Tengrism

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The representation of the tengristic three worlds cosmology on a shaman's drum . The world tree stands in the middle of the world and connects the underworld, earthly world and heaven with one another. The lines hanging down from the horizon symbolize the earth and water spirits.

Tengrism is a collective term for the oldest polytheistic religion of all Mongolian and Turkic peoples of Central Asia , which emerged from the even older Altaic shamanism .

Since the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1990, interest in Tengrism has increased in intellectual circles in Azerbaijan , Buryatia , Kazakhstan , Kyrgyzstan , Tatarstan , Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan .

overview

Faith is mainly based around a sky god Tengri and is composed of animism , classical shamanism, ancestor worship and a special form of totemism . Tngri, Tengri or Tegri is the name for the gods or highest spiritual beings in Mongolian shamanism . How many of these beings there are is interpreted differently. According to ancient Mongolian lore, Genghis Khan is one, if not the embodiment of the highest Tengri.

In Tengrism, the meaning of life for a person consists in living in harmony with "everything that is under heaven", that is, with his environment . Man stands in the middle of the worlds and sees his existence between the "eternal blue sky" ( Mönkh khökh Tengeri in Mongolian), the " Mother Earth " ( Gazar Eje in Mongolian, Yer Ana in Turkish), which supports and nourishes him, and a ruler who is known as the “son of heaven”.

With a balanced way of life, people keep their world in balance and radiate their personal “wind horse” power to the outside world. The cosmos, the nature spirits and the ancestors ensure that people lack nothing and protect them. When the balance gets out of control due to disaster or the intervention of evil spirits, the intervention of a shaman will restore it.

Today the figure of the sky god Tengri is predominantly among Mongols, where Lamaism is also important, and some Turkic peoples who still live close to nature, such as B. Khakass , Altai or Yakuts have been preserved. But even with peoples who have long since abandoned Tengrism, elements from the old belief are still carried on in the religious tradition.

term

Tengrism was initially described under the classic Siberian shamanism . In the meantime, however, the term shamanism is also used for various theories of Western authors on the shamanic practices of other peoples. For this reason, the term Tengrism has been increasingly used for the traditional religion of the ancient Turks and Mongols for several decades . Julie Stewart writes: “This is much more accurate because this belief is centered on Tengri and the spirits. The shaman does not need daily religious practice. People can pray directly to the nature spirits themselves. "

Tengri and Tengrism are written or transcribed in numerous variants, which is due to the large number of source languages ​​(Mongolian and Turkish languages) and target languages ​​and transcription systems. The following are common:

  • Tengri, Tengeri, Tänri, Tengre, Tenger, Tengere, Tangra, Tangar, Tangara, Tenghri, Tanrı, Tangri.
  • Tengrism, tengerism, tanriism, tangriism, tengrianism, tangrism.

history

The oldest written evidence of the worship of the sky god Tengri is in Chinese literature , which deals not only with the Chinese themselves, but also with neighboring and hostile peoples. From this it can be deduced that the Xiongnu as early as the 4th century BC. Adored Tengri.

“Tengri: Heaven (god). The oldest evidence of this word is found in the Chinese annals relating to the Xiongnu in the form tcheng-li , which is undoubtedly the Chinese transcription of the two-syllable word tängri . Later, the Chinese give in the form teng-ning-li (or teng-yi-li ), a three-syllable word for tengri : The failure of the middle i is normal, but while the three-syllable word is later used in Gök Turkish (sometimes also Tengeri ), it is unknown in the earliest texts. No etymology has yet been generally recognized: Sumerian dingir , Chinese T`ien and gök-Turkish teng- have been suggested, which seems relatively satisfactory [...] Tengri has all the characteristics of a national god. The Gök-Turks live in the center of the world, directly under the sky, which is particularly protective of them. The texts from the inscriptions clearly state that he is the god of the Turks ( Türük Tängrisi ), not of foreign peoples. He is sometimes called Khan (Emperor). He especially protects his people. In association with other powers he orders 'that the Gök-Turkish people should not be destroyed, that they will become a people again'. "

- Jean-Paul Roux

The Xiongnu believed that the blood of their rulers was ennobled by the god Tengri. According to the Hsiung Nu legend of the she-wolf Asena , she is considered an ancestor. In another legend, Tengri personally unites in the form of a wolf with the daughter of a Tue'kue ruler. Thousands of years later, the rulers of the Turks traced their descent to this Asena noble family and were therefore worshiped by their subjects as living deities .

Gök Turks

One of the stone tablets with old Turkish inscriptions from Central Asia

The Gök Turks were the first Turkish horde to leave numerous written records for posterity containing valuable clues about their culture, beliefs and politics. The following tengristic creed emerges from the Kül-Tegin steles from the 7th century, written in Orkhon runes :

"Üzä kök tri asra yagız yer kılıntukta ekin ara kişi oglı kılınmış."

"When the blue sky above and the brown earth below came into being, the human race was created through them (in between)."

The rulers' titles of the Gök Turks contained the reference to their divine connection to heaven, such as kök tengri yaratmış , “created by Tengri”. In the inscriptions of Bilge Khan (ruled 716-734) it says:

"The Turkish ruler is appointed to rule the world on behalf of heaven."

An addition in its title read:

"Tänri täg tri yaratmış turk bilge kagan"

"The heavenly, noble (turk) Bilge Khan assembled by heaven (with the people)."

In the realm of the Gök Turks , Tengrism experienced a heyday, although the increasing influence of foreign religions must have been great in that multi-ethnic state . In one of the traditions, the great Khan is warned by his advisor about the increasing spread of Buddhism ; Buddhism would turn the Turks into unproductive and indifferent pacifists . But apart from that, Tengrism was very tolerant of other religions. In a tradition about a Kipchak Khan it is said that before the battle he had brought all spiritual leaders from his horde of different faiths together for a common worship service and said: "The more gods are on our side, the better it is for us!"

Mongols

Genghis Khan. He always started his speeches with the words: "At the request of the eternal blue sky ..."

Genghis Khan was open to other religions. In times of peace he regularly sought the quiet of secluded Buddhist monasteries in order to find himself with meditation and to recover from his battles. He united many tribes of Central Asia into a powerful horde and created one of the greatest empires in human history. He always began his speeches with the words: "At the request of the eternal blue sky ..." Tengrism experienced another heyday in the Golden Horde .

