ETHNIC GAMES
ETHNIC GAMES are historically estab‑ lished activities (amusements, shows, larks, sport, dancing, singing and other contests) of entertaining nature, which reflect traditional worldview, beliefs, customs, folklore develop‑ ment, social relations and household of people.
E.g. aim to foster and develop physical strength, stamina, dexterity, the command of labor tools, weapons, etc. They are one of the integral com‑ ponents of many traditional holidays and rituals. E.g. connected with social and family holi‑ days can be conditionally divided into games accompanying holidays and ceremonies, games dedicated to the crucial stages of a person’s life and games connected with calendar holidays and ceremonies. They reflect beliefs about good and evil, a human and his power, existence of good and evil heroes and spirits, sacred trees and animals. E.g. include different theatrical ac‑ tions (see Ethnic drama), elements of mili‑ tarysport, dancing, musical, singing, oral po‑ etic and visual arts, improvisational models of everyday situations, phenomena, cult behavior. The majority of the games are based on con‑ tests, competitions of the participants. Accord‑ ing to gender, the games can be divided into children, youth and adult, male and female. Ac‑ cording to the content of E.g. there are games reflecting the surrounding animal world, differ‑ ent natural phenomena and social life, labor processes, household activities.
According to the structure, E.g. are divided into games with a plot (Bashk.: “witch”; Rus.: “Colors”; Ukr.: “Quail”, etc.) and plotless games, which are based mainly on competition (Bashk.: “Sticky stumps”; Rus.: “Burns”; Belarus.: “Le‑ nok”, etc.); individual (Bashk.: “put the ring”, “break the pot”; “archery”; Tat.: “Pole”, etc.) and group (Chuvash.: “Bat”; Tat.: “tugofwar”; Mar.: “cock fight”; Udm.: “behind the line”, etc.); games with objects (Bashk.: “Game with a stick”; Mord.: “salki”; Rus.: “Beware!”, etc.) and without objects; equestrian [Bashk.: “catch the girl”; Tat.: “Shawl”, etc.) and pedestrian (Rus.: “running game”; Belarus.:”clap, clap, run away!”; Ukr.: “twig”, etc.), etc. There are competition games in wit, ability to keep from laughing, etc. Depending on the location, there are domestic (Bashk.: “girl party”, Rus. “si‑ lent”; Mar.: “hidden ring”, etc.) and field (Mord. “in kurochek”); Bashk.: “tangled horses”, etc.). Competition E.g. with militarysport elements gradually became a basis for different sport games. Solo and collective, round dance and dancegames were very popular (Bashk.: “beat the hemp”; Udm.: “wild strawberry”; Mar.: “golden gates”, etc.). There are verbal poetic E.g. with dialogues, sacred texts, countingout rhymes, etc. The youth would arrange “evening games” and traditional universal holidays in springsummer time. E.g. were held on the slope of a mountain in spring, and on the bank of the river or the outskirts of the village in summer. People arranged competitions in playing musical instruments, singing chastushkas, ethnic songs, performing solo and collective dances. There were games which let young people show their talents, skills, dexterity, strength, show sympathy to each other (Bashk.: “White poplar”, “blue poplar”; Mar.: “clicks”, etc.). Many autumnwinter female E.g. are connected with the custom to gather together for needle‑ work. At these kinds of gatherings the youth could express their sympathy to each other, par‑ ticipate in verbal art, needlework contests, etc. Men also gathered in small groups: meetings included small talks, merry singing, joking, guessing the riddles, quizzes, playing musical instruments. The games of different peoples often overlap each other and prove strong cultural and interethnic relationships.
R.A. Sultangareyeva
