Did Tatars celebrate the New Year?

☃️ The celebration of New Year’s Day on January 1st was not universally observed among the Tatars of the Volga and Ural regions due to the historical development of the region. The introduction of Islam and the Islamic calendar, known as Hijra, in the territory, dates back to the 10th century. However, it was impractical for daily activities, leading the people to maintain the old calendar based on the animal cycle and the zodiac system, which better reflected natural changes.

Upon being conquered by Russia in the mid-16th century, the Tatars began to be influenced by the Christian calendar. While opinions differ on the exact adoption period, by the 19th century, it appears that at least some Tatars officially recognized January 1st as New Year's Day.

Nevertheless, the widespread celebration and ritualization of this day did not occur, and the tradition of celebrating the New Year in March persisted among Kazan Tatars. Noqrat Tatars, however, particularly marked January 1st by sending boys to neighbors with wishes for prosperity, abundant harvests, and healthy livestock:

Yaña yılığız qotlı bulsın,

Aşlığığız yaxşı bulsın,

Başağı biş qarış bulsın.

Sıyırığız sötle bulsın,

Atığız köçle bulsın…

The New Year's Day was also associated with baking, and in various villages, Tatars prepared treats with wishes for a successful year. For example, qoymaq (pancakes), saying yıllar tınıç bulsın (may the year be peaceful). Qasıym and Mişər Tatars used to bake little unleavened dough balls. Kazan Tatars didn’t celebrate the 1st of January as New Year’s Day, but still didn’t leave the oven empty, baking some unleavened flatbread təbikmək and oatmeal bread with wishes for a prosperous year. It was called taba ise çığaru (letting out the pan’s smell).

The celebration of the New Year varied among Tatar subgroups, with some adhering to ancient customs and others incorporating Slavic and Finno-Ugric influences.

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Based on R. Urazmanova “Rites and Holidays of Tatars of the Volga Region and Ural” (2001)

A bonus:

If you want to know how Tatars celebrated qışqı qoyaş torğınlığı (winter solstice), check out our text about Narduğan.