Timur B. Davletov
aronxakas@yahoo.com
The Khakas people who is one of indigenous peoples of Southern Siberia has in a spiritual realm protected the dominance of Kam religion (Shamanism) as well other native peoples of mentioned region. Together with that on this territory there once existed various religions like Nestorianism (T. Davletov 2002a), Maniheism[1], Buddhism. Consequently the Saian-Altai Mountains, which are a cradle of Turks throughout the world, have always been a region of poly-confessional culture. The existence of diversity of religions has started since very ancient times. And regarding a question on how these different religions have coexisted, what is firstly we recall is Shamanism, an authentic religion of this region. And maybe it is true that a fundament, which provides relatively tolerant environment is above, mentioned religion?
In reality each religion (much more than belief) due to values it contains is at definite extent conservative. It is determined by such fact as inclination of religions to protect, keep on, and spread their constituent values. But in order to be able to meet these purposes within religions there has in the course of time appeared an institutionalization. Moreover, in general each religion has specific specialists who execute a lot of relevant functions such as protecting and propagandizing concrete religious system’s values, and calling other men to be fit to or agreeable with the framework of religion and even, in some situation or periods of history, these specialists is responsible for providing and spreading given religion towards masses through missionaries. These specialists are priests, imams, Kams (Shamans), etc. Of course, the mentioned here titles are only a minority out of majority of other titles, which are in religious hierarchy. Besides of that, duties and authorities of mentioned specialists are variable. But due to that main subject of this paper is Kam religion (Shamanism), priority is given to Khakas Turks’ Shamanism and its effects on and importance in their social life.
As was noted above each religion relatively and at the same time in inevitable form has conservativeness so partly to this fact is quite hard to state that coexistence of various religious systems in Southern Siberia was perfect. Furthermore such statement will mean to come off the reality. Together with that it is a fact that some other religions’ implementations may be less tolerable towards persons belonged to distinct faith. This situation is caused by men who realize abstract religious values to real life within the framework of their subjectivity, which contains in first of all personal worldview. As a result it is true that final executional station of implementation of whatever religion’s rules and values to concrete life is humankind in respect to whom we know that there is an ancient saying like errare humanum est. So due to that each religion may reach real implementation into social life only through human societies we may guess that reflections of every religion in real life are variable (less or more) in relation to time and place[2]. From this point of view we should accept that reflections of religions in real life bear both objectivity and subjectivity.
Together with that if we look at this topic through historical approach then it is possible to see that in respect to Russian history Kam religion was much more tolerable towards other religious specialists and temples. For instance even during the period of Turk-Mongol superiority (XIII century) there was not seen attempts to spread Shamanism over Russian Orthodox Church while the latter had executed planned program of termination of Shamanism when it come to Siberia after Russian invasion of 1600s. It should be taken on account that if Turk-Mongols have tried to spread Shamanism then today almost all of Russians would be Shamanists. I.e., if during Turk-Mongol hegemony period there were real policies towards spiritual assimilation of ruled Russian people then today in Russia there would be Shamanism as the most dominated form of religion. Furthermore during Ottoman Empire, Gagauz Turks who are Orthodox Christians and like Ottoman Turks themselves are Turko-phone people have not been forced to convert into Islam. And it is very important points in our view. Furthermore the same example of religious tolerance we may see in case of Khazar Turks during their Khanate period where there was the Supreme Court, which was consisted of 7 members, including 2 Judaists, 2 Muslims, 2 Christians, and 1 Shamanist (G. Martin 1976:25). Even some of researchers have named this period of Khazar Turks of inter-religious accord, tolerance, equality, liberty, and peace between above-mentioned religions like Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and Shamanism as “Pax Khazarica” (A.Tokarczyk).
Despite of that Russian Orthodox Church’s religious missioners who come to Siberian region with Russian invaders and have state support, have in cruel form tried to convert local native peoples to Christianity by using ‘whip and sugar’ (T. Davletov 2002b: 20-37). In spite to all attempts to hide these inhuman treatments towards native peoples of Siberia today men know a large part of these policies in Czarist period.
It is also possible to see that Shamans have no privileges beyond their profession in usual social life (excluding the time when Shamans were advisers to Khans) both in ancient times and modernity. Kams (Shamans) have not worked with salaries, i.e., they are not salaried like other religious specialists, but at the same time Kams have dedicated their life to Shamanism. Both in ancient times and in our days to be a Shaman is very hard duty, which requests at high extent self-sacrifices and self-denying and depriving.
