The history and culture of the holy sites in the Volga-Ural region remains an underdeveloped topic in ethnological science. The introduction of new written sources into scientific circulation and a secondary analysis of the works of Russian and foreign researchers can help in solving this problem. The article aims to systematise and analyse information about the cult of saints and pilgrimage traditions among the peoples of the Volga-Ural region in the pre-Soviet period. The belonging of holy sites to certain peoples has become the main principle of the distribution of information. Its use showed the need to single out a separate group of data that reveals the syncretism of holy sites among the Volga-Ural peoples. The collected corpus of materials made it possible to identify the main places of worship in the region, pilgrimage traditions, the attitude of national and religious elites towards sacred objects, and the nature of public discussions. The authors believe that when studying the cult of saints, it is important to take into account the essence of "holiness" and the ideas about it among individual peoples, the system of its maintenance – oral and written heritage, ritual and ceremonial culture. The nature of the worship of holy sites in the context of intercultural contacts in the Volga-Ural region is of great importance.

In recent years, various empirical qualitative studies on Alevi traditions have been conducted in Turkey. In these interviews, individuals belonging to the Alevi faith community have shared various Alevi narratives about God and creation and the transmission of just order and norms. Based on these narratives, this article undertakes the task of presenting the origin myths of Alevi law in the present and analyzing them. Likewise, this article attempts to read and analyze Alevi law in the context of the German and Austrian law.

The authors of the article explore the Turkmen people’s contribution to the Victory of the USSR during the Great Patriotic War at the front and in the rear. It describes the great heroism and valiant courage of the soldiers of Turkmenistan. They were among the first to defend the country, covering their names with the unfading glory of the feat on the fronts. It is shown how every resident, young and old, brought the Great Victory closer with every minute of his selfless work. It is emphasized that many Turkmen families, understanding and accepting the responsibility of the fatefulness of saving the country and family, sent all men of draft age to the front. In one of these families, all 11 sons went to the front. These are the greatest examples of the fact that the victory of the USSR in the Great Patriotic War became possible only owing to consolidation of the spirit and faith in a righteous cause, the unity of the army and the people, the military brotherhood and mutual assistance of the Soviet Union peoples, heroism, courageб and selfless service of Soviet soldiers to their Fatherland.

The article is devoted to the history of the formation of the ethnospecific jewelry of the Kazan Tatars – a collar clasp-necklace called yaka chylbyry. This piece of jewelry in its classic look had formed by the early-middle 19^th century. However, the artistic image of the constituent elements of this multicomponent product, as well as the techniques of its manufacture, go back to medieval traditions. The publication focuses on an earlier constructive analogue of the yaka chylbyry – a clasp for a woman's camisole in the shape of double sheep larvae. The functional reorientation – the use of a clasp for a doublet as a collar clasp-necklace occurred at the turn of the 18^th–19^th centuries. The ram's face is considered by the authors as a result of the historical transformation of the "scarab" image typical for Russian caftan fasteners of the 16^th–19^th centuries. Echoes of the stylized motif of the ram can be seen on the classic yaka chylbyry up to the early-middle of the 20^th century.

At present, Tatars can be found anywhere in the world, and each of them has their own story and different reasons for relocation to a new territory. Wherever fate takes Tatar people, the first priority for them is to unite with their compatriots, brothers in faith, organize a Muslim parish. This trait helped the Tatar people to preserve their self-awareness, identity, religion, and native language in different historical periods. The Tatars who relocated to Korea are no exception to these rule. This article, based on the materials of the newspaper Milli Bayrak, provides information about the activities of the mosque-mekteb Nugmaniya of the Seoul city and its philanthropist Gabdulkhak Nugman. Founded in 1926, the mekteb-mosque served as the main educational center for Korean Tatars for a long while. It was administered by the board of the Volga-Ural Turkic Tatars’ Cultural Society of the city of Keijo. Information about its activities can be traced only until 1944. Along with the name Seoul, its Japanese pronunciation Keijo is commonly used in newspaper articles.

Today, the study of the history of our countrymen in exile is an important and relevant work in the field of accumulation, study and return of the rich cultural heritage of the Tatars. On the basis of these data, we can get acquainted with the state of the national education of the Korean Tatars, educational programs, the internal procedures of the school and teaching aids. In addition, the author has identified the names of individual teachers, patrons, public figures and has provided insights into the history of creating the school. The publication of new information, different opinions, individual photographs related to the school help to further reveal the essence and specifics of the Tatar people’s development.

The article is dedicated to the life and work of Bashir Iskandarovich Rameev, one of the founders of domestic computer technology in the USSR, whose professional activities were closely connected with the city of Penza. In the 1950s, the largest research institute for electronic computing machines was established based on the SAM plant in Penza. The article focuses on the scientist's life path, which reflects the history of the country – the revolution of 1917, repressions, the Great Patriotic War, the achievements of Soviet science and technology in the post-war years in the setting of the Cold War. The formation of B.I. Rameev as a scientist coincided with the development of the first information technologies – the development of the first domestic computer “Strela”. The creation of a galaxy of electronic computing machines “Ural” falls on the peak of his career, when the scientist fullfilled the “principle of programmatic and constructive compatibility”.

The article highlights the results of the work of the International Scientific and Practical Conference dedicated to the celebration of the 1100th anniversary of the adoption of Islam by the Volga Bulgaria "Russian Islam as a factor in strengthening inter-ethnic and inter-faith peace and harmony", held on November 24–25, 2022 in Kazan. The main thematic areas of the conference are revealed: Islam as a significant factor in the Eurasian space, its historical retrospective, the Soviet legacy, post-Soviet transformation, current challenges of our time, Russian Islamic education, faith-based institutions, identification processes among Muslims in Russia and the CIS countries, the risks of religious radicalisation and extremism, their social grounds, search for ways of anticipating and preventing conflicts. The participants came to the conclusion about the importance of preserving and updating the historical heritage of Russian Islam, taking into account the contribution of religious organizations to consolidation of spiritual and moral values and public service and to strengthening inter-faith harmony and civil solidarity in Russia and the CIS countries.