Tengriism
4504155
222787631
2008-07-01T03:03:47Z
195.174.21.72
{{Mergefrom|Tengri|date=June 2007}}
[[Image:Shamans Drum.jpg|thumb|right|300px|A diagram of the Tengriist World view on a [[shaman]]'s drum [http://www.sacred-texts.com/earth/boe/img/fig080.jpg]
[http://www.nbi.dk/~natphil/Siberian.html]. The ''World-tree'' is growing in the centre and connecting the three Worlds: [[Underworld]], ''Middleworld'' and ''Upperworld''.]]
'''Tengriism''' ('''Tengerism''', '''Tengrianism''', '''Tengrianizm''') was the major belief of the [[Turkic peoples]] and [[Mongols]] before the vast majority joined the established [[world religions]]. It focuses around the sky deity '''[[Tengri]]''' (also '''Tangri''', '''Tangra''', '''Tanrı''', etc.) and incorporates elements of [[shamanism]], [[animism]], [[totemism]] and [[ancestor worship]]. In modern [[Turkey]] Tengriism is sometimes called ''Göktanrı'' religion by some scholars. Even though there is insufficient research, Tengriism is thought to heavily influence the [[Alevi]] belief system. Today, there are still a large number of Tengriist people living in inner Asia, such as the [[Hakas]] and [[Tuvans]].
In Tengriism, the [[meaning of life]] is seen as living in harmony with the surrounding world. Tengriist believers view their existence as sustained by the ''eternal blue Sky'', [[Tengri]], the ''fertile Mother-Earth'', spirit [[Umay|Eje]], and a ruler who is regarded as the holy ''spirit of the Sky''. [[Heaven]], [[Earth]], the spirits of nature and the ancestors provide every need and protect all humans. By living an upright and respectful life, a human being will keep his world in balance and maximize his personal power ''[[Wind Horse]]''. [[Shaman]]s play an important role in restoring balance when it is thrown off by [[disaster]] or spirit interference.
It is likely that Tengriism was the religion of the [[Huns]], [[Eurasian Avars]], early [[Magyars|Hungarians]], and of the early [[Bulgars]] who brought it to [[Europe]].[http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-01192005-154827/unrestricted/tezispdf.pdf]. It is still actively practised in [[Yakutia|Sakha]], [[Buryatia]], [[Tuva]], and [[Mongolia]], in parallel with [[Tibetan Buddhism]] and [[Burkhanism]].
==Historical background==
{{Expand|section|date=January 2008}}
Ancient and Early Middle Ages writers report of a number of revolts caused by attempts to supplant or overthrow the traditional religion. One was reported in [[Scythia Minor]] in the [[Crimea]], when the [[Scythian]] nobles learned about their king's inclination toward [[Greek culture]]. Another revolt in 682 CE, reported in Armenian sources, was caused by the [[elteber]] of the [[Dagestan|Dagestani Huns]], Alp Ilitver, conversion to [[Christianity]] following a proselytizing mission by the [[Caucasian Albania|Albanian]] bishop Israel. In that case, Alp Ilitver succeeded in demolishing sacred trees, destroying kurgan statuary, ruining sacral chapels, and suppressing a popular revolt. It was also reported that at the court of the [[Khazar|Khazar Kagan]], who was ethnically a [[Khazar]], the power belonged to the [[Bulgars|Bulgar]] nobles, who maintained their traditional Tengriism and forcefully resisted any attempts to introduce Christianity, [[Judaism]], or [[Islam]] as a state religion, to the point of secession.
==Tengriism in Europe==
Tengriism was brought to [[Eastern Europe]] by nomadic tribes migrating or invading from the central Asian steppes. The faith was very closely connected to the nomadic lifestyle, so that in most cases people changed their religion after turning sedentary.
The Danube [[Bulgars]] apparently called the sky god ''Tangra''.<ref>[http://en.zonebulgaria.com/mountains/tourism/esoteric/angrist_sanctuaries/ Tangrist sanctuaries]</ref>
They named a large mountain in the [[Rila|Rila mountain range]] of Bulgaria after him, only in the 15th century it was renamed to [[Musala]] (''Mountain of Allah'') by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]].
There are few occurrences of the name in documents related to Bulgaria. One is in a late Turkish manuscript listing the names of the supreme god in different languages, which has "Tangra" for Bulgarian.<ref>[http://www.promacedonia.org/vb/vb_7.html promacedonia.com] {{bg icon}}</ref> The other is in a severely damaged Greek language inscription from the times of Danube Bulgarian paganism.
It is found on a [[column]] near Madara, Bulgaria, which is believed to have been used as an [[altar]] stone. The inscription has been interpreted as saying "[[Bulgars#Culture and society|(Kanasubig)i]] [[Omurtag of Bulgaria|Omu(rtag)]], ruler (from God), was ... and sacri(ficed to go)d Tangra ...(some Bulgar titles follow)."<ref>[http://www.ziezi.net/tangra/ The "Tangra" inscription near Madara] {{bg icon}}</ref> In addition, Bulgarian historian Veselin Beshevliev has conjectured that the frequent Danube Bulgar runic sign ıYı stands for "Tangra", as it seems to disappear after the conversion to Christianity. Apart from that, Greek language inscriptions from pagan Danube Bulgaria generally use the Greek word θεός ("god"). Tengriism apparently disappeared in the region after the adoption of [[Christianity]] in the [[Danubian Bulgaria]] by [[Tsar]] [[Boris I]] in [[865 CE]] (and, presumably, with the adoption of [[Islam]] in [[Volga Bulgaria]] in the 10th century).
Another piece of evidence suggesting that the Bulgars were Tengriist is the fact that the name of the supreme deity of the traditional religion of the [[Chuvash]], who are regarded as descendants of the [[Volga Bulgars|Volga branch of the Bulgars]], is Tură. This is generally considered to correspond to Turkic Tengri (and thus Tangra).<ref>Tokarev, A. et al. 1987-1988. Mify narodov mira.</ref> Nevertheless, the Chuvash religion today is markedly different from Tengriism and can be described as a local form of [[polytheism]] with some elements borrowed from [[Islam]].
==See also==
*[[Altaic mythology]]
==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
==References==
*Brent, Peter. ''The Mongol Empire: Genghis Khan: His Triumph and his Legacy''. Book Club Associates, London. 1976.
==External links==
*[http://www.Tengerism.org/ Circle of Tengerism: an organization dedicated to the preservation of Siberian and Mongolian shaman traditions]
*[http://aton.ttu.edu/OLD_TURK_DEITIES.asp Excerpt from ''Tengrianizm: Religion of Turks and Mongols'', by Rafael Bezertinov]
*[http://www.face-music.ch/bi_bid/historyoftengerism.html Shamanism (Tengerism) in Mongolia]
*[http://members.tripod.com/Mongolian_Page/shaman.txt Julie Stewart's course in Mongolian shamanism--introduction]
*[http://bogjejedan.blogspot.com/2005/08/avar-tengrism-in-croatia.html Bog je Jedan blog: Avar Tengrism in Croatia]
[[Category:Turkic mythology]]
[[Category:Eurasian shamanism]]
[[Category:Religion in Mongolia]]
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