home

GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO TENGRIISM
Tengriism is an ancient religion from Central Asia that incorporates elements of shamanism, animism, totemism and ancestor worship. In ancient times, Tengriism was the main belief of Turkic peoples, being the Huns, Xiongu and Bulgars, Hungarians, Siberians and Mongols, those of ancient Altaic origins. It is thought to be one of the oldest religions in the world.
The religion focuses around the sky deity Tengri (Tangra, Tangri, Tanri) and can be considered monotheistic. Tengriists centre their beliefs around reverence for the sky. Khukhand Tengri translated literally mean “blue” and “sky” in Mongolian. Mongolians still pray to Munkh Khukh Tengri (“Eternal Blue Sky”). In modern Turkey, Tengriism is known as the Gök Tanrı (Sky God) religion.
The ancient belief of Tengri comes from the Bronze Age and beyond, there is no solid date to confirm its beginnings. It is one of the only religions to represent a purely philosophical vision rather than religious dogmas, having never caused any wars or sought to convert the world. Tengriism enriches the soul with both endless freedom of human spirit and seamless harmony with the rest of the world and natural environment.
In Europe, Tengriism was the religion of the Huns and of the early Bulgars who brought it to the region. Tengriism is still actively practiced in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Sakha, Buryatia, Tuva, Mongolia and Turkey, alongside Tibetan Buddhism and Burkhanism.

Glossary
KUT - spirit
YURT - home
AUL - village
KAM - priest
LEYSEN - Spring
ALTAI - people from the the Altai mountain range of East Central Asia.

ORIGINS OF THE UIVERSE - COSMOLGY
There are many variations of the creation story, Tengriists believe these to be the main two:
In the beginning Tengri created Kishi, a companion, and together they flew about above the primordial deep. Kishi, however, aspire to fly higher than his creator and in his arrogance lost the power to fly, as a result he fell into the depths of the sea. From the deep he called to Tengri to save him whereupon Tengri caused rocks and earth to rise from the waters to create the primal mound of creation and earth to stand upon, from which he caused the Cosmic Tree (the tree of life) to grow. From the branches of this tree the people of the world and lesser gods emerged. He called forth (the personification of) Evil which he then caused to be guarded by dogs and snakes. It is said that in time Tengri and the Evil One will battle for the control of creation. Yer (Earth-Spirit) and Tengri existed in harmony and complemented each other. Yer gave man a material shell, but his soul (Kut) was given at birth by Tengri, who took it back after death. Tengri determines the path of one’s soul and longevity and rewards and punishes. Khagan ascended the throne as the son of Tengri, for it was Tengri who had given Khagan to his people and it was he who punished those who turned against their ruler. A man became Khagan, and lived under Tengri’s protection only for as long as he himself lived by Tengri’s laws.

Tengri is a pure, white goose that flies constantly over an endless expanse of water, which represents time. Beneath this water, Ak Ana ("White Mother") calls out to him saying "Create". To overcome his loneliness, Tengri creates Er Kishi, who is not as pure or as white as Tengri and together they set up the world. Er Kishi becomes a demonic character and strives to mislead people and draw them into its darkness. Tengri assumes the name Tengri Ülgen and withdraws into Heaven from which he tries to provide people with guidance through sacred animals that he sends among them. The Ak Tengris occupy the fifth level of Heaven. Priests who want to reach Tengri Ülgen never get further than this level, where they convey their wishes to the divine guides. Returns to earth or to the human level take place in a goose-shaped vessel.

