Family Relics, Inherited Skills and Gifts

This video features stories of three Kalmyk women, namely Ekaterina Dorzhieva, Anna Antonova, and Galina Tikeeva.

Ekaterina’s mother was an accomplished singer. Ekaterina’s two sisters, one of whom is 87 years old and the other 84, are also good singers and dancers and can skilfully play on the national musical instrument, the dombra. Younger members of the family have also inherited artistic skills. In her youth Ekaterina sang well and was even invited to join a local House of Culture. But she declined the offer and did not develop her singing skills further.

Anna’s grandfather on her maternal side was a man of many skills. He played dombra and could work with wood, metal, bones, and pelt. Anna’s maternal grandmother was also a good singer and dombra player. This skill was passed on to Anna’s mother. Anna’s husband Pavel and his siblings are good at calligraphy and writing, which they have inherited from their father. Anna and Pavel’s children have inherited the best from both paternal and maternal sides: they can sing, dance, play dombra, and are good at writing.

Galina had a famous ancestor, Nim bagshi, who was a Buddhist monk who emigrated to the US following the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia. Galina says that Nim bagshi’s wisdom has been passed on to his descendants, including Batyr Elistaev who is a well-known Buddhist lama and scholar in Kalmykia.

Alexandra talks about the Diamond sutra that she inherited from her great grandmother. The sutra was kept by Alexandra’s mother upon whose death it was given to Alexandra’s brother. Since he and his wife were keen on alcohol, and therefore could not look after the sutra properly, Alexandra decided to take it to a temple to have it purified. At the temple she was told that she could keep the sutra herself.

For her son, who will eventually inherit the sutra, Alexandra consecrated a statue of Buddha and sent it via his friend to Moscow. The friend arrived in Moscow safe and sound. After he handed the statue over to the recipient and returned to his car, he found one of the wheels had gone flat. Alexandra interprets this story as follows. The statue must have protected the driver all the way to Moscow keeping the wheel pumped up.

Andrei’s father was a monk who cured both sick children and adults, although Andrei himself cures only children and women who recently gave birth. He also purifies cattle barns. Andrei’s father started curing people when the family returned from Siberia. Andrei’s grandfather also cured people. According to Andrei, healing abilities are inherited through the paternal line and women should not practice healing.

When Andrei was younger, his father wanted him to cure people. But Andrei wanted none of this. When he was 35, Andrei fell ill and was on the verge of death. He spent time in the hospital and decided to renounce drinking and smoking and to accept his curing abilities. Andrei distanced himself from his friends and paid a visit to a monk who gave him a Buddhist icon. After this Andrei recovered.

As a folk healer Andrei cannot go out to parties, visit other people’s houses, drink tea from other people’s cups. He stays at home, close to his gods and domestic altar, and keeps ritual purity. The gods on his altar are as follows: Tsagan Aav, the gods of the Ikh Bagud clan as well as those given to him as a present when he accepted his healing abilities during a special ritual. Andrei also uses his father’s rosary during healing rituals.

As a practitioner of ‘Kalmyk belief’, Andrei says that he cannot go to Buddhist temples. He reads his prayers in Kalmyk.

In this interview Bulgun shows and talks about relics and objects that stay in her family. These objects include a blanket, a carpet, a buckle, a belt, a scabbard, a cup, a spindle, a horse bridle, a whip, a ring, a wallet and a couple of tokug (metal pendants attached to women’s tresses).

Bulgun: This felt blanket is made from the wool of a real Kalmyk sheep with a short tail. It is autumn wool, because the blanket rolls well. The thread that is used here is made from camel’s wool. It required a skill to sew with thread on a felt surface. A brown spot in the middle of the blanket is made from another, thicker wool. You can see this. The blanket has become heavy now. In the past, it was white and light. A lot of years have passed since then. My mother and mother-in-law made this blanket in 1940. It was new and rolled up, when I got married to my husband. My mother-in-law unrolled it and gave it to me, saying: ‘Take it. Don’t let children urinate on it. Keep it clean and tidy’. Back then we did not have a mattress. We put this felt blanket on top of straw. In the past, (in order to make felt) people rolled the wool, sprinkled it with water. It was a very hard work.

