Tatar Women Research Articles

Redefining Home: Adaptive Transnationalism in the Migration of Tatar Women from Russia to Kazakhstan

This study explores the experiences of Tatar women who migrated to Almaty, Kazakhstan following Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Employing theoretical frameworks of transnationalism and intersectionality, we analyze these women's migration experiences, religious practices, and identity formation processes. Based on in-depth interviews with ten Tatar women migrants, the research reveals how they navigate multiple identities, maintain and transform transnational connections, and construct new forms of belonging in their host society. Our findings demonstrate that these women are not merely navigating between two worlds, but actively creating new, transnational ways of being. Their stories highlight how migrants creatively adapt to new environments, negotiate multiple identities, and form communities that transcend traditional national and ethnic boundaries. Drawing on these insights, we propose a new conceptual framework of "Adaptive Transnationalism," which captures the dynamic process through which migrants actively reshape their identities, practices, and social connections in response to new cultural contexts, while maintaining and transforming ties to their places of origin. This framework offers a fresh perspective on how migrants actively shape their experiences and identities across borders, providing a valuable tool for navigating the complexities of modern migration and fostering more inclusive and adaptive societies.

Clothing of the Kazan tatars in the artworks of M.K. Tilke: revisiting the representation of a visual source

An artwork as a scientific unit in the study of the works of M.K. Tilke is an important source category when studying the material aspects of the Tatar heritage. The goal of the research is to study, systematize and introduce visual sources that reproduce the costume complex of the Tatars into scientific circulation. During the research the following tasks were solved: certain types of clothing reproduced in sketches were identified and described; graphic, written sources and surviving material heritage in museum collections were analyzed. The method of historical and ethnographic research was used. The conclusions: each of the artist’s artworks is ethnographically accurate, since the main goal was to reveal the uniqueness, significance and features of the costume complex. Participation in scientific expeditions, consistent study and comparison of graphic, written sources and preserved material heritage in museum collections revealed an accurate reproduction of the cut features. As a researcher, he tried to draw parallels with other peoples, those close in culture, or simply those in interaction with the Tatars. Turning to early historical and ethnographic sources, M. Tilke tried to identify the general and specific in the details of the Tatar women's and men's costume complex.

Парсуна «Сююмбике с сыном Утямышем»: реальный образ или вымысел?

The object of the study is the parsuna “Syuyumbike with her son Utyamysh” as a historical and ethnographic source. The relevance of studying this type of visual materials lies in the possibility of identifying the transformation of Tatar women's costume. Taking into account the accumulated experience of ethnographic research and the preserved early written and visual materials, the article provides a comparative historical analysis of parsuna. The given piece, according to some estimates, dates back to the 17th–18th centuries. According to the author of the article, it was written no earlier than the beginning of the 19th century. The proposed dating is explained by the absence of characteristic elements of the Tatar woman's costume complex on the depicted Syuyumbike, which were present in drawn works of the earlier period. The image of Syuyumbike is reproduced in a young lady’s head-dress, which consists of a cone-shaped hat and a veil, and the woman next to her is wearing a women’s multi-piece head-dress. Taking into account the traditions of varying degrees of head coverage in the complexes of different age groups of Tatar women, we can conclude that the age of the depicted figures is clearly identifiable in the parsuna. The standing child, who is considered Utyamish, taking into account the early traditions of dressing boys in women’s clothing, is dressed in a girlish complex, repeating the image of a mother and a married woman. This is not typical of the traditional culture. In the 1850s edition, a similar piece was published, but “Syuyumbike” was not indicated in the title, which allows us to assume that that image was later included in an already existing image with reproduction of the clothes of young Tatar girls and married women.

