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One
cannot imagine the Republic of Tatarstan and its capital Kazan without amusing
Sabantuy. The celebration has ancient history. Sabantuy means “a celebration of the plough”. It is devoted to the end of spring sowing when there is a little interval before haying and harvesting.
At first the festivals take place in villages but the main celebration is held in Kazan. The program of the festival is rich with old and modern traditions such as various games and competitions, races, national wrestling.
The traditional Tatar celebration is very popular among the people of different nationalities. It is a real celebration of labour and friendship. Russians, Udmurts, Chuvashes, Maries put national dresses on, meet each other in the square. You can listen to their songs and melodies. Everyone can show his strength and skills. Old people and children are present here.
This holiday stays in people memories for a long time.
From
year to year the folk Sabantuy becomes professionally mastered (for example, the
celebration of Sabantuy in 1999). And it is not only because of participation
of professional artists and amateur theatricals. The festivals of Sabantuy have become a great vivid celebration of state importance being a beautiful national holiday.
The festive happenings are different in every district of Kazan. This year the President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaimiev, the Mayor of Kazan Kamil Iskhakov and the Heads of district administrations visited Novo-Savinovsky district first of all. They attended the ceremony of opening the celebration and hoisting the Sabantuy flag. "When relatives and friends get together they set a good example for children who get to know national traditions. The Day of Sabantuy becomes more and more beautiful. It is the day of concord, it is necessary to reviving our souls", said the President.
There are marquees and concert grounds in the most beautiful forest area of Kirovsky district. The festive performance with traditional competitions, with driving on a horse-drawn carriage and boating took place on the lakeside.
Privolzhsky district celebrated in a birch grove near Mirny settlement. The races became a climax of the holiday.
There
was "the front-line halt" with a shelter and a field soldier cooking in Sovietsky
region. You could fortify yourself and encourage those people who risked taking
part in traditional Sabantuy competitions. People of all ages broke pots with closed eyes, ran in sacks. And the best athletes of the district measured swords on the main stage. The main prizes - six sheep and a car "Oka". The Speaker of the Parliament F.Mukhametshin and the Head of Sovietsky district administration A.Kamaleyev were the guests of the festival.
The Head of Moscowsky district administration G. Minkina met guests like a hearty hostess at the entrance to "Tasma" stadium. Delegations from Ivanovo, Kursk, Kaluga and Voronezh visited the celebration. The colourful performance continued the traditional competitions of Sabantuy.
A great number of guests visited Aviastroitelny district celebration: Mayors of Ioshkar-Ola, Astrakhan, Biisk and other cities of Russia. The theatrical performance and then a great concert program took place at "Rubin" stadium.
Sabantuy in Vakhitovsky district started with a sports festival at "Yunost" stadium in Gorky Park. Representatives of administrations of Maikop, Sochi, Penza, consul general of Turkish Republic in Tatarstan, representatives of the Association of national and cultural societies of the republic and cultural and acquaint expedition "The great silk way and the present" were met by folk and theatrical performances on the basis of Pushkin tales and the folk turns.
The Sabantuy is over. See you at the next celebration of the plough in a year…