Despite of importance of a Shaman figure in Shamanism it is wrong to state that Shamanism equals Shaman because Shaman does not cover all Shamanism. Kams (Shamans) in distinguished way from other religious specialists have not attended and headed to all Shamanic rituals. For instance, a man who leads tag tayii (mountain ritual during of which sacrifice mostly horse has been alive put forward to ghosts of sacred mountain through setting free) was not a Kam but one of most respected man (akh-saghal) from local tribe and that man led this Shamanic ritual as algyschy (ritual ruler). But tag tayii is one of the most important rituals in Khakas Shamanism.
In ancient times Kams have executed a lot of duties and functions. A Kam has performed following functions of haman, artist (singing, prayer reading, dancing, fashioning, etc), care man (or doctor), fortuneteller, teacher, weather forecaster, and many others. But if Kam has once lost reliance to him (and himself) it is not hard to guess what kind of fate has been waited him within settlements where were maximum several households and where people had relationship mostly in style of face to face. So it would be stated that a life of Shaman within a traditional society has in general directly proportional correlation with his performance. Otherwise a Shaman had to departure from given place of settlement. Moreover it not hard to guess to what obstacles may be met by such Shaman in traditional society where all interpersonal relations were in mode of face to face and all rumors have been spread very speedy.
At the other hand it is possible that men in traditional societies were not able to interrogate many things because they have born and grown within of that traditional environment. And it is true. Furthermore under such conditions it seems from the point of view of our days that a Shaman may well manipulated for example saying that “it is not tied to me and ghosts do not want today”, etc. But even this hypothesis is not cover all reality because of today when modern means of medicine are at the highest extent developed there are Shamans to whom men apply in order to get better. It has to be note that today’s men are individuals who is educated within European style of rational education so they are able to interrogate everything around them. But in spite of that men again apply to Shamans as a last method of recovering after all other ways of modern treatments. Why?
Moreover in front of all these developments of modern world Kams and Kam religion have not disappeared. Shamanism, one may say, has experienced its revival at our days and it process has been developed in spite of truth that Shamans and Shamanic communities are only minorities within countries where they live. Compulsory methods are not used by Shamanism too. Compulsory is generally an alien method to present religious life of humankind so any such attempts have met with angry, protests, and reactions from people. In stead of these methods today there are other ones mostly based on economic incentives like distributing second hand clothes, etc. in order to gathering men. Other kind of method is usage of normative advantages in order to rivalry with other religions. For example Russian Orthodox Church has applied such one since it has in juridical form supported by the state as in example of federal law “On Conscience and Religious Organizations in Russia” issued in September of 1997[3].
Of course, it does not mean that all things in Shamanism are fine and perfect. Because in Kam religion there you may meet a lot of charlatans who sell themselves as Shamans in order to benefit from that situation. Moreover it has get us to previously noted point that all religions are good as far as they are abstract and not applied by men with subjective criterions. But even some charlatans have been seen in Shamanism a many thousands years of existence of this religion is the most obvious evident of validity of Shamanism where men disparately from other religious systems have wait concrete correlations between causes and results.
And if we approach to process of implementation of religions within of which a church is belonged to state ideological apparatuses[4] developed (in case of Czarist Russia) in order to tie local populations of newly invaded territories to the state through compulsory practices, then we may see that a Russian Orthodox Church has intensively undertaken strong attempts to convert all people who lived on Khakas territory. I.e., the aim of this policy was to tie local men of newly invaded lands to new imperia both in physician and spiritual realms without respect to causes (political, socio-economical, etc.).
As a matter of fact above-mentioned intensive and cruel policies towards native peoples of Siberia and in particular to Khakas Turks Shamanism has been successful and in result of that Shamanism’s domination in spirituality realm of local people has almost been seized by Russian Orthodox Church. But it may be stated that total disappearance of Shamanism was impossible even during this period. Moreover endurance of Shamanism has further been examined during Soviet period through which it reached to present days when Shamanism has experienced a genuine revival process (T. Davletov 2002b: 20-37).