ХХ гасыр башында татар хатын-кызлары күзлегеннән милләт проблемалары

The turn of the 19th – 20th centuries in the Tatar society is characterized by a time of comprehending the past and defining tasks for the future development of Tatar identity. At this time, a discussion about self-designation of the people is unfolding on the pages of periodicals; Tatar intellectuals share their vision of the concepts of “nation” and “national”. Along with the male part of the Tatar society, Tatar women join in the discussion of important issues. The author of the article sets the following goal: to analyse the position of Tatar women regarding national issues and their activities in defending their own views. The novelty of the study is that it is the forst attempt to consider the issue of the national identity of the Tatars and the prospects for the Tatar nation’s development through the prism of a woman’s perspective. It is of much importance since women are directly related to the upbringing of the younger generation, which determines the nature of the development of the national community. The study revealed that Tatar women of the early 20th century actively entered into debate about the name of the Tatar people and acted as a defender of the Tatar ethnonym. They participated in the formation of a strategy for the development of the Tatars’ national identity. Priority tasks facing the Tatars, in their opinion, include the preservation of the physical health of the people. After that spiritual development can be discussed. Tatar women call religion and the Tatar language the basis of the nation. The development strategy of the nation, according to the vision of Tatar women, should be based on education and enlightenment. Tatar women of the early 20th century took upon themselves the responsibility to realise activities for educating the younger generation, wrote books on the topic, and were actively involved in organising women's education. The author cites sources from the Tatar periodical press of the early 20th century, which reflect Tatar women’s point of view of on the problem of the identity of the Tatar people.

«Национальный женский вопрос»: введение

The article opens a special issue of the journal “Historical Ethnology”, dedicated to the Tatar woman. Its authors, who acted as compilers and scientific editors of the issue, substantiate the research focus, chronology and source base of the published materials. The emphasis on Tatar women as an object of a special study is explained by their active social and professional stand during the period of the Russian Empire and the USSR. The coverage of these two historical periods made it possible to identify the ethnospecific logic of integrating Tatar women into large-scale political and social phenomena. The bulk of the articles included in the issue are accompanied by the publication of materials from state archives, ego-documents, literary works, articles from Tatar newspapers and magazines of the pre-revolutionary period, inaccessible to most researchers. Their introduction into scientific circulation, according to the authors of the introductory article, strengthens the possibilities of a diachronic approach to the analysis of the ethnosocial field from a historical perspective. Giving a brief overview of the articles in the issue, the authors of the introduction come to the conclusion that in the era of bourgeois reforms, along with the traditional care for family and children for women, her role in the society is strengthening; her desire for education and educational activities is intensifying. With the advent of the Soviet system, which proclaimed gender equality of the sexes, the burden on women increases both in their personal life and in the public sphere. At the same time, Tatar women retain their most important purpose – educating and bringing up the younger generation.

Просветительская и образовательная деятельность женщин-татарок в советском Туркменистане

The article examines the contribution of Tatar women teachers to the education of the Turkmen people and to the training of national teaching staff for the Soviet Socialistic Republic of Turkmenistan in the first years of Soviet regime. The article explores the example of Gulnar Dzhanbekovna Karly, the oldest teacher of the Turkmen State University named after Magtymguly. The author analyses the life path, scholarly and pedagogical work of the prominent Tatar woman, who during her half-century of fruitful work took an active part in the training of highly qualified young historian scholars of Turkmenistan and in the development of school textbooks. The article reveals how representatives of the Karly pedagogical dynasty, at least five generations of educators, including mullahs, teachers and lectors, selflessly served their people, the people of Turkmenistan and the profession of a historian scholar.

Татар кызлары Россия империясе югары уку йортларында (XIX гасыр ахыры – XX гасыр башы)

This article provides archival information about Tatar girls who studied at Russian universities at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. It informs about the educational institutions they attended, admission to schools and the learning environment conditions. During that period, women received education mainly in St. Petersburg. Raziya Kutluyarova was the first among Tatar ladies to study at higher medical courses. It is also known that Amina Batyrshina studied at that school, who later became famous as a doctor and public figure in the city of Baku. In addition, young Tatar women studied specialties related to various sectors of the national economy – polytechnics, trade, literary history, and natural sciences. Higher courses open to women were financed by private donations and from students’ income. Therefore, not everyone could study there. It is known that in 1906–1918 twelve Tatar ladies studied at the Faculty of History and Philology of Kazan Higher Courses. The article also touches on the issue of social activities of Tatar girls who received higher education. Among the girls who completed the courses, there are those who continued to receive higher education and engage in science. One of them, Maryam Gubaidullina, studied at the Kazan North-Eastern Institute of Archeology and Ethnography, gave lectures on the topic “Ethnography of the Kazan Tatars.” As an appendix to the article, a list of Tatar ladies who studied at women's higher courses before the October Revolution is presented.

