CHUVASHS

CHUVASHS (self-identified as Chuvash), a people, the dominant population of the Chuvash Republic. In 2010, 107.4 thous. Ch. lived in the RB: Sterlitamak — 14.3 thous. people, Ufa — 9.4 thous., Belebey — 7.5 thous., Salavat — 3.2 thous., Kumertau — 2.3 thous., Oktyabrsky – 1.9 thous.; Aurgasinsky Raion – 10.8 thous., Bizhbulyaksky Raion — 9.1 thous., Belebeyevsky Raion – 6.1 thous., Sterlitamaksky Raion — 4,900 thous. and Karmaskalinsky Raion — 4,700 thousand. In the territory of the Bashkortostan, Ch. are divided into Iksko‑syunskaya, Priikskaya, Pribelskaya and Verkhnebelskaya local groups. The resettlement of Ch. into the terr. of Bashkortostan began in the 2nd half of the 16th century. They primarily settled in north. and west. regions. From the middle of the 18th century their settlement area was between the rivers Belaya and Ika (tributary of the river Kama). In Ufa Guberniya, Ch. lived predominantly in Belebeevsky, Sterlitamaksky, Ufim. And Menzelinsky uyezds.

Ch. were mostly involved into agriculture, but they also bred cattle and poultry, kept bees, grew vegetables, hunted, fished, and foraged for plants. The basic types of settlements were villages with or without a church, and farms. Most of the dwellings were log houses, but in south. Regions — 4‑walled multi‑chamber double‑pitch roof huts constructed of adobe and mud bricks. Ch’s cuisine mostly consisted of the products of agriculture and cattle breeding. Traditional holidays were based on the agricultural calendar: Sun warship rituals, worship of spirits of ancestors and cattle, holidays devoted to the end of sowing works, blossoming of nature, etc.

In the RB, there is the Society of Chuvash Culture, the Chuvash National Cultural Autonomy of the RB, the Chuvash Historical and Cultural Centre. A number of schools teach the Chuvash language. Ural Sassi (The Voice of the Ural) newspaper is published in the Chuvash language. There are Chuvash folklore ensembles.