Once more about Tuesdays

Details

Published on Tuesday, 27 February 2018 17:22

Hits: 1208

One of our national-spiritual values inherited by our ancestors is the Novruz holiday. "Boyuk Chille" continues for 40 days, starting at the beginning of the winter and "Kichik Chille" in the next 20 days before the Novruz celebration. 

According to the folk calendar, Kichik Chille ends on February 19, and "Boz ay" begins. It is also known among the people as "alachalpov", "chille beche", "aghlar-guler" and so on. Boz ay continues from the end of kichik chille to the first day of the spring - March 21st. The name of Boz ay is related to its being cloudy, rainy, windy, sometimes sunny and changeable. There is a saying about Boz ay among the people: "Boz ay bozara-bozara kecher". This is due to weather conditions. Boz ay between Novruz and kichik chille reflects the transition from winter to spring. Boz ay is also known as a holiday month among the people. Boz ay, known for various names, has 4 Tuesdays. In Nakhchivan, the most ancient settlement in Azerbaijan, Tuesdays have been named as WATER – EARTH – WIND –  FIRE.

In our folklore memory, there is the idea of ​​the creation of man in four stages. The Creator first took the water, mixed it with soil and prepared a human model, then gave it a spirit (breath, air), and eventually provided it with heat (settled in a solar system). Thus, the order of creation by the God was reflected in these Tuesdays to thank the Creator.

We see this order in the epic of "Creation", the oldest Turkish epic. As we know, "Creation" is the first epic which is about the creation of the world. There are many variants of it. In one of these variant it is said that at the beginning, everywhere was covered with water. The God became the bird Ulgen and was flying above the water. He did not find a place to perch, and the sound coming from the sky told him to perch a stone that appeared through the water (EARTH). Ulgen thought of the creation of the earth after perching that stone. He did not know how to do it. Meanwhile, the female spirit (Spirit-Breath-Wind) explained him how to create. He created Erlik looked like him - FIRE. 

According to the legends of ancient Sumer, there were gods in the past, and the whole world was covered with deep water. The goddess Nammu took the mud from the deep water and shaped it as them and then blew breath (WIND) to it. Then she gave the heat (FIRE) to it.

These Tuesdays preserve the sequence of revival of nature in its essence of holiness. So, when kichik chille ends, the weather gets warm. At first, the water begins to heat up. Then the soil warms up. After the soil warming, a cold and warm air exchange process occurs. Wind is formed of the change of the Cold and Hot Air Flow, which is also known to us in the geographical environment of nature. The new, hot air flow - the wind warms the air. In the end, after the heat of the previous elements, we feel the heat of the Sun. People and nature, living and non-living beings are all aware of it. Thus, the system of beliefs of our ancestors had been formed, they believed the Water, the Earth, the Wind and the Fire, and various rituals and ceremonies related to each of these elements had been organized, and these four Tuesdays are among them. 

So what are the traditions of Tuesdays?

The first Tuesday of Boz ay is the Water Tuesday, known as "Ezel (first) Tuesday". According to the belief of the Azerbaijani people, spring begins with the water. People say that from this day the water gets power. That's why this Tuesday is due to renewal of water. People believe, water becomes fresh in this Tuesday. Warm weather melts the frozen water. The ethnographic materials show that people should go to the sources of water but not bring water. The tradition of going to the sources of water and taking water from there is belonging to the morning of the last Tuesday of the year. According to the belief of people, that day whatever you want will come true. 

On the eve of the Water Tuesday, water ditches, springs, fountains and gutters are cleaned, restoration work was carried out.

The second Tuesday of Boz ay is the Earth Tuesday. In this Tuesday, the warm weather and blooming are the preview of Novruz. The soil wakes up and shows that it is already ready for planting. People say, "Jamra, that is, the heat is falling to the ground". Steam rises from the ground, so the soil is hot, and it is time to begin spring planting. In particular, barley should be planted at that time. According to the people's belief, wheat seeds should be sown on Earth Tuesday, the symbol of abundance. Samani should be grown on this Tuesday, so it'll be ready for the last Tuesday.

It is noted in the literature that in the early Middle Ages, Azerbaijan held a holiday called "Isfandakan" dedicated to agriculture. Later, this holiday was called the Earth Tuesday. From this Tuesday, mint grows on the edges of the rivers. People spring-clean the yards and gardens. They prune trees and branches, get rid of waste and burn them and spade the gardens.

Soil is a real vital being that provides people with the necessary nutritional requirements. The soil says, "Kill me and I give you a life". According to countless folklore examples, the soil is a fundamental element of human existence and activity.

In the folk calendar, the third Tuesday of Boz ay is the Wind Tuesday. The wind blows on the Wind Tuesday and changes several times a day. These changes are considered as air purification. This wind is called "Expected wind".