Evdokia: How many layers does this blanket have?

B: Looks like it has two layers. In the past, people made various covers and pillows from felt. Clothes were kept inside a big pillow with embroidery. There were no chests or lockers. All clothes were kept inside a pillow or put underneath one’s feet. I remember, my mother also had a beautiful, soft pillow with buttons. Those who could make it, made pillows. Those who could not, did not have pillows.

This is tobacco. My mother did not smoke, but put tobacco on various things, carpets, clothes (to protect them from moths).

This carpet was made in 1875. When my grandfather got married at 18 he took this carpet to cover the chests (cupboards) in his tent.

E: Is it made from wool?

B: Yes, pure wool. A hand-made carpet. My grandmother kept it. Now I do. Many people ask me about this carpet: how old is it? what is it made from?

E: Why did you not put this carpet on the floor?

B: I wanted to put it on the floor, but my children were against it: ‘Mother, don’t do this. Your feet will ache. Let it hang on the wall’. I don’t touch this carpet with my feet, because I am afraid to do so. What will happen if my legs start to hurt? It will be even worse, given my present condition. That is why I do not keep the carpet on the floor.

On 9 May we will have a meeting at home. People gather in our house since when my husband was alive. They kill a sheep, make dishes, lay tables in the rooms and call the neighbours. At such gatherings we remember our ancestors. Afterwards we go to the cemetery, put food out and return home to sit at the table.

This is a man’s belt called tovrun. It was made from pure silver in 1928. My husband’s father died early. In 1937 he participated in Olympic games. The Kalmyks were in their traditional costumes and wore traditional belts. My husband’s father wore this belt at that event. The belt was longer before. We removed some parts. Afterwards we did not put those parts back. Nobody wears it now. I keep it at the bottom of my chest (cupboard). 

E: What is that?

B: This is a buckle. The belt is locked like this, and unlocked like this.

E: What are the ornaments on it?

B: It is blackening.

E: Why is the belt called tovrun?

B: The belt is worn on top of a beshmet (a man’s robe). In the past, men wore black beshmets. The belt has a tovrun stamping and an avdr stamping (the avdr stamping looks like bullets). Tovrun is the name of a stamping style.

E: Whose work is this belt?

B: A man called Muuzhg Khozhakinov made it.

E: Tell us more about him.

B: He was a blacksmith. I don’t know him personally, but my mother told me that this belt is his work.

E: Was he your relative?

B: No. For each belt he charged a cow. It was difficult to make each and every stamping on such belts. When he was at work, he would let nobody near him. He worked by himself and showed nobody what he was doing. My father said to me: ‘I went to see how he was making a belt, but each time he would chase me away’. This was his secret.

E: Did his relatives learn how to make belts?

B: No. He had two sons, none learnt how to make belts.

This is a scabbard that belonged to Purvya Okonov. He used to attach it to his waist like this. The scabbard has the same ornaments as the belt. Many years ago soldiers took away the original knife from this scabbard. They said to my mother: ‘What do you need this dagger for?’ The soldiers took away the original knife, but my mother managed to keep the scabbard and the belt. I put inside the scabbard a simple knife that my husband used to cut meat with.

E: Who made the original knife?

B: The same craftsman.

E: So, you paid a cow for the belt and the knife?

B: Yes. By the way, this cup, made from pure silver, is for putting offerings. When he was a child, our oldest son damaged the cup’s neck with a hammer. Later we fixed it.

E: Who made this cup?

B: The same craftsman, Muuzhg Khozhakinov. He also made a cup for a candle. This is also his scoop. In the past, the Kalmyks made vodka from milk. The elders tried vodka with such scoops. This scoop has its edge damaged. It is all my fault – I left it out everywhere and cut bread on top of it. Otherwise the scoop would have been intact.