After Kubilai Khan conquered China , his interest in the local religions grew. He imitated the Chinese teaching of the one heaven Tian Ming , which is related to the teaching of Tengri. He was enthusiastic about the high level of education among Uyghur Buddha monks and commissioned a group of Uyghur monks to spread the Buddha's teachings among the Mongols and sent them to Karakorum , where they established a Buddhist monastery. However, until today Buddhism has not succeeded in displacing Tengrism in Mongolia, it has only been integrated into it. This connection can be seen today, for example, where a Buddha statue is placed together with a picture of Genghis Khan and the totem in the holy place on the altar of the nomad tent.

Tengri in Europe

Tengrism was carried to Europe by the warlike Huns , Avars , (proto-) Bulgarians , Cumans , Magyars and later also by the Golden Horde of Genghis Khan .

Faith was so closely linked to nomadic life that the settling down of the Tengrist peoples was always associated with a change of faith. As long as the people lived as nomads, they remained tengristic for a long time. In Eastern and Central Europe , wandering nomadic tribes who revered the Tengri are said to have been found until the late Middle Ages .

The Proto-Bulgarians named the sky god Tangra and named a large mountain in Bulgaria after him, the name of which was only changed in the 15th century by the Ottomans to Musala , Mashallah: “God's praise”. But they also left other traces, such as rocks with a runic inscription with the divine name Tangra, or the relief depicting the fertility goddess Umay on the highest rock of Perperikon .

864 declared Tsar Boris Michael Khan , the Christianity the official state religion . This gave up Tengrism in Bulgaria in the 9th century .

The Tengrists who immigrated to Europe lost their identity over time when they settled down and were mostly absorbed by Slavic, Germanic and Romanic peoples.

Remaining Turkic peoples

Uyghur prince, wall / cave painting in Bezeklik near Turfan , 8./9. Century

Even before the 10th century there were smaller hordes and tribes who had come into contact with Arabs and Persians and converted to Islam . In 920, the Qarakhanids under their ruler Saltuq Bughra Qara-Khan 'Abd al-Karim (r. 920-956) were the first major Turkic people to convert to Islam. After that, Islam spread faster and faster among the Turkic peoples in south-west Central Asia.

Some Turkic peoples were Nestorian Christians before their Islamization . Persian traditions from the year 581 tell of Turkish prisoners who are said to have had a cross tattoo on their face.

762 said Bögü Khan in the realm of Uighurs to Manichaeism the state religion. Since the principles of Manichaeism were inconsistent with those of Tengrism, it is difficult to imagine that the entire population followed the new religion. After the majority of the Uyghurs had adopted Buddhism as a religion, they founded the first settled Turkish civilization on this basis . They became pioneers of Buddhism, translated Sanskrit and Chinese texts into Turkish and were active in missionary work. They founded the first Buddhist monastery for women. After an attack by the Kyrgyz people , they have since been thrown back into a nomadic way of life. Today's Uighurs are predominantly Muslim.

From the 16th century, more and more Turkic peoples of Siberia were Christianized and Slavicized by the Russians . Trust in the village shamans is still sometimes greater than in the doctor or the priest of a village, for example. Tengrism and Lamaism were preserved among the Mongols and some small Turkic peoples of Siberia who were still close to nature.

The peoples in Asia who have retained Tengrism to this day are exclusively nomads . Shamans who combine their rituals with Islamic prayers practice with some Islamic Turkic peoples such as the Kyrgyz or Turkmens , where part of the population is still nomadic today.

In the last few centuries there have been some attempts to restructure Tengrism. One of these attempts in the Altai region is now referred to as Burhanism in Western literature . Burhanism was anti-shamanistic and, above all, anti-Russian. Over the centuries, the shamans had incorporated more and more elements from foreign religions into their practices and alienated Tengrism. Burhanism called for persecution of the shamans and a boycott of everything Russian. Shaman's robes and drums were burned, as were Russian banknotes. This movement lasted from about 1904 to 1930 and was forcibly ended by the Soviet Union.

Tengri

  • Tengri old Turkish. : early heaven / later god.
  • Tanrı turk .: God.
  • Tenger Mongol. : Sky
  • Tenger Etseg / Tenger Burhan: the name of the sky god among the Mongols.
  • Tenger ung .: Sea (possible connection: "blue sky, blue sea" or see also the quote in the next paragraph, regarding impressive natural phenomena)

“These unbelievers call heaven Tengri and pray to it. But they also designate other things that appear imposing to them in nature, such as large mountains or magnificent trees, as tengri and also kneel down in prayer before these things. May Allah have mercy on their souls. "

- Kaşgarlı Mahmut : From the dictionary Divan Lügat ü- Türk , 1074.

Tengri is interpreted as a non-personified male deity or as the great spirit of heaven. In Tengrism everything in nature is believed to be inhabited by a spirit. Tengri is considered the most powerful of all. He is considered to be the creator and custodian of the cosmic balance and the natural cycles. In contrast to other sacred figures, which are described as very humanly represented by the shamans and in the mythologies of the Tengrist peoples, there is no description or personification of Tengri, although he is considered to be the father of great rulers and many other supernatural powers. It is always mentioned as a timeless and endless blue sky.

But since tengri also means heaven, this word can also be found in the names of some other objects in nature that people believed were inspired by a heavenly spirit: heavenly mountain, heavenly tree, heavenly rock, heavenly Wolf. The spirits were divided into heavenly and earth-water spirits . But the real Tengri was always in heaven itself.

Adoration of Tengris

Each ritual began with the honoring of Tengri, the mother-earth Yer and the ancestors. Tengri was also constantly mentioned and appreciated in people's everyday lives. When a special drink was to be drunk, part of it was first poured into a bowl and given to Heavenly Father, Earthly Mother and ancestors. In addition, women regularly offered milk or tea by walking around the tent with the drink, distributing it three times in all four directions. Tengri's influence on fate was referred to as “Praise from Heaven” and was mentioned in everyday conversations.

There were regular offerings to the mountain spirits and other religious celebrations, in which Tengri in particular was worshiped. There was also an offering ritual for quick relief in urgent need, in which an animal was sacrificed for Tengri. Rain prayers were also addressed directly to Tengri. They were executed at certain holy places among the Mongols as oboo and the Turks as Oba were called. Only shamans were allowed to make contact with the powerful mountain spirits and to restore the out-of-control balance, but Tengri could always ask for help independently.

Lightning bolts

Lightning and thunder were taken as a sign of his discontent. Sometimes, however, lightning was also seen as an indication of a particularly spiritually strong point in nature. At this point, shamans performed a ritual, the Yohor dance, to send the energy that had been discharged back into the heavenly realm. It was believed that objects struck by lightning or meteors were charged with heavenly energy. It was also believed that lightning bolts, also known as the “hair of heaven”, enriched drinks such as kumys with divine energy, which one then drank in the belief that the divine energy would be transferred to humans. Some meteorites or stones struck by lightning were used for the rain magic ritual.