It would be useful to compare Shamanism with other religion of Russian lands as Russian Orthodox Church in field of endurance against pressure and repressive atmosphere, which was created during Soviet period. The latter has lost its dominance throughout former Russian Empire once Communistic repressive methods have been applied over it, but the former has its previous straight too. But it should also be noted that Shamanism was in minority and under pressure and intensive ideological repression much longer than the latter. Moreover in order to resist all negative impacts of both Russian Czarist and after Soviet Russian periods Shamanism has not used or leaned on any written sources, complex hierarchical and structural institutionalization, and demographic majority. And it maybe a characteristic unique side of Shamanism to resist well against all negative effects caused from outside. Of course a lot of Shamanic traditions and especially Shamans themselves have been physically terminated during these periods but in spite of that Shamanism did not disappear. The maximum in what way Shamanism has been affected was appearance of syncretism maybe. And by this way Shamanic people have continued experienced their traditional religion through mixing of various religious systems’ elements, including that of foreign ones, which come with compulsory methods. All this again shows how much Shamanism’s validity is high.
Furthermore thanks to this flexibility Shamanism has gained (transferred) a lot of useful sides from other religions. As an example for that it would be shown Maniheism religion and its impacts on religious in particular and in general on social-economic life of Kyrgyz Turks (the ancestors of Khakas[5]) who lived and experienced Kam religion. Above-mentioned religion has impacted in sense of entering of “burned stone” (coal) into life of Kyrgyz Turks who in first moments have used these coals as lambs within temples according to Maniheism. About this fact we may know from notes made by ancient traveler Abdulrreshid ibn Nurelbakuvi (of Baku) in XV century and mainly contained historical events related to the end of XIII century in the life of Kyrgyz Turks. Noting that Kyrgyz country located in `sixth climatic zone` Al-Bakuvi have informed the following: ``Country of Kyrgyz. They are Turks. The length of their country is far as about one month of journey. They have a Khan [a king]. <…> During worship they read prayers with monotonous language without stresses. Prayers’ destinations are towards the South. They have a stone, which they burn and use as a lamp.” And this statement made by this ancient traveler has been fixed and confirmed by archaeological materials (L. Kyzlasov 1993: 108, 129-130).
It may be stated that thanks to Maniheism, which has been brought into the Khanate of Yenissei Kyrgyz by Uygur Turks, there was started usage of coal firstly at religious acts and after within the course of time in daily life too. And it was really very important gain for that period.
Again within the framework of Maniheism it is known that Ienissei Kyrgyzes have worshiped to a variety of planets located in space (cosmos – Khan Tigir), and created names of seven days of a week in accordance with planets, and respected Saturn and Venus (Solban), while seen Mars as a sign of negativeness and ill omen (bad luck) (L. Kyzlasov 1993:108-9). All of these developments have contributed very important innovations and new knowledge to Kyrgyz Turks. Consequently, Khakas Turks, who are descendants of Kyrgyz, have received from the latter calendar “Muche” with a cycle consisted of 12 years with names of various animals (V. Butanaev 1998: 238-9). And it should be noted that all of these effects have strongly enriched the spiritual and material life of Ienissei Turks while these progresses have happened only thanks to flexibility of Kam religion, which almost has no dogmatic formalism.
Kam religion, which has thanks to its vital energy and survival ability existed since the ancient times until present was and is a melting field of almost all spiritual ways of Siberia and by this feature it has not disappeared and even enriched through absorbing some of their knowledge and values. Its tolerance and flexibility without formalism have played the most important roles in this success. So it may be stated that Shamanism is open and fit to be developed, which by itself is not contradicted to Shamanic philosophy.
It also may be emphasized that in spite of dispersion of all Turks throughout the world and difference between confessions (Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Shamanism, Burkhanism, etc.) accepted or entered by them in the course of time, all of Turks have still experienced a lot of Shamanic spiritual elements and traditional practices everywhere they live today. As an example for this statement it would be shown the Head of Year Bairam (Yil Basi, Chyl Pazy, Nevruz – Turkic and Persian New Year), which is celebrated on March 21-22 annually and presents vast similarity throughout the Turkic World in spite of large distances (both in place and time senses) (T. Davletov 2001: 42-51). Besides of that in Turkish Anatolia there is a large number of beliefs, which by some of researchers may be seen and estimated as primitive superstitions. These beliefs are sourced from pre-Islamic period of Turkic history. And in respect to this statement it is available to bring such examples as respectful belief in threshold’s ghost (Z. Gokalp 1990:157; T. Davletov 2001:42-51; Turk Dunyasi 1998:5-11). Another example is similarity of practice of “rag (in Turkish: chaput, in Khakas: chalama) binding”. In addition to that Christianized Turks as well Islamized Turks have protected their common belief Shamanism, which at the same time the belief of their ancestors, and in spite of their newly entered religions have continued to hold it alive. And according to some researchers maybe what is lied under such terms as “Turkic Islam” or “Turkized [or Turkified] Islam”, which in the sense of stiffness quite distinguished from same religious practices of Arab and Persian (S. Gomec 2002:64; E. Aydin 1996:193), is Kam religion. And it is possible that permission to live issued towards old spiritual traditions is caused by Shamanism roots themselves. All of above-mentioned examples are useful in order to argue that elements of Shamanism have a high ability to survive and resist against huge pressures.