DEITIES
Tengriist Mongolians believe there to be 99 deities whilst Turkish Tengriists believe there to be only 17. However, these are the main deities of Tengriism:
Tengri – Tngri – Tenri – Tanri – Tenger – Тэнгэр - ᠲᠨᠭᠷᠢ
Tengri is the chief deity of Tengriism, essentially, worship of Tengri is Tengriism. He is the core being, the Sky God (Sky Father) and is married to Mother Earth. The Göktürk Khans are the sons of Tengri sent to Earth, they have the kut, the mighty spirit granted to these rulers by their father. There are many common sayings amongst Tengriists, such as “by the will of the Eternal Blue Heaven.” Tengri controls the celestial sphere and is the creator of the universe and father of all. Tengri is symbolised by a pure, white goose, he represents reverence to the sky. He is fair and good and the well being of people depends on his mood. There is not a lot of information on Tengri as he is simply accepted as the Eternal Sky God, ruler of everything. 
Yer-Sub (Land-Water)
The term Yer-Sub has two meanings, one the name of a goddess, the other the visible world. Yer-Sub exists in the middle of the Universe and she resides on Khangan Plato (Lanshan Mountain, Mongolia). This place is called “The Otuken Homeland.” Yer-Sub is depicted as a voluptuous, beautiful woman, who is patroness of the Homeland (Land-Water). Nature and all living beings are subordinate to her and is regarded as the second highest deity under Tengri. She is commonly called Yduk Yer-Sub (Sacred Earth-Water). The dominant role in determining the fate of people and nations belonged to Tengri, but natural forces yielded to Yer-Sub. On Tengri’s command Yer-Sub would punish people for their sins through natural disasters, bad crops etc.
Umai (Ymai, Mai, Omai)
Umai is a female deity associated with benevolent deities and spirits. She is said to be a favourite wife of Tengri, she, like Yer-Sub, obeyed Tengri. Umai was the giver of special divine powers to mankind. Umai lived in the skies and radiated down to earth, he rays reached man and lived in him as a spark until death. This spark accounts for man’s vital energy and physical force, but it is not a kut (spirit) that gives man this energy but rather a divine power linking man to heavens sent by Tengri. Once the spark dies out, so does the person, accounting for the frailty of old age. 
After the ancient Turkic states disintegrated and people began to migrate, the Goddess Umai began to be considered only as a protector of pregnant women and small children, from malevolent earthly spirits. The reverence towards Umai was kept alive in the Altai until recent times. Today, some Altai say that when the kut of a child reaches the earth, he is weak and helpless, and therefore Umai descends with him from the heavens, and guards him in the womb. This is necessary as some times evil spirits get into the womb and ruin the child, causing an abortion. Umai is present at birth ensuring that the child and woman are strong and healthy, fending off evil spirits. Umai protects the child, educates and talks to him. When a child cries during a dream and sleeps restlessly, Umai is said to have left him.
The name Umai also referred to the womb, placenta and cut umbilical cord. This highlighted Umai as a goddess of reproduction. It was to her that barren couples prayed for a child. Many people still believe that Umai resides in the umbilical cord. 
Erlik/Erglik
Erlik is the chief god of the Underworld. He is described as an old man with an athletic built. His eyes and eyebrows are jet black and his parted beard reaches his knees. His moustache is like tusks that curl behind his ears. His horns are like tree roots and his hair curled. Erlik is connected with the worst disasters, epidemics and illnesses of people and cattle. He caused these illnesses to compel man to sacrifice to him. Men feared Erlik, especially when ill and were afraid to use his name, calling him Kara-Name(Something Black) instead. The sons of Erlik helped him rule the Underworld, where there were lakes, rivers and seas. Erlik also had between 2 and 9 daughters, they were described as idle, sexually promiscuous and had a desire to lure Kams (shamans) to their beds, as they descended to the Underworld for ceremonies. Though Erlik is the supreme God of the Underworld, he rarely causes evil. He did not regulate the death of mortals and did not take away their Kut. He only accepted their material bodies after death, their kuts returned to the Sky, after the body was cremated. Malicious spirits, Kermeses, dwelled in the Underworld, and sometimes surfaced at sunset to cause harm. 
The Earth Goddess
The Earth Goddess is considered to be both a mother and wife to Tengri. She appears as a force of nature and can only be controlled by Tengri. In ancient Mythology there was a theory that mortals were the product of the union of Tengri and Earth. The Earth Goddess is revered and seen as a giver of crops and adundance.
The Water Goddess
Water was born earlier than Earth, therefore she is believed to be a senior sister to Earth. The beginning of the Earth emanated from Water. From the bottom of the Water a heavenly goose lifted the sand, clay and silt, from which the Earth was created. The closest deity to Water is Rain. Water is greatly respected as she is seen as the initial state of everything and the entrance into the other realm. Without her, life is impossible. The life, fertility and productivity of land depends on the Water Goddess. 
The Fire God - Ut-Ana
Fire is a grandson of Tengri and the Sun. His brother is lightning. Fire is associated with birth, growth, development and life in general. The kut of Fire warms and grows humans, as soon as he leaves we die. Fire is often represented by a red cow, red bull or a rooster. Fire is deemed to be like Sun and the hearth in the centre of a home is made round as they are both linked to women. Fire colours the earth and is seen as a healer.
The Sun God – Koyash
The Sun is the son of Tengri and the Earth Goddess. Tengriists honor the power and vital force of the Sun God, making it a priority to bow to him each morning as he rises. Sun’s rays are strings that link the spirits of plants to heaven. Solar rays are considered a medium for transmitting Tengri into infants. Koyash is often depicted as a fiery bird or a winged horse and these images are often used to adorn things such as ceramic pots and earrings.