E: Did this scoop have a handle?

B: Yes, it had one. My old father used to drink tea from it. The handle fell off. My husband attached it back and said: ‘Why throw it away? Let’s keep it. This scoop belonged to my grandfather. Let children see it and remember him’. So, I keep it over there. 

This is a spindle that belonged to my mother-in-law. She used it a lot in Siberia. I also used it until I bought myself a spinning-wheel. I did not throw it out. When you apply butter, it shines. Today nobody uses spindles, all people use spinning-wheels.

E: How did you spin?

B: Like this. When we travelled to a cattle-breeding farm we took a spinning-wheel with us. We also spun when we were grazing the livestock in the steppe.

This is a horse bridle, also made from pure silver. Muuzhg Khozhakinov’s work. This metal rod has to be made from a strong metal. Otherwise a horse can easily bite it apart.

E: What is it called?

B: Amga (in Kalmyk). If you put this bridle on a horse, it will fall apart as easily as a piece of old cloth, because it has not been used for years.

E: What leather is it made from?

B: From cattle pelt. The pelt is first left in milk and then processed. Cow’s pelt makes strong belts. This bridle is already old and worn out. It is as old as its owners.

This is a whip called malya. It costed us a fortune. In the past, during weddings the representatives of the groom were beaten with such a whip. My mother used to say: ‘Because they beat them with a whip, nobody wants to go to weddings as delegates’.

E: What kind of wood is the handle made from?

B: Oriental plane (chinar).

E: Why?

B: A person who holds a whip made from the wood of oriental plane is afraid of nothing, because nothing will prevail him. People should keep a small piece of this wood in their pockets. All our boys have it. I had a pen made from this tree, which I cut it into pieces and gave to our boys. When you walk alone in the steppe, you are afraid of nothing.

E: How do you weave a whip?

B: I don’t know. This one is hand-woven. It has something inside. When you beat somebody with such a whip, it really hurts.

This is a wallet that our grandfather used. There are even several Soviet kopek coins inside it. I show them to my grandchildren.

This is a ring from a children’s belt that belonged to my husband and his younger brother. We had two rings, only one is left now.

In Baga Bukhus we had a good craftsman, Muuzhg Khozhakinov, who made quality things. There were others, but they were not as good. These tokugs (metal pendants) are also his work. They belonged to my mother who wore them all the time.

Dmitriy talks about his family relic, the Diamond Sutra, that his family inherited from their grandmother. This is his story:

We have at home an old sutra of Dorzh Zhodva (i.e. Diamond Sutra). It belonged to our grandmother. She took it with her to Siberia. Our grandmother, as far as I remember, received this sutra from her maternal uncle. She never let us to touch it, or to be near it. When she lit a candle, we would come to her to receive blessings from the sutra. Rarely, she invited a monk to have her sutra ‘aired’ (sal’k orulkh). The monk unwrapped its cover and turned the pages. Today we retain this tradition and invite lamas from time to time to have the sutra ‘aired’. Under no circumstance can anyone touch it with dirty hands. Ideally before touching it, one has to have a shower.

Dzhemma says that the ability to sing, dance and play on musical instruments are inherent skills.

Dzhemma: In our clan of Bukhus we have Okna Tsagan Khaalg. Do you know him? He is the Jangar singer Volodya Karuev. When we went to school, we all learnt the epos Jangar. I used to know several lines from it. I even sang them in Siberia. Now, I have forgotten them all. The Jangar singer Eelyan Ovla was from the Khoonud arvn (clan). Perhaps, various skills get inherited from one generation to the next. The abilities to sing, dance and play on the dombra instrument are passed down to children and grandchildren. It is a circle.

Evdokia: Some people say that such skills are passed down the generations through daughters.

Dzhemma: Yes.