Other thing what we may indicate about Shamanism is that it has for a long time been a dominant religion in Siberia (Southern Siberia in particular) The relationship with Nature, Universe, spirits of ancestors and possession ghosts was in different way from other religions based not on fear and prohibitions but on love and esteem. Maybe it was because according to Khakas Shamanism people have believed in eternity of life, which consists of dual cycles of birth and death like as sunrise and sunset, spring and autumn, etc (L. Anzhiganova). And it may be stressed that survival power of Shamanism arises from sentiments of love and esteem.
At the other hand in Southern Siberia there Shamanist people have not established any temple like churches, mosques, etc. Why they have not gone onto institutionalization way? A variety of views may be brought regarding this question. But what is known is that in spite of fact of close knowledge (acquaintance) about Buddhism, Christianity and even Islam as wall as about various temples of these religions, native peoples of Southern Siberia have not established any Shamanist temple whereas Shamanist people of that region have closely known temples of other religions. Moreover in Khakas Republic there were several Maniheist temples of VIII-XI centuries excavated by archaeologists and this situation in any case was recorded also in historical notes of Arabic traveler as Abu Dulaf (L. Kyzlasov 1993: 108-119). But together with that in Khakasia there was not found any temple established with Shamanic aims. Besides of that it may be noted that the Japanese Shintoism (Kami Way) has been affected by Buddhism. And it reflected in the field of temples constructions. The same was happened among Muslim Turks (mosques), Christian Turks (churches), Buddhist Turks (temples), Judaist Turks (synagogues), etc. But Shamanist Turks is an exception because they have not created any temple with worship aims. It is natural result that due to that situation architecture of these Shamanist Turks was lost and been weak. But when we approach towards this topic through Shamanic philosophy then this lost is not so deep because of this situation is not presenting any contradiction and inconsistency to essence of Shamanism according to which men should be free in field of their executions of religious needs such as worship time and place. Maybe it is explainable by saying that ancient Turks were nomads. Together with that archaeologist with conjunction with travel notes of Rashid ad-Din (Reshideddin) have proved that ancient Turks were not only semi-nomadic but at the same they had a civilization of villages and towns (L. Kyzlasov 1993: 108). It means that there has to be another explanation of above-mentioned question. In my view point the explanation is laid in Shamanism’s philosophy of liberty and naturalness. According to Shamanism it is available any place and time for meeting worship needs by men and it is not necessary to erect special temples with that aims (i.e., with aim of worship). Furthermore when a temple erected with aim to meet a need of worship has been destructed by nature created by God for whom given temple was established then there has appeared serious contradiction and inconsistency and it would be expressed by such phrase as “Why this temple created by men with aim only to be closer to God is broken by God created Nature?”. But in Shamanism philosophy, which may be seen as deeply primitive, there at least is no such contradiction in relation to temples or artificial buildings erected with worship aims.
In short, besides of many other explanations and causes for this topic it would be useful to refer to words of Tonyukuk[6] in order to understand that construction of special temples was restricted their liberty and high mobility[7]. I.e., it is partly possible to explain by strategic causes the above outlined situation regarding non-construction of temples.
One of the most important features of Shamanism, which distinguishes it from other religious systems, is that of Shamanism’s reconciliation with Nature. Together with that according to Khakas Shamanism a man is not a super and excellently completed king of Nature but he is only a ring besides of other creatures like flora and fauna, within a chain called the Nature delicate. According to Shamanism man and woman are equal and interdependent, but together with that women have a serious advantage because of first Shaman was a woman. Maybe the prevailing of female heroes in most of Khakas epics are caused by it. Moreover, according to one of the famous Turkish sociologists Ziya Gokalp “thus ancient Turks were both democratic and feministic” (Z. Gokalp 1990: 158-59). These features are also important ones, which distinguish Shamanism from other religious systems.
