BELORUSIANS

BELORUSIANS (self­identified as Belarusians), a people, the dominant ethnic group in Belarus There lived 11.7 thous. Belorusians in the RB in 2010: the Iglinsky Raion — 4.1 thous. p., Ufa — 3.9 thousand. The heavy influx of (ref. Settlement movement) B. on the territory of Bash­ kortostan began at the end of the 19th century and intensified during Stolypin Agrarian Reform. The early enclave of B. was formed in the Urals, on the banks of the River Sim. During the First World War there was an influx of B. refugees, who settled along the Samara­Zlatoust railway.

The B. were mostly involved in agriculture, but they also bred cattle and persued household trades and crafts. The basic type of settlements were farms. Several dozens of yards comprised colonies and mixed­ nationalities settlements. B. houses looked like a peasant’s log hut with a double­pitch   roof.

The food was dominated by cereals and vegetables (primarily potatoes). They widely celebrated Orthodox holidays (Christmas, Maslenitsa, etc), and the Slavic holiday of Ivan Kupala.

There are the National Cultural Centre of Belorusians Spadchyna, and the Belarusian Historical and Cultural Centre in Iglinsky Raion. There are also folklore ensembles in Selo Baltika and Derevnya Pushkinskoye of Iglinsky Raion. The Belarusian language is taught there in schools.