Galina talks about the Diamond Sutra that she keeps in her house, a coin that she heals sick children with, and about the significance of keeping a picture/statue of a Buddha at home.

Galina: This is the Diamond Sutra, Dorzh Zhodva. This sutra protects the house where it is being kept. When a person reads this sutra out loud, it is very good. I sometimes also read it.

This is Ochir Manla, the Buddha of Medicine. When you ask for a blessing from this Buddha, all illnesses get cured.

This is an old copper coin. I had a silver ring, but over time it got worn out. This coin is still intact. I use it when I heal sick people.

Mergen: How old is this coin?

G: I cannot see which year it was minted. When you read prayers with this coin and touch a child who has fever with it, the child recovers. In the past, people used to bring their children, even toddlers, to me. Today the number of folk healers is growing each year, but people still bring their children to me. I cannot say ‘no’ to people who come for help.

This Buddha of Medicine is the protector of our clan. It was with us in Siberia and returned with us to Kalmykia. In Siberia, at some point my niece used to wear it around her neck. In Kalmykia, it was kept by the elders. Before their death, the elders handed it over to me saying that I, as their daughter-in-law, can keep it. Other images that we had in our clan were big, but this one was small. That is why we took it with us to Siberia. It is the protector of our clan.

M: In Siberia, in which places was this protector?

G: My husbands’ grandparents kept it. Back then I did not even see it. When I married my husband in 1956, his grandparents were already dead. They had four sons who all went into the army. Their oldest daughter-in-law looked after their three grandchildren. Later (when the family was deported to Siberia) she looked after them in Siberia. When the grandfather survived his wife, the oldest daughter-in-law looked after him. They are all gone now. Out of the four sons, two returned from the war, including my husband’s father. His younger brother returned wounded. The other two brothers never returned home, they went missing.

When I was a member of an ensemble (later in Kalmykia), one day our ensemble was invited to Ketchenery village. When we arrived there, some of our singers went shopping, but I, along with two other old women went to the local temple. At that time Anzha lama was in the temple, and he gave us this Diamond Sutra, which was fresh out of print. Some of the women took the Sutra for their sons. I thought to myself: ‘My son is still young. He may not keep it correctly. Let me keep it for him for the time being. I’ll leave it later to my son’s family’. This Diamond Sutra suppresses sin and all the bad that may occur in one’s house. I keep the sutra clean. Sometimes, before Zul or Tsagan Sar, I open it and read it. It takes up to three hours to read the whole sutra. I cannot read it every day.

M: Could you open it now?

G: Oh dear. One should not open the sutra while putting it on his/her knees. May the gods have mercy on me. Once you start to read it, you need to read it until the end. The Diamond Sutra is to be wrapped in red, white and yellow silk layers. If you do not have silk, you can use cloth.

If a person decides to bring an image of a Buddha to his/her house, that person needs to keep it in cleanliness and light a candle in front of it at least three times a month. I myself light a candle on the 1^st, 2^nd and 8^th days of the month, according to Kalmyk calendar. Tomorrow is the 8^th day. I need to light a candle. The 15^th day is the Day of the Buddha Shakyamuni. The 16^th is the Day of White Tara. I light candles on these days as well. In the past, the elders used to say that an image of a Buddha should not be kept in a dark place. Today the young people bring Buddha’s images home, not fully understanding their significance. They put these images wherever they want. When such an image collects dust, this is not good. It is better not to have a statue at all. If you take an image, keep it in a clean place and periodically light candles in front of it. Before taking one, you should go to the temple and ask which Buddha corresponds with your birthday. When I heal sick people, I always ask about their date of birth and which Buddha they have as a protector. For example, I myself was born in the year of the sheep. I have White Tara as my protector. I pray to White Tara and Ochir Vani.