Yer (mother earth)

Magnificent trees that thrive healthily are evidence of Mother Earth's satisfaction with people. Prayers to Mother Earth were addressed to healthy, tall trees.

Just like Tengri, Mother Earth ( Yer , Gazar Eej or Eje ) was not depicted as being human. It was simply the fertile earth, on whose breast people felt safe and which it nourished. It was also called Itügen. Shamans often got a name that was derived from Itügen: Jadgan, Utgan, Udagan. Her daughter Umay (Tungus for earth, also called Tenger Ninnian) was the goddess of pregnant women and guardian of the souls of the unborn in the world tree.

The condition of the trees reflects the mood of mother earth. When a prayer or ritual is addressed to them, it is done in the direction of a particularly magnificent tree.

Another daughter of Mother Earth and Tengri was Golomto, the spirit of fire. Fire is understood as a symbol for the power of the earth and heaven. Golomto's light symbolizes the light of heaven, and the warmth it gives off symbolizes the security emanating from Mother Earth. Just like trees, humans also receive energy from heaven and earth.

Worship of celestial bodies

Sun and moon embody the opposites fire and water as well as the power of Tengris. Although time and place do not play a major role in Tengrism, since time is believed to be an endless cycle and the center of the universe can be anywhere at any time, celestial bodies still play important roles in Tengrism. The buyan that can be obtained by worshiping the sky and the sun changes from time to time. Most of the buyan can be obtained at the new or full moon . The longest day of the year and the days on which light and dark last the same length ( solstices ) determine the most important holidays. The year begins with the white moon festival (at the next new moon after December 21st). The red sun festival takes place on the full moon following June 21st.

The celestial body Venus is called in Turkish arklik , in Mongolian Tsolman . She was often depicted on the shaman's drums . It was believed that ärklik han the meteors and shooting stars sent, the fire arrows were called. The constellation Great Bear is called Doolon Obdog (Turkish Büyük Ayı ), the man with the seven tears (Turkish Yedi Kardeşler, Seven Brothers).

It was believed that the sky was attached to the pole star and that the sky revolved around this star. The Pleiades (Old Turk. Ülker ) were regarded as the home of very powerful heavenly spirits. These spirits had once gathered to send the first shaman to earth in the form of an eagle. At the White Moon Festival, 14 incense sticks are lit, seven for the man with the seven tears (Big Bear) and seven for the Pleiades.

Three world cosmology

As in many other religions, there is also in the cosmogony of Tengrism, in addition to the real earthly world, an upper world (heavenly realm) and an underworld , which are connected by a “navel of the world” ( world axis ). In Tengrism this navel is the so-called "World Tree".

The upper world and the underworld have several levels (the underworld up to 9, the sky up to 17). Shamans know several entrances to these worlds. In these planes (parallel worlds) live supernatural beings who lead a life similar to that of earthly beings on earth. They too have their own nature spirits . When they come to earth they are invisible to humans.

From the perspective of a Tengrist, the world is not just three-dimensional, but a closed cycle in which everything moves: the sun, the recurring seasons and the three souls of all living beings. The shaman is the mediator between the worlds. He can reach the levels of the upper world by climbing the “World Tree” or by flying, or he can dive into the “River of Souls” and swim with the current to the entrance of the Underworld, which is in the north.

Underworld

The underworld resembles the earthly world, but in contrast to earthly beings, its inhabitants do not have three souls, but only one. They lack the American soul, which provides body warmth and requires breathing. They are very pale and their blood is very dark. Among them are the sun souls of some people who are waiting for their reincarnation . The sun and moon are much darker in the underworld. There are also forests, rivers and settlements there. The beings of the underworld have their own shamans.

The underworld is the realm of Erlik Khan ( Mongol . Erleg Han ). He is the son of the sky god Tengri. The reincarnation of the souls residing in the underworld is under his control. If a soul of an earthly being slips into the underworld before it dies, a shaman can bring it back by negotiating with Erlik Khan. If he does not succeed, the sick person dies.

Upper world

The upper world (heavenly realm) also has a resemblance to the earthly world. It is much brighter in this world than on earth; according to a legend it has seven suns. It can be visited by earthly shamans. Here nature is still untouched and its inhabitants have never deviated from the tradition of their ancestors. This is the kingdom of Ülgen, who is also a son of the god of heaven. On some days the entrance to the heavenly realm opens a crack, then the light of the upper world shines through the clouds. It is at such moments that the shaman's prayers are particularly effective.

The shaman can reach the upper world in the form or on the back of a bird, on the back of a horse or deer, by climbing the world tree or a rainbow .

Meaning of the nomad tent and the cardinal points

The yurts of a nomad family
The seating arrangements in a yurt

Cardinal points

Tengrism initially knew the cardinal points front, back, left and right. “Front” was east, but for unknown reasons it became the name for south. Today the north is “back”. It was believed that the east was home to the evil female spirits that brought disease and imbalance, and the west was home to the good male heavenly spirits.

Microcosm yurt

The nomad tent (Mongolian Ger , Turkish Yurt / yurt = "home") is a microcosm. The dome-shaped ceiling symbolizes the sky. The entrance of the yurt is considered to be "in front" and is therefore always facing south. The place behind the fireplace is called Hoimar , this is the north side ("behind"). Here a table is placed on which the totem (Turkish: Ongun , mong,: Ongon ) is set up and offerings for the spirits are made. The seat next to it is considered the most important seat in the tent. Tribal elders, shamans and other venerable guests take their places here.

  • On the right (west) is the male side of the tent, only men are seated here. Weapons and other male utensils are also only kept here.
  • Left (east) is the female side. Women take a seat here, and there are also female everyday objects such as kitchen utensils or cots. Adolescents stay near the female side. In the twentieth century, however, the orientation between east and west seems to have lost its importance. Today, many yurts are mirror-inverted.
  • In the center of the yurt is the fireplace, the most sacred point. This is Golomto's square. the daughter of Tengris. You have to show her respect . Gal Golomto , the hearth of Golomto, is the center of the microcosm. The smoke column rising from the fireplace symbolizes the world tree, the smoke opening on the ceiling the entrance into the heavenly realm. The shaman's dream journey usually begins through this smoke opening.

The small, round sunspot that falls through the smoke opening on the floor of the yurt moves clockwise in the northern hemisphere . You can read the time from it. The residents of the yurt only move clockwise through the yurt so as not to disturb the balance. The shamans move clockwise during a ritual.

