Reflection of traditional games in Tuvan fairy tales and epic tales

Abstract

Tuvan game culture being a part of traditional culture is formed under the influence of the environment – historical, cultural, social and economic, natural-climatic conditions in which the people have lived and still live today and has its own unique ethno-cultural features. At the same time, many Tuvan games have general typological features similar to the games of neighboring peoples – Mongolian (especially Western Mongolian) and Sayan-Altaic peoples, with whom Tuvans have been in contact both genetically and culturally for a long historical time. Along with other games widespread in Tuvan game culture, such as chess (shydiraa), dice (daaly), various intellectual counting and quick-talking games, etc., the Tuvan game “three men’s games” represents an enduring cultural heritage for nomadic peoples. Therefore, the relevance of studying, preserving and further popularizing national games, as well as other ethno-cultural values such as the native language, customs and rites, folklore, musical culture, is obvious and dictated by global challenges of the modern world (technical and technological revolution, leveling and loss of spiritual and material culture, etc.). The authors in this article aimed to establish the ancient genesis not only of the “three men’s games” but also of other Tuvan games (chess, dice, etc.) relying on folklore sources. The texts of the most popular Tuvan epic tales Boktug-Kirish, Bora-Shelei and Boraldai with the horse Bora-Shokar were chosen as the research material. General scientific, descriptive, comparative and typological methods of research as well as the method of continuous sampling were used. The conducted research established that chess (shydiraa), dice (daaly), archery, wrestling and horse races were known to Tuvans since ancient times, which is shown by the texts of epic legends. It is also revealed that in ancient times running competitions were also held. In the future, folklore sources may serve as a source for studying other valuable phenomena of the national culture.

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