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Cultural Memory in Urban Space: Ufa as a Subcultural Locus of Regional Folklore // Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2024. Issue 1 (43). P. 109-118

The study of folklore is gradually moving beyond the traditional boundaries of its existence. It is known that folklore in general and regional folklore in particular was determined by its presence, its spread in the countryside, in the regions of republics, or regions. Traditional folk art, traditional culture as a whole was born, developed, preserved, and passed on from mouth to mouth, from generation to generation in the village. However, the subculture created in the villages – the culture of the Bashkir people – is transferred by its bearers to the urban environment, especially in the period of active urban movement. The introduction of the study consists in the fact that an attempt was made to identify and study urban Bashkir folklore in its particular post-folkloric manifestation and locus refraction, when yesterday's villagers, who have lived in the city for more than 40–50 years, have preserved in their memory the very folkloric traditions that they have imbibed with their mother's milk in their small homeland – in the villages of the republic's regions. To this end, the working group of the Bashkir State Pedagogical University named after M. Akmulla conducted a folklore expedition through the city of Ufa in the summer of 2022. The relevance of the study is increased by the prospects of the project when it becomes necessary to include the folklore of other large cities of the region in this analysis. The aim of the study is to identify the original Bashkir folklore that has been preserved in the urban environment. To achieve this goal, tasks such as studying and analyzing the materials collected during the expedition were solved, taking into account the degree of their preservation in the memory of the informants, their distinctive features, and originality based on authentic examples. Analytical, textological, and descriptive studies were used as methods. As a result, the samples recorded during the expeditionary journey around Ufa were considered, and the peculiarities and features of the presence of folk songs, takmaks, were revealed. Conclusions. Thus, summing up, the article concludes that locus samples of oral folk art are constantly preserved in the memory of people who have experienced the process of urbanization. In their cultural memory, they draw on the lingering folk songs, takmaks, and legends associated with the traditions of their small homeland.

Keywords: folklore, post-folklore, urban processes, locus, subculture, people, Bashkir folklore, urban cultural landscape, song, takmaks, informants

Eco Toys in Bashkir Culture // Tomsk Journal of Linguistics and Anthropology. 2024. Issue 2 (44). P. 113-123

Toys have long been the subject of ethnographic research. Among the toys, balls, bats, dolls, and random toys made of natural materials stand out. They are rarely mentioned in the scientific literature. The article, based exclusively on the field material of the author’s team, is devoted to the study of these types of toys among Bashkir children, i.e., play objects that return to the natural environment after play. The study aims to reveal an unexplored aspect of the problem and show the stability of random toys (or eco-toys) as an element of play culture. These toys are classified according to their material of origin: stones, wood, clay, and plant toys made of grass, flowers, and fruit. The classification of games is based on gender and age: boys’ games, girls’ games, and general games. A historiographical overview of the literature on the games of Bashkir children leads to the conclusion that Bashkir toys have hardly been researched and that the subject of random toys has not been dealt with at all. The authors found that the objects in question are characterized by simplicity of manufacture, the games are quick, and the play objects return to the natural environment. Nevertheless, such games are of great importance as they help to develop children’s dexterity, accuracy, and observation skills; they familiarize them with the properties of objects and the world around them; they have an educational value as the child learns through play to recognize plants, materials, their properties and the possibility of their use in everyday life. All games and eco-games reflect the traditional occupations and way of life of the Bashkir people - animal husbandry, hunting, and gathering. In the child’s imagination, the surrounding world, the reality of life, and everyday life are represented by wood, clay, flowers, herbs, and stones. Examples of the oldest hunting and gathering techniques can sometimes be seen in this type of toy – a sling, whistles, slingshots, and plants for decoration. Even today, the toy has not lost its significance and retains its niche in modern children’s culture.

Keywords: toys, eco-toys, play, games, play culture, Bashkirs, whistles, dolls, sling, plants, flowers