Maria talks about the Diamond Sutra that was believed to be protecting her family and clan. When they lost the sutra, her family substituted it with a rosary. Maria also relays a story about a temple in Tsagan Aman village that was destroyed by the Bolsheviks. This is her story:

My grandmother had the Diamond Sutra that was with us in Siberia. When we were in Siberia, my father invited a Mongolian lama to our house. The lama read from the sutra, prayed and gave us his blessings. My maternal uncle kept the sutra. After my uncle’s death, his wife gave the sutra away to an old man from Tsagan Aman. That is how we lost our clan’s protector (i.e. the sutra). People told us what we had done. We started to look for the sutra, and whenever we thought that we were about to recover it, it would disappear without a trace. Later we learnt that the sutra was kept by a man called Polyn. When his house was destroyed in a fire, Polyn moved somewhere, and we again lost trace of it. One wise person said to us: ‘If you cannot find your protector (i.e. sutra), take a rosary made from ivory instead (as a protecting object). Do not purchase it, but ask people to give it to you. When you find such a rosary, I will consecrate it for you’. We found a rosary, and showed it to that wise person. We had the rosary consecrated, and brought it to our house.

In a place called Sumyan Bulg there stood a big temple. This year I went there to celebrate my friend’s 80^th birthday with whom I lived in that place before. He told me about how the local temple had been destroyed. According to him, people came from Astrakhan, pulled the temple down, took out a golden statue of Buddha, threw it on their boat and set sail. In the middle of the river the boat capsized, and the Buddha drowned. It must now be somewhere at the bottom of the river. He told me this story. Who knows what really happened. Before World War II, people used to go to that place to light candles. Today some Russians have bought that land and built a house on it.

Sanal shows us his domestic altar. He puts deezh (tea and food offerings) on the altar every morning. Among many religious objects on his altar, the statue of the Buddha of the Baga Chonos clan occupies a special place. This statue belonged to his grandfather, Maani bagsh, who brought it from Tibet. The statue itself is about 300 years old. During the deportation of the Kalmyks in 1943, Sanal's relatives could not take the statue with them, for it was big and heavy. Instead they took smaller objects – amulets. Sanal points out that amulets are used for protection and during World War Two they fetched a very high price. These amulets contain small balls made from the ashes of monks. So the statue of the Baga Chonos clan was left with a Russian family that lived in Kalmykia. After the deportation, Sanal's family found the statue with a Kalmyk man who had received it from a dying Russian man who had said that it belonged to Maani bagsh. After long negotiations, the Kalmyk man agreed to return the statue to its rightful owners. In return, Sanal's family gave the man another statue of Buddha. That is how after 70 years the statue returned to its clan.

Sanal also keeps other objects that belonged to his famous grandfather, including a gilded metal holder for glass cups and a wooden cup that Maani bagsh used himself. In this interview Sanal shows the original photo of Maani bagsh taken in Astrakhan'. He gives copies of the photo to all people who ask for one.

Tatyana shows a book, the Diamond Sutra, that she inherited from her grandparents. The sutra is old and written in Tibetan. It is wrapped in green and red cloths. Tatyana says she keeps the sutra in cleanliness and lights a candle in front of it. According to her mother-in-law’s advice, Tatyana takes the sutra to the temple twice a year so that the lamas read from it.

Zurgan bemoans the loss of a maple bowl that belonged to her paternal grandmother. This is her story:

Many years ago, when we had just returned from Siberia, we had a bowl made from the maple tree. What a shiny thing it was! You did not even need to wash it. I just drank tea, ate soup from it, and then wiped it with a cloth. It would shine with three different colors: red, brown and yellow. A maple bowl is useful everywhere. For example, when a person dies, his/her bowl is filled with candies and biscuits, and then given to the paternal relatives (of the diseased). Such bowls pass on from one generation to the next.

Back in those days we did not have electric ovens. At home we used coal. My nephew Kostya put the bowl in the oven and burnt it! We only discovered it when smoke came from the oven. The bowl belonged to our paternal grandmother. She gave it to her eldest son, who in his turn passed it on to his son, who is my brother. My brother gave the bowl to his son who burnt it in the oven.