Багъбостан Мөэминова һәм аның Оренбургтагы кызлар мәктәбе (икенчел анализ материаллары нигезендә)

The study is dated to 140th anniversary of the birth of the outstanding representative of the Tatar people, Bagbustan Vildanovna Mukminova (1884–1963). She is a well-known educator, teacher and author of numerous articles on women’s issues. Thanks to her, in 1908 the first new-method school, the Bagbustan School, was opened in Orenburg, which operated until 1918. Baghbustan Khanum resumes summer pedagogical courses created at the turn of the 19th – 20th centuries on the initiative of Gabdulgani Khusainov in the village of Kabanovo, Burzyan-Kipchak Volost, Orenburg Province. She is one of the first Tatar women to receive an official certificate from the Orenburg Muslim Spiritual Assembly, which allowed teaching activities. B. Mukminova went to Turkey in 1914 to study teaching experience and improve education. There she seeked permission to enter the parliament and spoke before local deputies. That was an unheard of event for Turkey and was covered by the Turkish press. The presented article presents the biographical facts and principal directions of B.V. Mukminova’s pedagogical activities. The study is based on a secondary analysis of information from the book “Un ellyk gyilmi hezmat”, dedicated to the 10th anniversary of Baghbustan School and its leader's pedagogical work. The book, prepared by members of the Orenburg Muslim Women’s Society, describes the history of the Bagbustan School from the first days of its existence, mentions people who provided material and moral support to the school, lists the subjects taught, discloses the income and expenses of the educational institution, and highlights the work of pedagogical courses. The publication describes in detail Baghbustan Khanum's trip to Turkey and contains the memoirs of the teacher of the Ak-Mechet girls’ school, Hermez Muhammedova, who was a participant in the summer pedagogical courses. Particular attention is given to the note about Baghbustan Khanum from the Turkish newspaper “Tasfire Afkar”.

О роли татарских женщин в развитии театрального искусства Туркестана в конце XX – начале XX вв.

The article analyses the emergence of theater as one of the types of European art in Turkestan in late 19th – early 20th centuries. The author reveals the significant role of the Tatar theater troupes “Sayar” and “Nur”, Tatar actresses S. Gizzatullina-Volzhskaya, F.I. Kudasheva, and F. Ilskaya in this process. The influence of Tatar women playwrights on Uzbek creative youth is shown. This was manifested in two facts: the publication of the first play by an Uzbek writer, which became the forerunner for a women’s literary school in Turkestan, and the appearance of actresses among Uzbek women who starred in the first Soviet films. The emergence of an amateur troupe from among the local population, growth in the number of clubs and theater groups, which consisted mainly of women, indicated an increase in the social activity of Turkestan women. Considerable attention is paid to the analysis of interactions between Tatar and local national progressives in the formation of theatrical art in Turkestan.

«Лично я мечтала стать учительницей»: советские автобиографии татарских женщин

The article presents fragments of autobiographies and memoirs of the 1960s, written by activists of the Tatar women's movement of the revolutionary years. Koyash Valitova (born in 1898), Zukhra Baimbetova (1899), Bylbyl Ilyasova (1898), Bibikhatyma Alaberdina (1901), Zeinab Bashirova (1903) worked in schools or were planning to become teachers before the revolution of 1917; during Soviet times, these women were involved in the propaganda and political work. An analysis of fragments of ego-documents showed that Soviet autobiographies of Tatar women have an element of “fight”, clashes with various forces (in the family, society). Intra-family conflicts were a characteristic feature of the ego-documents of Tatar female teachers. Moreover, Soviet representations kept silent about some features of pre-revolutionary Tatar everyday life and emphasized the cultural backwardness of Muslims. A comprehensive analysis allowed us to highlight individual details of pre-revolutionary life and refute the established stereotypes. The author concludes that the use of these documents in scientific research is possible only as a supplement to less biased sources of other types.

