Folk Songs of the Torguts of Xinjiang Recorded by Ts.-D. Nominkhanov (1935): Specifics of the Source
https://doi.org/10.22162/2500-1523-2025-1-95-117
Abstract
Introduction. The archive of the Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS contains the manuscript of the orientalist Ts.-D. Nominkhanov, named “Kalmyk Folk Songs”, including texts recorded by him among different ethnic groups from 1927 to 1962. The purpose of the article is to characterize the songs of the Xinjiang Torguts from this collection as a source. The article is a continuation of two other articles, which consider the recordings of songs of the Don and Boshederbet Kalmyks (1927). Results. Ts.-D. Nominkhanov recorded 10 songs of the Karashar Torguts. The songs were recorded from Dusyan who was the Torgut and the student of the Central Asian University. All songs are included into the manuscript entitled “Kalmyk Folk Songs”, which reflects the peculiarity of the scientific and creative biography of the scientist, as well as the opinion of Ts.-D. Nominkhanov on the unity of the culture of Xinjiang Torguts and Kalmyks. The songs were recorded in the first month of the scientist’s work in Tashkent, where he worked at the Central Asian University for three years, which can be explained not only by the teacher’s employment, but also by the peculiarities of the social environment among students from China. Recordings of songs of Xinjiang Torguts do not contain religious and historical songs, there are no songs dedicated to noble persons. Most of the songs are lyrical. But the records still show the peculiarity of the situation in Xinjiang in the early 1930s.
Supporting agencies: The reported study was funded by Russian Science Foundation, project no. 24-28-01746 “Archive of Orientalist Ts.-D. Nominkhanov: Cataloguing, Research (for the 125th Anniversary of the Scientist)”. Available at: https://rscf.ru/en/project/24-28-01746/
About the Author
Elza P. Bakaeva
Kalmyk Scientific Center of the RAS (8, Ilishkin St., 358000 Elista, Russian Federation)
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Dr. Sc. (History), Deputy Director, Leading Research Associate
References
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Review
For citations:
Bakaeva E.P. Folk Songs of the Torguts of Xinjiang Recorded by Ts.-D. Nominkhanov (1935): Specifics of the Source. Mongolian Studies. 2025;17(1):95-117. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.22162/2500-1523-2025-1-95-117
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