BASHKIR STATE UNIVERSITY

BASHKIR STATE UNIVERSITY. Founded in 1909 in Ufa. BSU has been studying folklore since the foundation of the university. Z.I. Ummati, a student of Ufa medrese “Galiya”, collected texts of Bashkir oral ethnic art, which were published in 1909 and titled “Songs and bayts of Bashkir teptyars”. The edition as well as the works of K.G. Gabitov, G.F. Vildanov, S.G. Mryasova, S.K. Syunchelya, F.K. Tuykin were used as educational materials in the beginning of the 20th c. Vildanov compiled an instructive manual for the students of colleges and institutions of higher education to collect Bashkir folklore.

Specialized chairs appeared in the 1930’s. The chair of Bashkir language and literature started to teach folklore studies as a part of general curriculum. G.Y. Davletshin, G. Amantay. A.I. Chanyshev, A.I. Kharisov, A.N. Kireyev (see Kirey Mergen), M.M. Mingazhetdinov,  M.A.  Mambetov,  A.M.  Suleymanov, G.R. Khusainova, A.N. Safiullin, F.S. Si­ bagatov, R.D. Mustafina, F.R. Salavatova were teachers of Bashkir folklore; Russian folklore was taught by L.G. Barag,  L.I.  Bryantseva, B.G. Akhmetshin, S.A. Salova, A.A. Gal­ lyamov, S.Y. Danilin, I.G. Kulsarina, E.A. Yev­tushenko; Tatar folklore was taught by – R.M. Mukhametzyanov, I.K. Fazlutdinov, etc. Many of them headed folklore expeditions. BSU develops syllabuses, manuals, textbooks for students, holds scientific conferences dedicated to folklore, publish scientific collections and fundamental works. Many books were pub­ lished, such as “Bashkir legends” (1969), “Ethnic fairytales, legends, lore and true sto­ries registered in 1960–1966” (1969), “Materials and research of Bashkiria and the Urals folk­ lore” (1974), “Fairytales, legends and lore of Bashkiria in new registration in the Russian language”, “Folklore activities of Russian scientists in Bashkiria” (both in 1975), “Bashkir ethnic oral­ poetic art”, “Bashkir hero fairy­ tales” (both – 1981), etc. BSU is currently creating the Electronic scientific edition of folklore records and archives. The chair of Russian literature and folklore published the annual inter­university scientific collection “Folklore of peoples of Russia”; the chair of Bashkir literature – inter­university scientific collection “Literature heritage. Folklore. Textology” (6 issues, 2001–13). Tatar folklore materials were included in “Tatar ethnic art”, “Tatar folklore of Bashkortostan: lore, legends, bylichkas, oral short stories” compilation. Folklore of RB peoples is being collected also by Birsk, Sibay, Sterlitamak branches of BSU (see Archives). There are ensembles “Tausen” and “Irandyk” at BSU. The Sterlitamak branch has been con­ ducting a folklore and literature festival called “Living springs of ethnic memory” since 2006.

M.K. Idelbayev