BRCA-associated ovarian cancer in the russian patient population. Analysis of the non-interventional study Ovatar

Purpose: To evaluate the proportion of BRCA1 / 2 mutations in patients with serous and endometrioid cancer of the ovary, fallopian tube, and peritoneum in Russia, to evaluate the percentage of germinal and somatic mutations, to identify the spectrum of mutations in BRCA1 / 2 genes, to evaluate clinical and morphological features of the BRCA-associated ovarian cancer (OC).Patients and methods: The study enrolled patients of 18 years and older with newly diagnosed serous and endometrioid cancer of the ovary, fallopian tube, and peritoneum. Biological material (blood, tumor tissue) was collected, followed by molecular genetic analysis. The method of mutations detecting in the blood were: allele-specific PCR, high-resolution melting (HRM), Sanger sequencing method. Advanced genetic testing included the use of generation sequencing (NGS) and multiplex amplification of ligated probes (MLPA). The collection of clinical data, family history, clinical and morphological characteristics of the tumor was performed.Results: 500 patients were included in the study, the evaluation of BRCA1 / 2 mutations was performed in 496 patients (99,2 %). The frequency of BRCA1 / 2 mutations in the Russian patient population was 28,4 % (n = 141 / 496). The incidence of germinal mutations was 23,5 % (n = 117 / 141), and somatic — 4,8 % (n = 24 / 141). Frequent mutations in the Russian population were identified in 50 % of cases. When analyzing the ethnicity of patients in the Russian Federation BRCA-associated OC was most common in Russian (83,6 %, n = 118 / 141), Ukrainian (4,2 %, n = 6 / 141) and Tatar (3,5 %, n = 5 / 141) women. A family history of cancer was detected in 44 % of patients (n = 62 / 141) with BRCA1 / 2 mutations.Conclusions: Due to the high frequency of germinal and somatic BRCA1 / 2 mutations in the Russian patients it is recommended to conduct the advanced testing methods not only in blood samples but also in tumor tissue.

Частная жизнь татарской женщины дореформенной эпохи (на примере Мензелинского уезда)

The article restores the social and economic status of Tatar women based on documents of Orenburg Mokhammedan Religious Assembly (OMRS), state audit documents, acts of civil status, and journalistic materials of the 19th-early 20th centuries. The Menzelinsk Uyezd had class specifics and was a part of the military (canton) administration. The chronology of the article starts from the late 18th century and continues until the mid–1860s, due to the fact that at the time the state authorities approved certain laws on marriage and family life of Muslims of the Russian Empire: they changed the age of marriage and legalised inter-class marriages, the OMRS began to regulate marital disputes and inheritance cases. The author places the main focus on the marriage and family aspect of private life and includes many archival examples related to the Tatar women of the Menzelinsk Uyezd. Tatar women turned to OMRS when they needed a divorce or permission to remarry, etc. Women were independent subjects of Muslim and civil law, but they always acted with the support of their relatives. Images of Tatar women in the first half of the 19th century presented in publicistic works are a bit static. Russian authors described only the look of a Tatar woman, the cost of her clothes, accessories, etc. The Tatar view was focused on the composition of the woman’s family (to whom she was married, how many children she had). The article presents the biographies of three Tatar women from the Menzelinsy Uyezd: Kurypla Imanaeva, Gulbadar Akhtyamova, and Khasiba Arduanova. Each case illustrates the main trends in everyday life in the first half of the 19th century (military service problems, the cholera epidemic, etc.). The everyday objects played an important role in interpersonal relations and conflicts. At the same time, in the second half of the 19th century, the Tatar society had an ideal of not only a hard-working and religious woman, but also an educated woman.

Tatar women of the Kasimov region in the first half of the XX c.

Tatar women of the Kasimov region in the first half of the XX c.