The Moon Goddess – Ai
The Moon Goddess is a daughter of Tengri and Earth and is viewed with both fear and affection. Moon represents the night and is pictured as a noble woman. The night’s darkness heralded the emergence of malicious spirits from holes in the ground linked to the Underworld. The rituals and trances of witches were always timed according to the phases of the moon. At might illnesses got worse and caused deaths, robberies and murders occurred at night. On the other hand, her influence is trusted. She is the “night lantern.” To please the Moon Goddess, children born on a full moon are named either Aisylu, Aituly, Ainir, Aizirek or Ainaz. Tengriists believe that women have secret lunar powers. The menstrual cycle seemed to coincide with the monthly phases of the moon. Pregnancy lasts about nine lunar months and women often deliver during a full moon. The three phases of the moon are also symbolic. Ai Naazy (new moon) symbolizes a growing young girl who is pure and modest, Ai Toly (full moon) personifies a mature good natured mother and Ai Katy (old moon) is an aged yet wise old lady but quarrelsome and malicious. The Moon Goddess goes through these phases, dies, and is reborn (new moon) for an eternity, forever ruling the night.
The Stars
The Star deities influence human happiness, wealth and cattle and each star corresponds to the Kut of a man on Earth, whose star falls to earth when they die. Someone who is happy and who’s fate seems protected is said to be “a man with a star.”
Iron Stake – Timer Kazyk
The Polar Star was a traveller’s reference point during the night. The name Iron Stake was given due to its seemingly static position. Two close stars move around it like horses on a chord tied to a stake and were named “The Two White Horses.” The Polar Star was also named “The Smoke Hole Of The Sky” as it acts as a passageway between two worlds. This is the story of Timer Kazyk; There was a time when the Sky and Earth were in disorder. The sky pressed on the Earth, which fragmented. Great chaos came upon the universe. The Black Storm grasped the Earth and the ashes of it were mixed with the clouds, whilst thunder roared, lightning flashed and hailstones fell the size of ducks’ eggs. People, animals and birds perished and only groans were heard upon the Earth. Fear, confusion, suffering and grief reigned. Mountains moved, rivers overflowed, fire destroyed forests and steppes. The moon, sun and stars lost their orbits and were swept into chaotic spinning. Chaos and disaster reigned for three years, until the Lord of the Sky, Tengri, in great anger hammered a Golden Stake into the Universe. This secured the Sky and Earth and became an axis to the world, which guides the path of the moon, sun, stars and comets. The end of this staff is seen at night and was named Timer Kazyk.
The Seven Elders – Ursar Major
The Seven Elders kept a kidnapped daughter of the Pleiades.
Urker – Pleiades
Tengriists jave noticed that Uker leans towards the Seven Elders and think that Uker pursues them to free his daughter. They determine the time of night and the seasons by the Pleiades.
The Shepherd’s Star – Venus
With the rising of this planet, shepherds brought herds to the aul corral.
The Morning Star – Chulpan
The Tengriists named children in honor of this favourite star.
The Air God
The Air God supervises life between the Sky and Earth, as well as all other deities, under Tengri. Without Air, life on the Earth is impossible, Air is a vital kut that enters the body with breath.
Thunder and Lightning 
Tengri controlled Thunder and Lightning, who punished malicious forces. Thunder was the angry voice of Tengri and Lightning his heavenly arrows, which struck evil spirits. Anyone struck by lightning was believed to be worthy of Tengri’s anger and was left to burn. Anything touched by lightning was deemed corrupt, no happiness could be created near or of the thing. Lightning never strikes birch trees as they the most holy things on earth having links to the Cosmic Tree. Sacrifices were made in the places of lightning strikes. 
The Wind God
Wind symbolizes a mischievous, sometimes violent character. He is represented by a wild horse, and the term “born of the wind” is used to describe thoughtless mischievous people. Because of his restless nature Wind was never able to get on with Earth, Water and sometimes Fire. When angered, Wind brings down snowstorms and hurricanes bringing misfortune. People often spit three times when rustled by strong wind to dispel any evil kuts. If anything was destroyed by Wind it was abandoned and prayers were made to the forests and mountains. Western and Northern winds are considered ominous. In the Autumn they bring bad weather, rain, snow and clouds that covered the Sun. In January and February there are some very windy days and these months are called Jil Aiy, months of wind. Tengriist plea with Umai “do not admit malicious spirits nor any evil wind!” The wind is perceived as a stroke from the other world and a breeze is a cause for discomfort, as it may prove an “envoy of the lower world.” The ancient Tengriists esteemed the Wind God and in his honor constructed a temple called “Dispersing the Clouds.” Sacrifices were made in these temples if a victory was wanted. Wind creates change, heralds clouds and storms and plots disease. People trust the Wind God, a force of nature that gives energy. At the same time counter clockwise whirlwinds are seen as being evil, able to steal the kut of a man.
Tornado
Tornado was a malicious deity that caused people to fear the forces of nature.
Clouds 
The Cloud God’s brothers are Thunder and Lightning. White clouds are the forerunners of a sunny day, black clouds are the forerunners of rain and the absence of clouds means hot, dry weather.
Rain
Both the harvest and the well being of man depends on Rain. Rain is represented in human form and lived in the Sky, but was connected predominantly with the Earth deities. His brothers are Thunder and Lightning, Cloud, Wind and his sister is Water on Earth. The first rain in the beginning of the Leysen was particularly sacred and had curative properties.
Rainbow
Rainbow is the sister of Rain. After a Leysen rain, Rainbow had a habit of milking ewes, tied together with a chord tied around their necks.