Other supernatural powers

Because great rulers attain the status of god after their death through ancestor worship, there are additional different holy ancestors from tribe to tribe who are worshiped. Given the diversity, it is impossible to compile a complete list of sacred figures and spirits of Tengrism. Some become a high celestial spirit who dwells in the highest level of the upper world, such as the Kaira Khan (also Kara Han), worshiped by the Altai people . Some historians suspect that this figure is Oğus Khan's father, the victorious and powerful Kara Khan.

The most famous holy figures

The most important, besides Tengri himself, are:

  • Ülgen (among Altai people also Adakutay. With Yakuts Ak Toyun ): son of Tengris. Ruler of the kingdom of heaven (paradise).
  • Erlik Khan (underworld: Yerlik or Erlik ): Lord of the underworld. He lives in a castle made of green iron on the seventh level of the underworld. He created a sun in the underworld that shines dark red. He is seated on a silver throne. He has nine saddled bulls at his disposal. In a legend that is still told today among the Turkic people of the Dolgans , Erlik Khan is said to have brought the mammoths from the earthly world to the underworld. They are condemned to lead an existence in stinking, hot darkness and to serve Erlik Khan for all eternity. When a mammoth tries to get to the surface of the earth, it is said to immediately freeze to ice. The Dolganen used this legend to explain their occasional finds of deep-frozen mammoths sticking out half of the permafrost of the tundra.
  • Umay (also Iduk Umay or Tenger Ninnian): Tengri's daughter. Its name means the placenta in Turkish . She is the protector of pregnant women and guardian of the unborn souls in the world tree. When a child is to be born, Umay brings a drop of milk from the milk lake in the third plane of heaven and thus awakens the new life in the child. Umay is also sometimes used as the name for Mother Earth itself.
  • Golomto: daughter of Tengris. Mistress of fire.

Deities of the Northern Turks

The northern Turks knew the following gods:

  • Ayzit: goddess of love and beauty. She resides in the third plane of heaven. Their dazzling beauty is described in the confused prayers and chants of the shamans.
  • Gün Ana: sun goddess. It lives together with the sun in the highest, the seventh level. She is revered as the first grandmother of men.
  • Ay Ata (also Ay Dede): God of the moon. Sits in the sixth plane of heaven. He is revered as the first grandfather of men.
  • Aykız: moon goddess. She lives together with the moon on the fifth plane of the sky.
  • Alasbatir: patron saint of domestic animals.
  • Ancasin: Lord of the Lightning.
  • Su Iyesi: mistress of the water.
  • Tash Gaschit: god of fate.
  • Andarkan: Lord of Fire. A goddess of plants, with the ancient Kyrgyz, had the same name.
  • Satilay: An evil goddess who brings imbalance, confusion and mental illness. It lures desperate people into suicide.
  • Kysch Khan: Lord of Winter (Turkish kış , winter).
  • Arah, Toyer, Tarila, Sabiray: Divine judges of the underworld who judge sinful people.
  • Gölpön Ata: patron saint of sheep.
  • Erdenay: messenger of the gods; He brings news of good deeds of the gods to people.
  • Qambar Ata: protector of horses.

Ghosts

In Tengrism the animistic idea prevails that everything in nature is animated by a spirit. These have different names depending on the language or dialect.

There are two broad categories of spirits: the heavenly spirits (Tengris / engers) and the earth-water spirits (Turkish. Yer su / Mongol . Gazriin Ezen ). According to Rafael Bezertinov, there are 17 Tengris among the Turks and 99 Tengers among the Mongols, facing 77 earth-water spirits. The heavenly spirits are connected with heaven and the earth-water spirits with mother-earth. Some are so powerful that they cannot be controlled by a shaman, while others are easy to control. A mind should only be disturbed and controlled in order to restore balance, never out of curiosity or because of trivial things.

The most powerful spirits are the Tengers, who exist at the four ends of the four cardinal points. It is said that the West Tengers created humans, dogs, and edible animals. The East Tengers are said to have created the eagles, the animals that are forbidden to eat, and the spirits that bring disease. Since the balance always fluctuates, the East Tengers shouldn't always be viewed as bad and the West Tengers shouldn't always be viewed as good.

  • The most important East Tenger is Erlik Khan, the lord of the underworld, brother of Ülgen.
  • Usan Han, the lord of the water spirits, is called from the south.
  • Tatay Tenger is called from the north. He is the lord of storms, lightning and tornadoes.

The Tengers can be asked for help during a shaman ritual. The souls of those who have lived exemplary lives go entirely to heaven. They then live in the clouds and take care of the rain. There are also the following spirits:

  • Yer su (Gazrin Ezen, Ayy) are spirits who rule a specific mountain, lake, river, rock, tree, village, building or even an entire realm. In an old Turkish legend, the Yer Su expel a whole tribe from their homeland because they offended them by making a mistake.
  • Tschotgors are responsible, among other things, for physical and mental illnesses and for the confusion of some people. Some Tschotgors are the Suns souls of some people who have not found their way into the underworld. In this case, they must be put on their way by a shaman. Other evil spirits are outside the reincarnation cycle and live forever in nature. They can turn into a good helper spirit after being controlled by a shaman.
  • Ozoors, Ongons, and Burchans are mostly good spirits, but can also cause problems from time to time. Ozoors and Ongons are the southern souls of some ancestors who live in nature for a period of time. These are the shaman's most important helpers during a ritual.
  • Körmös or Utha are called spirits that accompany and guide a shaman as an additional soul. They are former souls of dead shamans. The Körmös carry the knowledge of several generations of shamans with them. There are both good and bad Körmös. Among other things, they also guide the souls of the dead to their destination.
  • Burchans are very powerful. If they have caused an illness, they can be asked to leave the sick person alone. Only shamans who have a very strong spirit to help out can control a burchan. After that, the Burchan turns into a less powerful Ongon.

Some powerful Altai spirits

  • Altay Khan: A powerful spirit. He lives on top of a mountain.
  • Buncak Toyun: Together with Buzul Toyun, guards the path that leads to the castle of the great Kaira Khan in the sky.
  • Demir Khan: A powerful mountain spirit.
  • Talay Khan: Mighty Spirit of the Seas or the Ocean
  • Okto Khan: Mighty Yer Su mountain spirit.

Sacred mountains, lakes and trees

The Khan Tengri at sunset
Sacred mountain Burchan Khaldun and the surrounding sacred landscape, Mongolia

Followers of Tengrism have great respect for nature, for the mountains, forests, rivers, trees and all other living beings. Waste is considered an insult to Tengri and his nature spirits. Humans do not see their existence oriented towards exploiting nature, but live with the awareness that their survival depends on an intact environment. Although humans clearly see themselves as something different from other living beings, in the myths of these humans the animals and even the trees are characterized as human-like and independently thinking beings. In nature everything has a soul: forest, lake, rocks, river, mountain and trees. If a person takes something from nature, this is only possible because a nature spirit has allowed it. Therefore, he must be grateful, respect and honor these spirits.

