Ethnic groups of Russia: Khakas

They are an indigenous Turkic-speaking people of Southern Siberia, numbering over 60,000. Most of them live in the Republic of Khakassia. They call themselves Tadars. The ethnonym ‘Khakas’ arose in the early years of Soviet power — the Bolsheviks borrowed it from ancient Chinese chronicles.

For centuries, horse breeding was the main traditional occupation of the Khakas. Horses were used as riding and pack animals, a source of milk, their hides were used in everyday life, and their hair was used in hunting and fishing. The Khakas preferred horse racing to all other pastimes.

The basis of Khakas cuisine is ‘talgan’ — flour made from roasted and ground barley or wheat. It's used to make porridges and soups, and is also added with honey, nuts and dried berries, and rolled into nutritious, delicious balls. ‘Ayran’, a sour milk drink, is also a popular staple.

The main national holiday of the Khakas people is ‘Tun Payram’ — the festival of the first ayran. Historically, it marked the migration of livestock from winter camps to summer pastures and the arrival of fresh dairy products. Today it is celebrated with concerts, contests, tastings of Khakas cuisine, and sporting events.