The Kalmyks: A Handbook (Caucasus World: Peoples of the Caucasus)

Provides a comprehensive introduction to the Kalmyk people. This book gives an overview of the Kalmyks, focusing on many facets of the Kalmyk culture, including language use, the traditional nomadic economy and dwellings, Kalmyk family and gender relationships, rites of passage, food and clothing, folk crafts, Kalmyk religion, and more. This Book Provides An Original And Fascinating Perspective On A Little-known Asiatic People, Whose History And Culture Have Become Intertwined With That Of Europe. Providing A Comprehensive Introduction To The Kalmyk People, The Twelve Chapters Provide A Broad Overview Of The Kalmyk Way Of Life By Exploring Many Diverse Themes, Including: History; Diaspora And Identity; Language; Economy; The Family; Gender; Food, Dress And Ornament; Religion And The Arts; And Ethnicity And Ideas Of Nationhood. Written By A Leading Kalmyk Academic, This Practical Guide To The Kalmyk People Will Be A Valuable Resource For All Those Interested In The Caucasus Region.--book Jacket. Pages Of History : From Medieval Oirats To Contemporary Kalmyks -- Deportation As A Collective Trauma : Thirteen Years, Thirteen Days -- Diaspora And Identity -- Language And Ethno-linguistic Situation -- Traditional Economy And Dwelling -- Family And Gender Stereotypes -- Life Cycle Rites -- Food, Dress And Ornament -- Folk Handicrafts And Decorative-applied Arts -- Religion, The Calendar And Festivals -- Folk Arts And Epic -- The Leader Of The Nation And The Idea Of Nationhood. Elza-bair Guchinova ; Translated By David C. Lewis. Errata Slip Inserted. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [247]-257) And Index. The Kalmyks are in a unique position among the peoples of Europe in several respects, most conspicuously as being the only Buddhist people group in Europe. Until recently they had been a nomadic people, grazing their flocks and herds in the steppe lands north of the Caspian Sea, between the Volga river and the Caucasus mountains. Nowadays, with Russia’s transition to a post-Communist state, the relatively young President of Kalmykia stands out as being a self-made millionaire who has helped put his region 'on the map' not only by promoting economic ties with Japan and the West but also by hosting an international chess Olympiad. This practical guide written by a Kalmyk anthropologist, provides a comprehensive introduction to the Kalmyk people. The wide-ranging chapters give an overview of the Kalmyks, focusing on many facets of the Kalmyk culture, including language use, the traditional nomadic economy and dwellings, Kalmyk family and gender relationships, rites of passage, food and clothing, folk crafts, Kalmyk religion and the role of folklore and epic in Kalmyk culture. The Kalmyks provides an original and fascinating perspective on little-known Asiatic people whose history and culture have become intertwined with that of Europe. Cover The Kalmyks Copyright Contents Illustrations Preface Foreword Map of Kalmykia Introduction 1 Pages of history: From medieval Oirats to contemporary Kalmyks 2 Deportation as a collective trauma: Thirteen years, thirteen days 3 Diaspora and identity 4 Language and the ethno-linguistic situation 5 Traditional economy and dwelling 6 Family and gender stereotypes 7 Life cycle rites 8 Food, dress and ornament 9 Folk handicrafts and decorative-applied arts 10 Religion, the calendar and festivals 11 Folk arts and epic 12 The leader of the nation and the idea of nationhood Conclusions: Metamorphoses in Kalmyk ethnicity in a period of transformations Appendix A: Population figures for Kalmykia Appendix B: Kalmyk kinship terms Glossary of main Kalmyk terms used Notes Bibliography Index Pages of history : from medieval Oirats to contemporary Kalmyks Deportation as a collective trauma : 13 years, 13 days Diaspora and identity Language and ethno-linguistic situation Traditional economy and dwelling Family and gender stereotypes Life-cycle rites Food, dress and ornament Folk handicrafts and decorative-applied arts Religion, the calendar and festivals Folk arts and epic The leader of the nation and the idea of nationhood. This highly practical guide from this leading Kalmyk expert provides comprehensive coverage of the Kalmyk people, focusing on many facets of the Kalmyk culture, including language use, the traditional nomadic economy and dwellings, Kalmyk family and gender relationships, rites of passage, food and clothing, folk crafts, and Kalmyk religion. Translated by David C. Lewis Elza-Bair Guchinova is a Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. David C. Lewis is a Research Associate of the Mongolia and Inner Asia Studies Unit, University of Cambridge.