Mountains, streams, forests, rocks and trees are also the abodes of the nature spirits Yer Su . These nature spirits are former ancestral spirits that their descendants no longer remember. It is said that great mountains and impressive trees have a guilt soul. The soul of suld is the soul of man, which remains in nature after the death of man. It is believed that some rocks and trees harbor particularly strong spirits and regularly gives them tobacco or drinks as an offering, and shows them respect. Causing damage in nature, such as tearing off branches from trees or cutting them down unnecessarily, is a big taboo. Otherwise the angry nature spirits could cause big problems. In an old Turkish legend, the Turks give away a rock to the Chinese that they had previously venerated as sacred for 40 generations. The sky immediately takes on a strange color, the birds stop singing, the grass of the steppe fades and dries up, diseases spread. In this way they are driven out by the Yer Su , the earth and water spirits as punishment.

Mountain spirits are considered to be extremely powerful, and they are often worshiped for a successful hunt and a rich yield of vegetable food. The mountain spirits are worshiped on an obo / oba. An oba is usually a dome-shaped, two to three meter high pile that symbolizes the mountain (similar to how the yurt simulates the cosmos). Someone walking past it circles it three times and places a stone on it. In this way the person strengthens his "wind horse", the spirit of the mountain, and thus receives happiness for his further journey. Many rituals are held at the Oba in honor of Tengri, Mother Earth and the ancestors.

Some sacred mountains and lakes:

Offerings

Tengrism knew bloody and bloodless victims. Since it was believed that animals have souls that are born again, animals should never be unnecessarily tortured. Therefore, many strict rules had to be followed when killing an animal. When killing a sacrificial animal, it was especially important not to harm the American soul. It was believed that the American soul has its place in the head, throat, lungs and heart. Therefore this area had to be preserved as a whole.

Bloody victims

One of two Ovoos, shamanic stone and wood marks in Mongolia, here on the summit of Ikh Uul, aka Ikh Barzan Uul, the most striking mountain south of Bürentogtokh; in the foreground a bench of sacrifices

Horses , sheep , goats or cattle were usually offered for the bloody sacrifice. When killing, not a drop of blood was allowed to be shed or bones to be broken. The fur had to remain intact except for a cut on the stomach, the same applied to the head, lungs and heart. A hand was inserted into the abdominal cavity through the incision and the main artery was severed with the fingers; This largely bloodless type of killing is still a common type of slaughter in Mongolia today. The victim was then cut in half and cooked on two hearths. One paid attention to how the smoke behaved. If the smoke from one of the hearths rose steeply to the sky, it meant that half should be left to Tengri. It was simply left on the fire until it was completely burned. At the Islamic festival of sacrifice , the Kyrgyz still prefer horses as sacrificial animals.

Bloodless victims

Bloodless victims were all other foodstuffs, but also luxury goods, weapons, household appliances and also sporting events such as traditional wrestling matches or horse races . For example, during a thunderstorm , people would go around the yurt with a bowl full of kumys , milk, ayran or yogurt to appease the gods. At the point where lightning had struck, young men held a wrestling match as an offering to the gods. The most common sacrifice to this day is the offering of kumys or vodka . You dip a finger into the drink, splash it in all directions and say hello to Tengri, Mother Earth and the ancestors before you drink it to their health.

Ancestor worship

The souls of the ancestors are always honored together with Father-Heaven and Mother-Earth. Man has three souls, each of which has different fates after death. One goes back to heaven, one back to earth, and one stays in nature. The souls of the ancestors left in nature help and protect their descendants. After several generations, these souls can leave their descendants if they are no longer mentioned, but if they are called regularly they will stay close. When these souls have finally left their descendants, they become nature spirits and live, for example, in a tree or a stone. Shamans often called on the souls of their ancestors during a ritual in which evil spirits had to be driven away. They were then near the totem.

The Turks and Mongols saw the "blue wolf" ( kök böri ) and the "red deer" ( maral ) as their ancestors. The Buryats also know a "father bull" as an important ancestor. The Mongolian word for bear also means father. Among the Mongols under Genghis Khan, the spirit of an ancestor was the patron saint. He protected people and marriage. With former Tengrist tribes it is still common today to put photos of ancestors, a picture of Genghis Khan, or the tribal totem in a special corner of the house and to pay homage to him regularly.

The rulers, usually called Khan , were considered saints. Their blood, which was also considered sacred, was not allowed to be shed. The khan continued to be worshiped after his death. He was sometimes the patron saint , which regularly hosts the tribe sacrifices were offered. Powerful khans attained the status of god after their death. If a khan had to be executed by order of the tribal elders, his blood could not be shed. Therefore, he was strangled with a bowstring.

Use of totems

The forest and the water world are home to wild animals that humans depend on in order to survive. Like humans, animals have an American soul. This soul causes the body heat and makes breathing necessary. Their Ami souls are reborn within their own kind. Because in Tengrism animals have souls, animals have individual personalities, their own languages ​​and special abilities.

The great spirit Bayan Ahaa is the ruler over all animals. Hunters pray to him before they start hunting. The main wild animals are wolf, deer , Siberian tiger , snow leopard and bear . The Buryats call the tiger Anda Bars , "best friend tiger," and pray to him for luck in the hunt. In Siberia, the bear in particular is considered to be the ruler of the wild. There are various rituals that are held after the death of a bear in order to give its soul a worthy farewell.

Because animals have souls that are born again, rules must be followed when killing an animal so as not to anger its soul. Otherwise the entire tribe could not have any hunting success for a long time because the nature spirits prevent it. If a large forest animal has been killed or a large fish has been caught, the hunter may even cry out of mourning for its soul. Usually the hunter apologizes to the soul of the hunted animal and explains why he had to kill it. Pets are also killed with due respect. The throat is not cut because the Ami soul could be wounded.

It was believed that the Ami soul resides in the suld area of ​​the head, neck, lungs and heart. Therefore, guilt always had to be preserved as a whole. When an animal was sacrificed, guilt was hung from a pole facing heaven. The skeletons of the eaten bears were hung on a pole in the forest or placed on a platform.

In order not to upset the ghosts, one had to be careful in the forest. When entering the forest it was not allowed to yell or run. It was a matter of moving carefully like a forest dweller. Throwing a stick is an insult to Bayan Ahaa and other nature spirits and is therefore considered taboo (nugeltei). Throwing stones into the water or urinating are also prohibited. Animals may only be killed if their meat or fur is needed. The killing must take place as quickly and painlessly as possible. The booty must be shared with the entire tribe, it must not be hoarded. If these rules were followed, it was believed that the nature spirits would agree.

