#Khaarchana

[schweizercomics]

Companions of Christmas day 4: Chyskhaan, Khaarchana, and Ekhe Dyyl

Chyskhaan

One of two traditional giftgivers of the Yakut of Siberia (the other being Ekhe Dyyl), Chyskhaan lives north of Oymyakon, the coldest town in the world. Since time began, people have brought him gifts on the longest night of the year as a tribute, in the hopes that he will mitigate the cold and allow warmth and daylight to return to Siberia (though slowly and evenly, that the villages might not be flooded from the snow melt).

He spends the week of Christmas going through the offerings and taking what he will need for the year, and then, on New Year’s, he distributes the remaining majority of gifts to children and those in need who, regardless of their station, are treated by Chyskhaan with the dignity and ceremony as would befit a king or queen.

Ekhe Dyyl

Ekhe Dyyl is one of two traditional giftgivers of the Yakut people of Siberia (the other being Chyskhaan). Whereas Chyskhaan is imperious and icy, a reminder of the command that winter holds over the lives of those who live most deeply in its grip, Ekhe is warm and unpretentious, a proud bumpkin and boisterous reveler who rides a dirty, shaggy bull named Ükerinto into the towns and villages he visits.

When presented with a bowl of delicious mare’s milk, Ekhe will wave his brushwhip over a child and a gift will appear in their hands.

Khaarchana

Khaarchana is the granddaughter of both Chyskhaan on her mother’s side and Ekhe Dyyl on her father’s. From birth, she learned to bounce back and forth between their very different holiday celebrations and expectations. Chyskhaan’s reverent and solemn traditionalism and Ekhe’s edacious, riotous merrymaking are often at stark contrast, as are the grandfathers themselves: Chyskhaan has, on more than one occasion, called Ekhe a classless, gluttonous yokel, and Ekhe has let Chyskhaan know that the former considers the latter a stuffy, bumptious snob.

When the winter giftgivers were, for a generation, expelled from Russia following its revolution, Khaarchana realized that children across Siberia would suffer greatly from the absence of her grandfathers. Despite the danger posed by Stalin’s minions and the difficulty in reconciling the two seemingly different approaches to the holidays, Khaarchana decided to fill their shoes, making sure that no child in (what is now) the Sakha Republic would go without during winter festivities, and that the festivities themselves would be as rich and wonderful as they had ever been.

Going in with no experience, she consulted the longtime friend and colleague of both grandfathers, Santa Claus, whose advice was to be true to herself. The celebrations of the winter holidays are always changing and growing, and reverence and merrymaking needn’t be mutually exclusive.

Knowing the peril that her mission would put her in, Santa gave Khaarchana a magical snowflake, which, when worn on her head, would render her invisible, allowing her to plan and maneuver under the eyes of the Russian secret police, only removing it and allowing herself to be seen on the New Year when she would hand out the presents she had strategically hidden in homes across Siberia.

When her grandfathers were eventually permitted to return to the Russian-controlled region, they found that Khaarchana had kept the spirit of love and giving alive during their absence, and had unified their two approaches into one one messy, inconsistent, glorious celebration. Though both were resistant to change, and to each other, Chyskhaan and Ehke began to accompany Khaarchana on her rounds, and, though they still bicker like old hens, they have become close friends, while Khaarchana, in addition to her role as giftgiver, is the patron of all who have to navigate the sometimes-conflicting holiday celebrations (and schedules) of more than one family.

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Happy December, friends! Each year around this time I post up drawings of Christmas and other winter holiday figures, along with narratives to explain the practices with which folklorists and holiday buffs might be familiar. When stories exist, I use them; when they don't, I do what I can to piece together what folklore surrounds them to fill in the gaps (or, in some instances, defer to the theories of my friend and fellow narrative reconcilianist Benito Cereno). I hope you enjoy them!

[tur-an53-blog]

Ayaz Ata (Uzbek: Ayoz Bobo, Kyrgyz: Аяз Ата, Kazakh: Аяз Ата, Turkmen: Aýaz Baba) is a winter god and a character that it represents who in some Turkic cultures plays a role similar to that of Santa Claus or Russian Ded Moroz. The literal translation of the name would be "Frost Father", although the name is often translated as "Grandfather Frost". He was created of Moon light and caused by cold weather.

Literary depictions of Ayaz Ata commonly show him accompanied by Kar Kız (Tatar: Кар Кызы or Qar Qızı means "Snow Girl" or "Snow Maiden"), his granddaughter and helper.

In Azerbaijan-Turkish ‚Ayaz Ata’ is known as Şaxta Baba ("Grandfather Frost") and his companion grandchild is known as Qar Qızı ("Snow Girl"). Şaxta Baba brings gifts to children at New Year celebrations, however Qar Qızı is rarely present at the festivities.

In Bashkortostan:

In Bashkir-Turkish, Ayaz Ata is known as (Qïš babay, literally: "Winter Father"), and his granddaughter is known as (Qarhïlïw, "Snow beauty").

In Sakha-Republic (also falsely known as Yakutia):

Chys Khan (Sakha-Turkish: Kış Han, "Winter King") is known as the master of cold, accompanied by the snow maiden Khaarchana.

In Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan:

(Ayaz Ata) is the same Kazakh-Turkish and Kyrgyz-Turkish name.

#Chys #Khan #Ayaz #Ata #Turkic #Khaarchana #King #Father #Frost #Winter #Snow #Tengriism #Turan

[schweizercomics]

Companions of Christmas 17: Khaarchana

 Khaarchana is the granddaughter of both Chyskhaan on her mother’s side and Ekhe Dyll on her father’lls. From birth, she learned to bounce back and forth between their very different holiday celebrations and expectations. Chyskhaan’s reverent and solemn traditionalism and Ekhe’s edacious, riotous merrymaking are often at stark contrast, as are the grandfathers themselves: Chyskhaan has, on more than one occasion, called Ekhe a classless, gluttonous yokel, and Ekhe has let Chyskhaan know that the former considers the latter a stuffy, bumptious snob.

When the winter giftgivers were, for a generation, expelled from Russia following its revolution, Khaarchana realized that children across Siberia would suffer greatly from the absence of her grandfathers. Despite the danger posed by Stalin’s minions and the difficulty in reconciling the two seemingly different approaches to the holidays, Khaarchana decided to fill their shoes, making sure that no child in (what is now) the Sakha republic would go without during winter festivities, and that the festivities themselves would be as rich and wonderful as they had ever been.

Going in with no experience, she consulted the longtime friend and colleague of both grandfathers, Santa Claus, whose advice was to be true to herself. The celebrations of the winter holidays are always changing and growing, and reverence and merrymaking needn’t be mutually exclusive. Knowing the peril that her mission would put her in, Santa gave Khaarchana a magical snowflake, which, when worn on her head, would render her invisible, allowing her to plan and maneuver under the eyes of the Russian secret police, only removing it and allowing herself to be seen on the New Year when she would hand out the presents she had strategically hidden in homes across Siberia.

When her grandfathers were eventually permitted to return to the Russian-controlled region, they found that Khaarchana had kept the spirit of love and giving alive during their absence, and had unified their two approaches into one one messy, inconsistent, glorious celebration. Though both were resistant to change, and to each other, Chyskhaan and Ehke began to accompany Khaarchana on her rounds, and, though they still bicker like old hens, they have become close friends, while Khaarchana, in addition to her role as giftgiver, is the patron of all who have to navigate the sometimes-conflicting holiday celebrations (and schedules) of more than one family.