Татарский пласт в системе терминов родства бесермян

The purpose of this study is to identify and systematize the terms of kinship of Tatar origin in the Beserman dialect. The terms of kinship in the Udmurt language are relatively well studied. However, the terminology of Tatar origin as a separate lexico-semantic layer has not previously been considered in publications. Meanwhile, the study of such vocabulary can help shed light on the problems of the ethnogenesis of the Besermans, which is very important. This study was carried out mainly on the basis of T. I. Teplyashina’s monograph “The Language of the Besermans” and her field notes. The goals were achieved using descriptive and statistical methods, as well as the method of etymological analysis. Thirty-two Beserman terms of Tatar origin were identified and systematized, which allowed a new look at Besermian-Tatar contacts. In one of the periods, Besermans and Tatars had very close relationships up to interethnic marriages. The presence of special terms denoting the relatives of the husband among the Besermans, which are absent in other Udmurt dialects but correspond to the terms of the Chepetsk Tatars, may indicate that not only Besermian women married Tatars, but also Tatar women married Beserman men.

In memory of Ziya Kamali (1873–1942) (to the 150th anniversary of his birth)

The year 2023 will be marked by the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Russian Muslim religious and public figure, theologian, teacher-reformer and educator Ziya Kamali (1873–1942). Anniversary events can serve as a good tool for analyzing trends and prospects for studying the creative heritage of the thinker. The relevance of the topic is due to the growing interest of researchers in the heritage of the thinkers of the Muslim East, the historical experience of various cultural and civilizational traditions in the modern multicultural and multi-confessional society in Russia and globalization in the world. This publication is intended to reflect the main milestones in the life and career of the hero of the day. Particular attention is focused on the personal contribution of Kamali to the formation and development of the Jadid Madrasah "Galiya" (Ufa, 1906–1919), as well as the Tatar women's education in Ufa. Under the leadership of Kamali, Galiya Madrasah became one of the leading Russian Muslim educational institutions, and the summer pedagogical courses organized by the Tatar theologian turned into a kind of educational and methodological center for Russian Muslim teachers. Descriptions are based on prior literature. In addition, for the reconstruction of the creative biography of the famous Jadid, both unpublished archival materials and published sources, in particular, the Tatar pre-revolutionary press, were involved.
 For citation: Akhtyamova A.V. In memory of Ziya Kamali (1873–1942) (to the 150th anniversary of his birth). From History and Culture of Peoples of the Middle Volga Region. 2023, vol.13, no.2, pp.128–142. https://doi.org/10.22378/2410-0765.2023-13-2.128-142 (In Russian)

Muzułmanki w ruchu narodowym Tatarów krymskich od końca XIX wieku. Narodziny aktywizmu kobiet, rola historyczna i pozycja społeczna

Muslim Women in the National Movement of Crimean Tatars since the Late Nineteenth Century. The Birth of Women’s Activism, Their Historic Role and Social Position The socio-political movement of Crimean Tatars since the second half of the nineteenth century, aiming for political and territorial autonomy in Crimea, is traditionally associated with the name of its iconic leader Mustafa Dzhemilev. Meanwhile, a closer look at the nation’s struggle to reach its goals allows us to also see the role of women by no means reduced to the function of mothers and wives of activists. Examples can be drawn from the dawn of the movement to the present day, describing the profiles of prominent female figures whose socio-political activities have influenced the formation of the modern national and religious identity of Crimean Tatars. This publication presents a description and analysis of the role women played in the history of the nation during its independence movement. Using the example of outstanding silhouettes, the author demonstrates that Crimean Tatar women activists often performed key tasks at the most decisive moments of history, which in no small measure influenced the relatively high position of Muslim women in the social hierarchy of the nation.