Rivers, lakes, brooks and seas are not only the habitat of aquatic animals, but also passages for souls who travel between the worlds. That is why some aquatic animals were assigned special abilities. It was believed that some of these animals were in contact with the spirits and souls.

Some animals can be the souls of shamans who have just assumed animal form to perform certain tasks. According to one story, a hunter killed an animal that was actually a shaman's soul. That is why the shaman died in the middle of his ritual at the same time. The souls of the ancestors can also sometimes take the form of an animal. But then it is always animals that are not eaten, such as B. foxes, jackals, spiders or snails.

Animals venerated as totems may not be hunted or eaten. Pronouncing their names is a taboo, which is why they are described under other names in people's everyday lives. With the Mongols it is mainly the blue wolf and the red deer. With the Turks it is mostly the wolf. The eagle is also an important totem.

The souls of the animals are sometimes teachers and sometimes guides for the shamans. According to a Yakut custom, two shamans who get to know each other first introduce each other their power animals. During a ritual, the shaman takes on the shape of his power animal.

Windhorse and Bujanhischig

The national wind horse ( Mongol .
Hiimori ) of Mongolia is shown as particularly strong on the coat of arms of Mongolia .

The personal, spiritual strength of a person is called a wind horse, which is located in the chest . Depending on how the person keeps himself and his environment in balance, the spiritual power is different for everyone. A very strong windhorse means that a person thinks very clearly, is very foresighted and always makes the right decisions. If a person uses his strength for bad intentions and thus disturbs the balance, he weakens the windhorse. That is why bad people tend to self-destruction at some point (comparable to karma ). The wind horse can be strengthened with daily small rituals, for example through a prayer or by offering a sacrificial drink for heaven, earth and / or the ancestors.

During a ritual, the shaman can increase his wind horse power by inhaling the smoke from certain herbs and / or making animal sacrifices.

Buyanhischig / Buyan are comparable to this. Depending on the behavior of a person, the buyan increases and decreases. By ignoring taboos, disrespecting the ancestors and killing animals senselessly, the spirits of nature are enraged and the buyan weakens.

Knowing that the strength of the wind horse and the buyan determine the quality of life and fate, people in Tengrism follow a series of rules of behavior, which should ultimately lead to a harmonious life for people with one another, but also for people with nature.

The multiple souls of man

Every human being and every animal has several souls. It was believed that a person had at least three souls; only the Samoyed were an exception here. They believed that women had four souls and men five. It is widely believed that animals with an Ami and Suns soul have two souls; one of them is reborn. Since animals have souls that are born again, humans must treat them with respect.

The three souls of man are:

  • Özüt soul (also Suld- ): It remains in nature after the death of humans.
  • Ami soul: she reincarnated.
  • Sun's soul (also sine): She reincarnates.

All three souls are within a person's energy field. The most important thing for life is the soul of sin. When it leaves the body, death is inevitable. The other two souls can leave the body for a short time and sometimes cause unconsciousness. Ami and Suns souls must always be at opposite ends of the body in order to keep their well-being in balance. If, for whatever reason, they move faster, they will trigger high blood pressure. In the same way, there were explanations and cures for all other diseases that were attributed to the whims of the three souls and the strength of the wind horse.

The Ami soul is related to breathing, the Suns soul to water. The Suns soul uses waterways to move outside of a body. The world tree in the south is the connection between the earthly world and heaven. The world river that flows northwards pours into the underworld. The Suns souls are always being reborn and returning to earth. There are different myths about the entire cycle of souls. In the most commonly told version, Umay rules over the Ami souls in the world tree, they reach the surface of the earth at the source of the world flow. During a birth, the soul to be reborn swims through the river and enters the newborn baby. When a person dies, the Sun's soul plunges into the cosmic river and swims with its current into the underworld. The Ami soul turns into a bird and flies back to the world tree. In order to be reborn, the Sun's soul must reach the source of the world's flow or cross the Milky Way to reach the point in the south where the heavenly kingdom and the middle world meet.

This cycle of souls is similar to the water cycle : water rains down from the sky and seeps through the earth, then comes to light as spring water ; hence brooks are also entrances to the underworld. Ultimately, the water ends up in the seas, where it evaporates again and reaches the sky, from which it rains down again. The souls also flow with the world flow into the sea and return to the source to be reborn.

shaman

The shaman ( kam ) is not considered a holy person. He only enjoys the respect of people because he is in contact with the spirits. In this respect it differs from the institution of a priest in other religions. No shaman is required for the daily honor of Tengri and the spirits. The shaman's duties are mostly to restore the out-of-control balance and to heal diseases. There are shamans of different strengths. Depending on what helping spirits they have, they have different abilities. A distinction is made between “white” and “black” shamans.

Shamans wore the manyak . This robe had to be made from the skins of certain animals. It was studded with bones and feathers, each with their own meanings. Shamans had different skills. A shaman could only get to the third level of heaven, but a shaman could get to the fifth level. In some tribes, women are not allowed to become shamans because they are considered impure during menstruation . There were also so-called white and black shamans who had different healing powers. They wore either light or dark manyaks. After their death, shamans became Körmöz , "spirits with magical powers".

Becoming a shaman

According to a legend, Erlik Khan built the first shaman drum and performed the first shaman ritual. Shamans differ from other people in that they have the soul of another deceased shaman. This utha or Körmöz soul accompanies the shaman and helps him. As a rule, the soul of an old shaman suddenly appears one day and puts the chosen one in a state of unconsciousness that sometimes lasts for several days; Doctors speak of catalepsy . In this state, the chosen one has a vision. Here he has to decide whether he really wants to become a shaman. The most common visions are told:

  • The chosen one meets the totem animal of the tribe. This animal usually has a mark on its forehead. It leads him to the tree from whose bark he has to make the frame of his drum. When he wakes up from unconsciousness, the chosen one goes into the forest, finds the animal and the tree from his vision and makes his drum from the hide of the animal and the bark of the tree.
  • The soul of the auxiliary shaman leads the chosen one into the heavenly kingdom and divides his body into individual parts. These parts have to be patched back together so that he can return to earth with new shamanic powers. If he refuses to become a shaman, he will die of catalepsy and never wake up again.

Another shaman who is called to help the “sick person” immediately realizes that he is not really sick, but has been called to become a shaman.