Other question is on why in Shamanism there is not any codification works for creating written source for it. Or you may ask why in Shamanism there is not any sacred book? It is possible to find many explanations too but according to my point of view it is possible that there were attempts to realize above-mentioned works. Moreover ancient Turks have own quite developed and original writing system and some researchers stated that the minimal period for appearance of any writing system may lasts up to three thousands years. Consequently, if operate by this term then the date of ancient Turkic runic writing system dated by VI-XII centuries may to go far beyond of era (A.D.). Then why these rich folkloric knowledge and intensive and deep philosophy have not been brought to codification? In my point of view a cause of this situation is hidden in the fact that Shamanism is not static but dynamic belief system because life is an action and in life there everything is changeable in dialectic way. Other cause is maybe that Shamanism was as far very deep and complicated philosophy as it was seemed impossible to transfer all this vast knowledge on to written sources. But in spite of absence of any written source of Shamanism, it has during many thousands years shown a great resemblance throughout the world and has been alive even at our days. At the other hand it is known well that when you record (write) a strong word then this one become eternal and gain in the sense of religions influence on society but together with that it is also fact that Kam religion in spite of absence of written sources, has a high adaptability to life’s development, i.e., in Kam religion there is such situation adds dynamism. As a results even this situation is not contradicted to Shamanism philosophy, because of it accept everything in open-ended dialectic way. If codification works on Kam religions were been realized maybe today this religion would be more widespread of the world, because through written sources of religion it is much easier to establish in influence own given society. In addition to that it is much harder spread religion without written sources. Maybe one of causes why any written source has not appeared is this style why any written source has not appeared is this style philosophy according to which Shamanism has no missionary souls and mechanisms. But both situations are not contradicted to Shamanism philosophy. Among Shamans there were a rivalry and each Shaman has used his own methods of treatment. In modern sense it may be called “individualism” whereas we may note that this situation is caused by Shamanic philosophy, which teach us to do not treat as “my truth is true and yours one is wrong”.
In addition to that in metaphysical world of Kam religion there is a high density of various possessive ghosts, toses (ghosts that assist to Shaman), spirits, positive and power under leadership of Ulgen and negative (evil) powers under that of Erlik Khan, ak (white) and kara (black) Shamans, etc. But what is important is that in spite of deep differences between above-mentioned beings there is not any priority and hierarchy among positive and negative powers. This situation is maybe, caused by traditional Shamanist relativism, which in modern world has been discovered only in XX century by A. Enstein. So in Khakas Shamanism in particular, there is no any superiority between metaphysical powers and people have worshiped not only to Gok Tengri (Khan Tigir – Upper world’s realm “God of Erlik”) located above us, but also Chir Ine (Mother Earth) on which we exist. And maybe as a consequence of that in ancient Turkic language concept of Motherland was (and presently in Siberian Turks still is) Yer (earth) and Su (Water) where Yer (Cher) is a mother which feed us and Su (Sugh) is mother’s vital blue veins.
Together with that forests have been percepted by traditional men as hairs of Earth Mother so children have been trained under this respectful perception of environment. In addition to that the density within metaphysical world of Kam religion probably may be understood through such traditional and modern sayings and concepts like “one intelligence is good but two are better”, “think tank”, “team work”, “board of directors”, “thoughts exchange”, “brain storm”, etc. It is possible that the reason of this situation was caused by perception (like to Japanese Kami way - Shintoism) that decision even taken on level of super metaphysic power, may be relatively more weak in comparison with one that accepted through contests process.
In general it is maybe, not so important all above-mentioned features but what is important is high level of vitality and survival ability of Shamanism of ancient Turks and modern Turks of Siberia.
Together with that as was noted above Shamanism has relatively a minimal level of formalism and has no missionary worldview. It is probably that the cause of relatively weak position of Shamanism in front of other religions was and is absence of missionary apparatuses. This situation may be interpreted like following; in spite of real universality of Shamanism it has no any universality hegemony idea and this point is deeply different from universal ideas of hegemony of other religious systems. Besides of that Shamanism has not been terminated and destroyed yet and we hope things like them will occur never in the future too.
Since the end of XX century Shamanism has revived and not only in Siberian region but also throughout the world. There are many explanations that would be applied in order to analyze this process. But one of them is probably such fact that there is no other religion, which at such extent like Shamanism is in accordance with ecology, the value and actuality of which has been increased in recent decades. Furthermore Khakas Shamanism has not been terminated in spite of all negative attempts taken by Czarist and Soviet regimes because of Shaman abilities are transferred between generations both by blood lineage and Shaman’s training. From this point we may forecast that Shamanism will be alive from now on for long time (L. Anzhiganova).