Interpretation of symbols of female destiny in the novel “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes” by G. Yakhina

Many aspects of the life of Tatar women of the past remain obscure for others, which is substantiated by the tradition. This prompts the study of the topic in the genre of literary realism. Analysis is conducted on the fate of Tatar woman in the novel “Zuleikha Opens Her Eyes” by G. Yakhina. The hermeneutical method reveals the key symbols of life of the woman, which reveal what is hidden. Such symbols as coffer, kiln, baby cradle, bird, son, honey embody the feminine principle and have national roots. The symbol of train resembles the progress and new foundations of existence, which partially disclose the hidden aspects of the life of Tatar women. Social changes affected the fate of Tatar women, giving an opportunity for self-realization and attainment of happiness. The novelty of this research lies in the analysis of the hidden in the life of Tatar women, dynamics of its evolution in the context of shift in sociocultural dominants caused by historical development. The acquired conclusions can be valuable in reconstruction of the fate of Tatar women of the XIX – XX centuries, determination of the finest nuances and details unknown to others, as well as restoration of the cultural-historical picture of their everyday practices. The interpretation of fate of the heroine of the novel through symbols allows applying a similar method to the analysis of other literary works dedicates to the female theme in culture.

Фатыйма-Фәридә Нәүрүзова истәлегенә ачылачак мәктәпкә нигез салу мәрасиме

The presented article analyzes the solemn ceremony of opening a girls’ school in the village of Karakashly, Aktanysh district in 1915, which was founded in honour of enlightener, the first jourmalist among Tatar women Fatima-Farida Nauruzova. The article describes a brief biography of F.-F. Nauruzova, touches upon the vital issues of that era raised by her on the pages of the “Sibiria” newspaper, including women’s status in the family and society, all-girls schools for Tatars, the status of female teachers etc., mentions the names of many individuals who contributed to the construction of the school.

Muslim female education in the city of Chistopol, Kazan province (the late 19<sup>th</sup> – early 20<sup>th</sup> centuries)

At the end of the 19th century, the total amount of Tatars in Chistopol (Kazan province) were 24.5% of all the townspeople. However, the history of the city’s Muslim communities in the pre-revolutionary period are among the poorly studied scientifi c problems. The information about Muslim female education in Chistopol in the late 19th and early 20th centuries is very fragmentary. This exact research embraced the analyses of various documents and materials, including photographs from museum collections. Moreover, the article presents the biography of a famous Tatar journalist of the early 20th century, born in Chistopol - FatimaFarida Vagapova (Navruzova) (1889–1914) and describes her long journey to knowledge. Until 1917, in Chistopol there were three Tatar educational institutions: two madrasahs and a Russian-Tatar school. In 1913, 355 girls studied in this schools. The article analyzes the main problems of Tatar women’s schools formation and development, reveals the information about the staff of these educational centers. The author provides a conclusion that the decisive role in the development of Muslim female education in Chistopol belonged to the representatives of Muhammetzakir Ishan Kamalov (1818–1893) clan and to the other residents of the city close to this family.

Genome-wide polygenic analysis of multiple sclerosis markers

Objective: to perform a genome-wide polygenic analysis of multiple sclerosis (MS) markers in the ethnic groups of Bashkirs, Russians, and Tatars living in the Republic of Bashkortostan (Russian Federation).Patients and methods. Genotyping was performed using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of genes of the human leukocyte differentiation antigens CD6 (rs17824933), CD40 (rs6074022), CD58 (rs2300747), CD86 (rs9282641), transcription factors SOX8 (rs2744148) and ZBTB46 (rs6062314), beta-mannosidase MANBA (rs228614), C-type lectin domain CLEC16A (rs12708716), ribosomal protein S6 kinase B1 RPS6KB1 (rs180515), and long noncoding RNA gene PVT1 (rs759648) in 644 patients with MS and 1408 controls. Multilocus analysis of the disease associations with combinations of genotypes and alleles of the studied polymorphic loci was performed using the APSampler algorithm.Results and discussion. We determined the distribution of genotype and allele frequencies of the studied polymorphic loci in the ethnic groups of Bashkirs, Russians, and Tatars. We also observed disease associations with CD58 (rs2300747) and RPS6KB1 (rs180515) polymorphic loci in Russian men, CD86 (rs9282641) in Russian, PVT1 (rs759648) in Tatar women, CD40 (rs6074022) in Bashkir men, and identified 19 combinations of genotypes and/or alleles significantly associated with MS.Conclusion. Based on the genome-wide polygenic analysis of MS markers, we identified ethno- and gender-specific combined markers of the disease susceptibility.