Shaman's duties

  • Cure diseases: The whims of spirits and souls are the causes of diseases.
  • To get in touch with spirits to ask them for protection and happiness.
  • Rain ritual and lightning ritual: He has to send the energy of the struck lightning back into the sky in order to maintain the balance in nature, and pray or conjure up rain in dry times.
  • Oba ritual: Can last several days and is important for the well-being of the entire tribe.
  • Fortune telling: he invites a spirit to enter his body. The spirit then speaks out of the shaman's body.

The shaman dances and sings while doing his work, playing on his drum. He gives himself the rhythm for his movements. His robe and onguns (totems) house the spirits that help him in his work. The shaman also sometimes has a small round mirror on his chest, which is supposed to ward off attacks by evil spirits by glare. In addition, the mirror should capture energy from the universe for the shaman. Shamans often have a long stick with them that symbolizes the horse or other animal on whose back it travels to other worlds. Sometimes shamans also have a fan to use to ward off ghosts. In rare cases, shamans use other musical instruments or masks in addition to the drum.

“The climax of the shamanic activity is the shaman fight between a good / white and a bad / black taltos (name of the shamans in the early Hungarians), both of which appear in the shape of a bull. The white taltos, in fear of battle, seeks human help. It is given to him and consists in cutting the opponent's tendons. This shows a manifestation of the dark world aspect. The good Taltos either fights against an illness, to ward off a natural disaster or for favorable weather. "

Shaman's drum and hallucinogens

When a different state of consciousness is required, the shaman has a variety of tools. Most of the time he uses several of these tools at the same time. In a ritual, the atmosphere that surrounds it is of great importance. Many spirits are stronger at night than during the day. The people around him can repeat his prayer formulas aloud and thus help him. Circular community dances can also bring energy or transport the shaman to other worlds.

The most important instrument for trance is the shaman's drum. The repetitive rhythm of drumming at a certain frequency can actually trigger hypnotic states. The drum is usually held at the level of the head or the upper body, so the vibrations of the drum have a stronger effect on the body.

Shamans often use alcoholic beverages or tobacco. They interrupt their drumming for their enjoyment. The hallucinogenic smoke of some plants such as B. that of the juniper is blown in the face and inhaled. Therefore, juniper smoke is considered sacred. It is believed that it strengthens the windhorse and delights the spirits. The fly agaric is also an aid . The shaman eats the dried mushrooms during the short breaks in his ritual.

Climbing the world tree is one of several ways that lead to the levels of heaven. The world tree has nine branches. The shaman starts up an overtone song while climbing the tree . With every branch he has climbed, he increases the footnote of his song.

Tengrism today

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union , the interest of the Turkic peoples of Central Asia in their past and thus also in Tengrism has grown. This became particularly clear in the 1990s in Tatarstan and Russia and shortly afterwards also in Kyrgyzstan , where a ritual revitalization of Tengrism began. First there was talk of Bizneng-Yul (tatar. Our way) and later of Tengirchilik (Tengrism). Over time the movement became institutionalized and organized. In 1997 the Tengrist Society in Bishkek was founded ; it has around 500,000 members. The Tengir-Ordo Foundation is an international center for research into Tengrism. Both organizations are headed by the Kyrgyz MP Dastan Sarygulov . This movement contributed with an awareness campaign that also aroused interest in Tengrism in Kazakhstan and other Turkic republics . Since then, the Prime Ministers of Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, Nursultan Nazarbayev and Askar Akayev , have repeatedly referred to Tengrism as the natural and national belief of all Turkic peoples.

In Mongolia the organization of Tengrism is called the Golomt Center for Shamanist Studies . This organization also addresses the western world through its English-language website; this is linked to the hope of spreading Tengrism in the West as well. Some of the driving forces are z. B. Sendenjaviin Dulam or Schagdaryn, who give lectures on tengerism worldwide and are available for interviews.

The use of Tengristic symbols such as the sky-blue color or the images of ancient totem animals seem to be gaining popularity again in Central Asia as national or Panturkist symbols.

A modern version of Tengrism is common among the Yakuts, which they call Ayy .

research

Research into Tengrism is difficult because the Tengrist tribes lived nomadically, were constantly exposed to foreign influences and, up to the 6th century, left hardly any written evidence on durable materials. From the 6th century onwards, a number of old Turkish inscriptions have been preserved on stone tablets. They provide information about what the ancient Turks believed. Knowledge of Tengrism before the 6th century must be obtained from the early literature of those cultures that had come into contact with Turkish peoples in the course of their history and recorded this in writing. This includes Chinese, Persian or Arabic sources. Most of these sources show the writers' lack of understanding of the foreign faith. The Tengrists, for example, are portrayed as monstrous barbarians in dog form who do strange, blasphemous things.

Kaşgarlş Mahmut wrote the Divan Lügat-ü Türk in the 11th century, a Turkish dictionary in which he explained the origin of Turkish words. It also contains a lot of valuable information about the pre-Islamic faith of the Turks. In his formulations he is outraged over and over again about the “infidels”, but his work is still considered to be one of the most reliable sources in research into Tengrism.

Monotheism theory

Whether Tengrism can be viewed as a monotheistic religion is controversial. For it is difficult to decide whether the ancient Turks meant God or heaven with the word Tengri when they used it in relation to other powers believed to be holy than in relation to the god of heaven himself. Both explanations would be compatible with every tradition and would become one Make sense.

Accordingly, there are different views:

  • A monotheistic religion is derived from the veneration of Tengri. Jean Paul Roux explains: “In the old religion of the Turks, which was emphatically monotheistic, a polytheism also clearly appears. ... Indeed, Tengri, the sky god, is closely related to the ruler, his representative on earth and even to his son . Although he is Pan-Turkish, he appears as a national and imperial god. "
  • There was shamanism, cult around holy tombs, holy places, belief in demons and spirits. In a Turkish ancestry myth, the first Turks emerged from a pair of wolves.
  • According to Walther Heissig and other authors, there was a hierarchical system in Mongolia with over 100 gods, headed by the Qormusta Tengri. This would initially contradict the monotheism theory, but not exclude the fact that a monotheistic tengrism has developed in some regions.

