Tatarstan Day as a "real holiday"

In Tatarstan, there are celebrations related to the celebrated on August 30 at once by two holidays - the Day of the Republic of Tatarstan and the day of the city of Kazan. Mass events began on August 22 by the holidays "Kazan Courtyards", "Friendly Courtyard" and "Friendly City", ahead - Thematic performances "I love you, Kazan!", The action of volunteers of the Universiade "You are the World", a concert of amateur groups "Play, harmonies!", Competitions in equestrian jumps and the like. Even the list of events shows how in Tatarstan they try to combine the national, Soviet and Novurussian public traditions.

The declaration of state sovereignty of the Supreme Council of the Tatar Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, adopted in 1990, emphasized the inalienable right of the people of the republic to self -determination, land ownership and natural resources. If the Union republics were advancing to the branch from the USSR, then the leadership of the TASSR was more likely to seek any opportunity to occupy a special place among other national republics of the RSFSR.

In 1992, Tatarstan, along with Chechnya, refused to sign a federal agreement and two years later he achieved the conclusion of a special bilateral agreement with Russia, which provided the region with broad powers and gave significant preferences compared to other national republics. So, Tatarstan has its own constitution. In this regard, in the 90s, residents of Tatarstan often called the Independence of the Republic on August 30 (the official name is the day of the adoption of the Declaration on State Sovereignty of the Republic of Tatarstan). True, no one could really explain what this independence was, because Tatarstan continued to be part of Russia.

With the coming to power of Vladimir Putin, it began, speaking with a dry language, "bringing regional legislation in line with the federal." The disputed points in the main law of Tatarstan and other documents were corrected, and later the parties signed a new agreement in which there were no longer the previous financial benefits for the republic (including a reduced percentage of tax deductions to the center).

The centralization of power in the hands of Moscow led to the fact that in 2000 the republican leadership decided to simultaneously celebrate on August 30 and the City of Kazan. Such a justification was perceived positively. Moreover, very incidentally, the Russian president signed a decree on the celebration of the millennium of Kazan in 2005. Among the inhabitants of Tatarstan there are still rumors that the Czech coin of the time of King Vaclav (X century), allegedly found during excavations in the territory of the Kazan Kremlin and became the basis for such a dating, was simply thrown. With the departure of Mintimer Shaimiev from the post of President of Tatarstan, the holiday finally lost the political coloring and is now celebrated simultaneously as the Day of the Republic and the City of Kazan.

In the official calendar of the republican holidays of Tatarstan - four solemn days. The doctor of historical sciences, director of the Kazan Institute of History, Rafael Khakimov, spoke about the semantic load of the Tatar holidays of the RS.

-City Day "developed" naturally, when the 1000th anniversary of Kazan was held, this holiday was combined with the day of the announcement of sovereignty. It turned out that the city seemed to have adopted this baton. The political side is this: the Day of the Republic of Tatarstan in its current form is celebrated after the Constitutional Court of Russia adopted a decision that the republics should not be used by the word "sovereignty".

- What significance is now being invested on this holiday?

- The independence that we received. Sovereignty, but not in the sense, how often they use it (complete independence), we did not strive for this. It must be understood that the Tatars have always lived in Russia, the country has left the Golden Horde, for us this territory is not a stranger. Therefore, we wanted to have our own status, autonomy in the European sense of the word, federalization. Federalism does not deny the sovereignty of subjects. Say, in the Swiss constitution, it is directly recorded that the cantons are sovereign.

- There is another day of the Constitution of the Republic of Tatarstan, it is celebrated in November. Why is this holiday?

- We adopted the Constitution earlier than Russia as a whole. This constitution secured the procedure for self -determination, which began with the declaration of state sovereignty, and then it was confirmed at the 1992 referendum. Based on the referendum, we adopted the Constitution, which became the basis for signing the contract with Moscow. Therefore, this is a significant date for us. Republic Day is a more significant holiday. The constitution enshrined only what was done in 1990.

- There are two more holidays in Tatarstan - the day of the native language, April 26, and the day of the official adoption of Islam Volga Bulgaria, May 21. How do you feel about these dates?

- We have all the holidays real. The day of the adoption of Islam as an official religion (that is how the name of the holiday sounds) takes the origins in 922. Then the international recognition of the Volga-Kama Bulgaria took place. It is important for us that we voluntarily accepted Islam, for us Arabs or someone else is not a decree. We always have Islam a little Tatar, and we appreciate it.

- I am a little embarrassed when it comes to such distant events, such an exact definition of the date ... What exactly happened on May 21, 922, which allows us to consider the date of the official adoption of Islam Volga Bulgaria?

-There was an embassy from Baghdad with a message from a caliph, who recognized the Volga-Kama Bulgaria as an independent state. Accordingly, some symbols of power sent this embassy with this embassy. This is reliably fixed, so the date is definitely known.

- And April 26, the day of the native language?

- This day is connected with the birthday of the classic of Tatar literature Gabdulla Tukay. At one time, he wrote the poem "Native Language", he was put to music, and the poem became a kind of anthem. In Soviet times, there was no such organized protest movement among the Tatars, but dissatisfaction was expressed by publicly sang a “native language” when the Soviet government demanded the closure of Tatar schools. Traditionally, the Association of Tukai's birthday remained: the people gather, reads his poems in the Tatar language, and all the conversations are in Tatar.

- Gabdullah was stuck a few years ago erected a monument in the center of Moscow. Tukai is a wonderful poet, but is not connected with Moscow ...

- Yes, wherever the Tatars live, they must first build a mosque, and then they put the monument to Tukay. So started.

-There is another date in the Tatar calendar, the day of memory of the capture of Kazan is October 12-13. This day is celebrated, let’s say, by patriotic Tatar organizations, it is not on the list of official holidays. We are talking about contradictory, for many - the tragic moment of the history of the Tatar people, about the capture of Ivan the Terrible Kazan by the army. Should such a mourning date be in the official calendar of Tatarstan? Still, this is the end of the state independence of the Tatar state.

- This is as a fact very significant in the Tatar consciousness. Tatar history is divided into two parts - the period "to Ivan the Terrible" and "after". This issue was discussed, about such a date, but the deputies consulted and decided: there is no need for this. Although sometimes it sounds. Today, a small group of people once celebrates this date, they read poetry, oratorios are written and so on. Here the difficulty is that the army of Ivan the Terrible included both Russian and Tatar troops, the cavalry was Tatar, led by Khan Shah-Ali. Therefore, this event cannot be considered simply the struggle of Russians with the Tatars. There is loss of statehood, but there is nothing to note especially.

-But maybe some day to establish something? It is logical to have some memorial date on the calendar that would show the tragedy of this situation. Or does the modern political situation in Russia not allow you to do this?

- Allows, and in fact, this is noted, but in private, not at the state level. There is no particular need for the official date. Basically, our holidays are those that unite everyone and do not create problems. For Tatarstan, this is very important: we have almost half of the population - Russians, and other peoples live. We still choose holidays that give everyone joy, ”says Kazan historian Rafael Khakimov.

Fragment of the final issue of the Freedom Time program

• 

  Andrey Shary

  I.O. Regional Director of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty for Russian -Sound Content

  Andrey Shary on Facebook

  Sharya@rferl.org