Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
| Created: | 2014-09-11 16:10 |
|---|---|
| Institution: | Department of Archaeology and Anthropology |
| Description: | For Kalmyks, Zul is equivalent to New Year’s Day in that it marks the first day of a new year according to Kalmyk lunar calendar. In Kalmyk ‘zul’ means a candle. On this day people make a number of candlewicks (zulyn gol) according to their age and stick them on small boat-shaped candles made of dough. Each person has their own candle. The candles are lit up when the first stars appear in the sky. On this day Kalmyks add a year to their age. According to some local beliefs, however, it is only women and children that add a year to their age on Zul day, whereas men do so a few days after the holiday.
During Zul people are encouraged to perform good deeds, wish each other well, and abstain from alcohol and meat products. In the morning Kalmyks brew traditional tea (jomba) and bake traditional biscuits (bortsg). Before partaking of food, fresh tea and some biscuits are placed on the altar as an offering to gods and ancestors. It is believed that the aroma of the biscuits drives all the bad and negative things from the house and brings good luck and prosperity. Given Buddhism is intertwined with every aspect of the life of Kalmyks, Zul is also a holiday to commemorate the birth, life and ascent of Zongkhapa (1357-1419), the founder of the Gelugpa school of Buddhism, to nirvana. Prior to Zul the Kalmyks go to monasteries for a special ritual called nas uttullgn to prolong life. On the day of Zul itself monasteries carry out prayers, including those dedicated to Zongkhapa, and light candles as an offering to the great Buddhist teacher. Five to six days after Zul, Kalmyks celebrate the arrival of the Master of the Year (jilin ezn), which is believed to be a ritual of shamanic origin. In order not to create obstacles in his way, Kalmyks do not take out rubbish for several days. During the celebration of jilin ezn, families invite their older relatives to their homes and also congratulate their men on becoming a year older. During this period people try to avoid making long journeys. |
Media items
This collection contains 67 media items.
Media items
Dmitriy Mandzhiev, About Zul
Dmitriy talks about how to celebrate Zul.
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Sun 28 Oct 2018
A Concert Dedicated to Zul
This video features a concert dedicated to the national holiday of Zul held in Elista in December 2017. The performers are singers and dancers of Oiraty, the state dance theatre...
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Mon 8 Jan 2018
A Lesson-Concert Dedicated to Zul
This video features a lesson dedicated to Zul held at the Russian National Gymnasium in Elista in December 2017.
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Mon 8 Jan 2018
Alexandr Susukov, How We Celebrated Zul and Tsagan Sar in Siberia
Alexandr talks about how his family celebrated national holidays in Siberia:
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Wed 1 May 2019
Alexandr Tarancheev, About Zul and a Wedding Song
Alexandr talks about candlewicks and a ritual performed at weddings which involves singing a song by holding a cup of vodka in one’s hand:
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Sun 28 Apr 2019
Alexandra Sanzheeva, About Zul
Alexandra talks about how she celebrates Zul.
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Sun 11 Nov 2018
Angira Shaburova, About Zul
Angira says that during Zul people light candles and put offerings on the altar. The candlewicks should consist of the same number of grass blades as the age of the person to whom...
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Thu 11 Jul 2019
Baatr Mandzhiev, About Zul
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Tue 1 Aug 2017
Baira Goryaeva, Kalmyk holidays, Zul and Tsagan Sar
Baira talks about Zul and Tsagan Sar.
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Wed 19 Sep 2018
Boba Kokueva, About Zul
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Sat 20 Jan 2018
Borla Ochaeva, About Zul and Tsagan Sar
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Sun 16 Jun 2019
Bosya Barzueva, About Zul
Bosya says the following: For Zul people made candles called ‘a boat of life’. The candlewicks were made from wild grass stalks. Each wick had the same number of grass stalks as...
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Tue 7 May 2019
Bosya Ochirova, About Zul
Bosya talks about Zul and a ritual to prolong one’s life.
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Sat 23 May 2015
Bulgun Lapsina, About Zul and Tsagan Sar
Bulgun briefly talks about how Tersk Kalmyks celebrated Zul and Tsagan Sar.
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Tue 11 Sep 2018
Dzhidzha Araeva, Zul and Tsagan Sar
Kalmyks make bortsg biscuits for Zul, especially a variety called tselvg. Dough for tselvg is made without yeast by mixing milk and flour and adding sour cream or butter....
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Mon 14 May 2018
Ekaterina Zhuzhaeva, About Zul
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Tue 4 Apr 2017
Elza Badaeva, About Zul
Elza reminisces about how her family celebrated Zul when she was small.
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Thu 20 Dec 2018
Evdokia Erdnieva, Zul and Tsagan Sar
Evdokia talks about how people celebrate Zul and Tsagan Sar:
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Sat 4 May 2019
Galina Mamonova, About Zul and Tsagan Sar
Galina says that during Zul Kalmyks light candles, recite prayers and cook festive food, including milk tea, biscuits, meat, soup, bulmg, etc. They welcome and feed their guests....
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Sun 28 Oct 2018
Galina Mandzhieva, About Zul
Galina says that before Zul she performs a ritual for prolonging life in her family. In the morning, she makes two types of traditional biscuits and Kalmyk tea and offers them to...
Collection: Kalmyk Cultural Heritage Project (ZUL)
Institution: Department of Archaeology and Anthropology
Created: Fri 25 Sep 2015