Sabantui

Sabantui is an ancient Tatar holiday. According to some research this ancient holiday has a thousand-year history. In the year 921, it was described in the work of the well-known researcher, Ibn Fadlan, who arrived in Bulgaria as an ambassador from Baghdad. Also, in the Alkeevsky area of Tatarstan, scientists found a tombstone with an inscription on it which said that they died in 1120 on the day of Sabantui. Sources about the celebration of Sabantui from extreme antiquity are connected with an agrarian cult. Its name testifies to it: “Saban,” means, “Summer,” as well as, “plough,” and, “tui,” means, “wedding,” and “celebration.“ Thus, the sense of the word Sabantui is a celebration in honour of sowing summer. Earlier, Sabantui was celebrated in honour of the beginning of working in the field in the Spring (at the end of April), now, it is celebrated in honour of Spring’s termination (in June). Tatars considered Sabantui a great occasion, therefore they prepared for it in advance. Elders supervised the celebration and planned competitions.
Annually in June, all over the country and even abroad, Tatars celebrate the national holiday.
For the purpose of offering assistance for the preparation the Sabantui holiday in regions of the Russian Federation, on August 18, 2003, the Cabinet of the RT accepted the decision to coordinate planning for the national holiday Sabantui in regions of the Russian Federation with the management of all regions.

Introduction: The Value of the Holiday Sabantui (in Russian)

Sabantui: Information

• Tatar Encyclopedia (in Russian)
  
• Wikipedia (in Russian)
  

Sabantui Symbols (in Russian)

• Sabantui Official Emblem
• Sabantui Emblems

Sabantui History (in Russian)

• “Kazan History”
• Davletshin G. Ancient Roots
• Ahmetov S. Sabantui from a Religious Perspective
• Internet Encyclopedia of World Knowledge

Preparation for Sabantui (in Tatar)

• Maidan (platform)
• Game Supplies

Sabantui Card-Scheme (in Tatar)

Sabantui Competitions and Games (in Russian)

• Techniques of Kuresh
• Sport Games and Competitions
• Folk Games & Dances

Sabantui Scenarios (in Russian)

• Sabantui Holiday

Sabantui in Poetry (in Russian)

Video-files about Sabantui

Photo-Archive

Sabantui in Foreign Countries

Bibliography (in Russian)

• Materials for Planning Sabantui
• Information Resources about Sabantui
• Sabantui on the Internet