Some researchers say that the wind was named as expected wind because it blows at a certain time of the year (the wind blowing at expected time). People also call it the "Alayaz wind" (alayaz is the herb name). There is a saying that if "alayaz wind" blows, it means spring comes. It is not known in what direction this wind is blowing. Accordingly, in Nakhchivan, it is said, "He/she is alayaz wind, blows hither and thither" to the people who are not straightforward.

The others say that "expected wind" is the wind of spring. When it begins to blow, it helps the trees to awaken, and the migratory birds to come. Migratory birds (stork, crane, swallow) are considered the first precursor of the spring. The real spring begins with the arrival of these birds.

The Fourth and the Last Tuesday, known as the "Last Tuesday of the Year" is the Fire Tuesday. Its name is associated with the ancient beliefs, worship of the sun and the fire. Many years ago people sanctified the fire as a symbol of the sun, which revives nature and land. In the past, people had such a belief that the more they value it, the more quickly nature awakens, and people will be happier. Herodotus wrote that Massagetaens, the ancient Turkic tribes, considered the Sun the only God and sacrifice animals for the Sun.

According to the ethnographic material, the ashes of the fire burning on the Fire Tuesday, were sprinkled in three places, and made their cattle and sheep walk over the ashes. These ashes were not as a heap. This situation would not bring good luck at home. According to the information given by the old in Payiz village of Babak region, the ash is thrown into the running water.

People build fire and set off fireworks. The people who gathered around the fire, jumping over it, believe they'll get rid of hardship from the old year and live happily in the new year. They are saying, "May all my unluckiness, sorrow, hardship and unhappiness burn in this fire". They believe, a person jumping over the fire will not get sick anymore, and he/she'll be untroubled. There were also traditions that sick animals and newborn lambs jump over the fire. They sprinkled the ashes of fire, as symbols of blessing and abundance to the fields of crops, chickens and cattle. In order to protect from the evil forces, the ashes are put on the four corners of the house.

Nakhchivan people celebrate "Ilakhir chershenbe" more flamboyantly than others. According to the ethnographic materials, the preparations for the last Tuesday begin after kichik chille. First of all, the chimneys, yards and houses are cleaned. They call it "Kule-kule". On the same day close relatives go to their mourning relatives' homes, get permission from the old, clean their houses, change their mourning clothes. In such houses, all items should be replaced, so that there will be no "dirt" at home. Along with a number of activities at this holiday, spring-field work is also done.

On Tuesday, there is a custom to go to the cemetery to commemorate the deceased. This tradition among the people is called "Day of fathers and grandfathers", "Arafa" (between the old and the new year). According to this custom, everyone remembers the spirits of their dead ancestors. On Tuesday relatives, neighbors go to the mourning houses and burn Tuesday fire for them. Because being in mourning in a new year does not bring success.

At the Last Tuesday, everybody cooks plov, delicious meals, decorates "khoncha". In Garabaghlar, Givrag and Yurdchu villages of Kangarli region people take Novruz rice and put them in the roots of the trees so that they will be fruitful. There is also a habit to tie a red cloth to the trees and bury henna at the roots of fruitless trees as a symbol of glorification on that day.

Everyone is sitting at the table after making fires. If someone is not at home that day it means he/she will not be at home in seven years. When it's evening, boys knock at the door, throw their hats down and hide. The homeowner finds the hat, fills it with Tuesday gifts and places it back outside the door for its owner to come and collect it. Young girls go to “ear divination”, make a wish and approach their neighbors’ doors to discover if their wish will come true in the next year or not. The people also try to talk positively on that day. 

One of the most interesting customs is to go to the water sources on the day after "Last Tuesday" before sunrise. In some regions, this tradition is called "novbashi". First of all, people get up early in the morning, go to the edge of the spring and jump over the water. While they jump over the water, they say, "My God, give us plenty of sustenance", and throw wheat into the water. In some villages of the Shahbuz region, they say, "God, let our family and relatives live in peace" and throw currants into the water. They wash their hands and drink a little water. They believe this is a medicine for the pain, and those who drink it will recover. They also splash "Tuesday water" on one another.

The women take seven stones from the spring. In Sharur, they say, "a child, wealth, blessing" and take three stones from the water. They put these stones into pitchers and purses, so that they'll be plentiful. According to another custom, they picked up trash and burned under the boiling milk for prosperity.

In these traditions, traces of the worship of our ancestors to the Water, the Earth, the Wind, and the Fire are clear. The Azerbaijani Turks and the entire Turkic world have always believed in these sacred elements.

We say to our people may your water be clean, your soil be fertile, your wind be moving, your fire be hot. 

Elkhan Mammadov,

The Head of Folklore Department of

Art, Language and Literature Institute of Nakhchivan Branch of ANAS

Asaf ORUCOV,

The Head of Ethnography Department of

History, Ethnography and Archeology Institute of Nakhchivan Branch of ANAS

• < Prev
• Next >