See also

literature

  • Rafael Bezertinov: Tengrianizm: Religion of Turks and Mongols , chapter "Deities". Naberezhnye Tschelny, 2000, pp. 71–95. Reproduced in the "Uysal-Walker Archive of Turkish Oral Narrative"
  • Ágnes Birtalan: The Mythology of the Mongolian Folk Religion. Stuttgart 2000.
  • Walther Heissig , Giuseppe Tucci: The religions of Tibet and Mongolia (= The religions of humanity, 20). Kohlhammer, Stuttgart a. a. 1970, DNB 457921137 .
    • English: The religions of Mongolia. Routledge & Kegan Paul, London / Henley, 1980, ISBN 0-7103-0685-7 .
  • Pertev N. Boratav: The Turkish Mythology of the Oghuz and Turks of Anatolia, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. In: Hans Wilhelm Haussig , Egidius Schmalzriedt (Ed.): Gods and Myths in Central Asia and Northern Eurasia (= Dictionary of Mythology . Department 1: The ancient civilized peoples. Volume 7). Partial volume 1, Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3-12-909870-4 , pp. 279-481.
  • Günter Lanczkowski:  Mongolian religion . In: Theologische Realenzyklopädie (TRE). Volume 23, de Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1994, ISBN 3-11-013852-2 , pp. 209-2011.
  • Peter Laut: Diversity of Turkish Religions . In: Spirita 10 (1996), pp. 24-36; University of Freiburg (pdf; 2.7 MB)
  • Bruno J. Richtsfeld: Recent East Mongolian creation, origin and world catastrophe narratives and their inner-Asian motif and subject parallels. In: Munich contributions to ethnology. Yearbook of the State Museum of Ethnology, Munich 9 (2004), pp. 225–274.
  • Andras Rona-Tas: Materials on the ancient religion of the Turks. In: Walther Heissig, Hans-Joachim Klimkeit (ed.): Syncretism in the religions of Central Asia. Results of a colloquium on May 24th until May 26th, 1983 in St. Augustin near Bonn (= Studies in oriental religions, 13). Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden 1987, ISBN 3-447-02620-0 , pp. 33-45.
  • Jean-Paul Roux: The old Turkish mythology. In: Hans Wilhelm Haussig , Egidius Schmalzriedt (Ed.): Gods and Myths in Central Asia and Northern Eurasia (= Dictionary of Mythology . Department 1: The ancient civilized peoples. Volume 7). Partial volume 1, Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1999, ISBN 3-12-909870-4 , pp. 173-278.
  • Jean-Paul Roux: Tängri. Essai sur le ciel-dieu des peuples altaïques. In: Revue de l'histoire des religions. 149: 49-82, 197-230 (1956); 150 (1956), pp. 27-54, 173-212; 154: 32-66 (1958).
  • Jean-Paul Roux: Art. Tengri. In: Encyclopedia of Religion , Vol. 13, pp. 9080-9082.
  • Heinrich Werner: The beliefs of the Yenisei from the point of view of Tengrism (= Societas Uralo-Altaica: Publications of the Societas Uralo-Altaica, 73). Harrassowitz, Wiesbaden, 2007, ISBN 978-3-447-05611-3 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. See also the illustration in the "Internet Sacred Text Archive Home", accessed on November 29, 2017.
    Parts of a story of a world picture: Siberian world picture? Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen, 1996, accessed November 29, 2017. With reference to: Gerhard J. Bellinger: Mytologisk Leksikon . Translated by Jørgen Hansen. Gyldendal, Copenhagen, 1993, ISBN 87-00-09996-1 , p. 349 (German: Knaurs Lexikon der Mythologie: 3100 keywords on the myths of all peoples from the beginnings to the present . Droemer Knaur, Munich, 1989, ISBN 978- 3-426-26376-1 ).
  2. ^ Robert A. and Vlad Strukov Saunders: Historical Dictionary of the Russian Federation . Scarecrow Press, Lanham, MD 2010, ISBN 978-0-81085475-8 , pp. 412-13.
  3. Walther Heissig : Questions of Mongolian hero poetry . Otto Harrassowitz Verlag 1992, page 85
    Klaus Hesse: On the History of Mongolian Shamanism in Anthropological Perspective . In: Anthropos. 82 (4-6), 1987, pp. 403-413. JSTOR 40463470
  4. ^ A b Walther Heissig, Geoffrey Samuel (translator): The Religions of Mongolia (1980 [1970]), 49ff.
  5. John Man: Genghis Khan: Life, Death and Resurrection. Bantam Press, London, 2004, ISBN 9780553814989 , pp. 402-404.
  6. a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Julie Stewart: Mongolischer Schamanismus (= A Course in Mongolian Shamanism - Introduction 101). Golomt Center for Shamanist Studies, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, October 3, 1997 (English)
  7. a b c Peter Laut: Diversity of Turkish Religions . Spirita 10 (1996), pp. 24-36; Albert Ludwig University of Freiburg (PDF; 2.8 MB).
  8. ^ Julie Stewart: A Course in Mongolian Shamanism - Introduction 101 , section The Shaman
  9. Stefan Georg: Turkish / Mongolian tengri, 'Heaven, God' and his origin. In: Studia Etymologica Cracoviensia , 6, Krakau 2001, pp. 83-100, accessed on November 29, 2017 (pdf, 14.3 MB).
  10. ^ Jean-Paul Roux: The old Turkish mythology. P. 255.
  11. zone Bulgaria: sanctuaries Tangrist . Alexander Tour Company Ltd .: Zone Bulgaria, accessed November 29, 2017.
  12. ^ Wilhelm Radloff: Source?
  13. Michael de Ferdinandy : The mythology of the Hungarians. In: Norbert Reiter (Ed.): Dictionary of Mythology , Volume 2. Klett-Cotta, Stuttgart 1973, ISBN 978-3-12-909820-2 , p. 212. Quoted from: Sigurd Mussak: Von den Magyaren. (pdf, 226 kB) March 19, 2005, p. 6 , archived from the original on September 30, 2007 ; Retrieved November 29, 2017 .
  14. Marlene Laruelle: Tengrism: In Search for Central Asia's Spiritual Roots. (pdf, 390 kB) Central Asia-Caucasus Analyst 8, Issue 6 (2006), pp. 3–4 , archived from the original on December 7, 2006 ; accessed on November 29, 2017 (English).
  15. Practicing Tengerism. Archived from the original on March 12, 2017 ; accessed on November 29, 2017 (English).
  16. ^ Kai Ehlers: Globalization à la Tschingis Chan? A conversation with Prof. Dr. Schagdaryn Bira in Ulanbator on the importance of Mongolian tengerism for globalization . ( Memento of the original from September 27, 2007 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Eurasian magazine from September 25, 2003. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.eurasischesmagazin.de
  17. Jean Paul Roux: Old Turkish Mythology. P. 213.
  18. Marion Linska, Andrea Handl, Gabriele Rasuly-Paleczek: Script Introduction to the Ethnology of Central Asia. ( Memento from September 9, 2006 in the Internet Archive ) (PDF; 634 kB) University of Vienna, 2003; Pp. 109-110; with reference to Wolfgang Ekkehard Scharlipp: The early Turks in Central Asia. An introduction to their history and culture. Wissenschaftliche Buchgesellschaft, Darmstadt 1992, ISBN 3-534-11689-5 , p. 57.