All that I would like to discuss here is to display that in spite of such realities as absence of missionary and invasion ideology, written sources and generally minority position of Shamanism at present time it has within itself a high ability in surviving.
And what I have attempted to contribute here is to show that Shamanism contains serious power to be alive ever in spite of all so-called “disadvantaged” positions mentioned earlier. This power is such power that allows it tolerating towards other religious even when it has hegemonic position within any given society, and surviving and ability to be not assimilated even under conditions of total pressure (including all methods) caused by other religion (s) or regime (as in case of Soviet system).
At final it would be useful to add that Shamanism thanks to its own non-formalist and non-regressive character is open to be developed. And these features of Shamanism have been proven in recent decades by following developments: all Shamans already improve themselves not only in metaphysical realms but also in scientific fields and these developments are very natural and not contradicted to its philosophy. Moreover these progresses have caused by life because Shamans at the present time have to not only be helpful to their patients but also be able to reply and convince them by using and knowing a variety of modern terms from medicine, philosophy, etc, fields (L. Anzhiganova). In addition to that modern men with classical rationalist European educational background are able to contest and question almost all of things, including traditional ones. There are many processes within of which Shamans have exchanged various thoughts and organized discusses regarding probable ways of development of Shamanism. Among Shamans there have developed a ariety of organizations like associations, clubs, leagues, etc. In Khakas republic there is Khakas Traditional Shamanism Center, which may be indicate as an example. Together with that there a number of international conferences on Shamanism have organized and many Russian and foreign researchers have attended there.
It is possible to guess that there is no other religious system, which is more open to science than Shamanism. Moreover, Shamanism is open to every kind of thought, criticism as far as it again shows that this religion is more dynamic and progressive (in the sense of ability to be developed) than static and formalist.
Within this framework all scientific researches conducted and executed towards Shamanism have to be seen and perceived as natural processes. During of these studies a lot of interesting data and results have appeared.
For example S.I. Vainstein and N.P. Moskalenko who are two of leading researchers on Tyvan Shamanism have found out that 47 out of 57 men applied to Kams with various causes have taken positive results. And this qualitative numbers mean approximately 86 percent of successful ends and this rate is relatively enough high one in serious form even for modern medicine. Furthermore, according to above-mentioned scientists these positive results have been taken not only in cases of patients with psychic and neurotic illnesses but also in cases of more complicated and serious sicknesses (L. Anzhiganova).
[[1]] This religion created in IIIrd century in Mesopotamia region by Mani who then was killed, and had a stong position in Iran, but after in Uygur Turks period through Central Asia reached Southern Siberia in VIII-X centuries. See.: Kyzlasov, L.R. (Ed.) “Istoria Khakasii s drevneishikh vremen do 1917 goda” , Moscow, 1993, pp:108-113; Avcioglu, Dogan “Turklerin Tarihi”, Vol. III, Istanbul, 1980, p.:1127, in Aydin, Erdogan “Nasil Musulman Olduk?” [How We Become the Muslims?] Ankara, 1996, p.:177;[[2]] Maybe various subconfessions within religions are results of that situation in which traditional culture of each concrete community is influential too.[[3]] For more detailed ourline on this topic see: Davletov, Timour (2002) “The Past and the Present of Religious Life of Khakas Turks of Siberia in the Light of Interrelation of Religions” (in Turkish) a paper presented at International Congress of Spiritual Centers of Turkic World in Mersin, September 23-27;[[4]] see: Mutlu, Erol (1998) “Iletisim Sozlugu”, Ankara, pp.:92-93, 160-163;[[5]] “Khakas” ethnonym is a transcription of “Kyrgyz” in Chinese of Tang dynasty period.[[6]] Tonyukuk is a name of legendary ancient Turkic stateman known as Bilge Tonyukuk [Tonykok, i.e., a man whom overcoat is blue or originated from sky; and Bilge, i.e., a wiseman].[[7]] Tonyukuk who was a leader of Kok-Turk Khanate’s army and experienced and talented diplomat has replied to those who wanted to spread Buddhism in their state like as following : “Buddhism and Daosism teach to men about good and evil concepts which are obstacles for executing wars and conquests. Construction of temples will brake our ancient tradition as not to be tied with anything...” See: Potapov, L.P. “Altayski Shamanism”, Moscow, 1991, p.:17 in Anzhiganova, L.V. “Traditsionnoie mirovozrenie khakasov. Opyt rekonstruktsii” Abakan, 1997, p.:93;
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