Ritual Dance - Crane Dance

RITUALS
Tengriist rituals all revolve around worship for their deities.
Yer-Sub
To appease Yer-Sub, sacrifices were made every spring in preparation for the cattle-breeding season and before planting crops. Sacrifices were also conducted in the autumn, after the completion of the harvest. During the times of the Khaganates, sacrifices to Yer-Sub had a nation-wide character. They were conducted near rivers and on the banks of lakes. A reddish horse was sacrificed with appeals for the fertility of cattle and crops, and for general well being. With the disintegration of the ancient Turkic states, the rituals to Yer-Sub began to take on distinct local forms. As in ancient times, they were conducted in the upper rivulets and on the shores of lakes. White rams were sacrificed and hung on a tree, under which a prayer was conducted. After the ritual, participants feasted and exchanged gifts.
Umai
Tengriists did not sacrifice domestic animals to the Goddess Umai, but dedicated carefully prepared dairy and meat dishes in solemn ceremonies. Umai protected the Tengriists and participated, together with Tengri and Yer-Sub, in the victory of their forces over an enemy. 
Many families make a small bow and arrow (boys) or spindle (girls), to serve as talismans. These amulets are attached to the dwelling near the cradle. They are made when the newborn is first placed in the cradle and removed when the child no longer needs it. On the child reaching the age of six months, a Kam is invited for a special ceremony to Umai-Ana (Mother Umai), involving the sacrifice of a young bull. During this they ask Umai to safeguard and protect the baby. A talisman is attached to the cradle, i.e., a small bow and arrow, symbolising the weapon Umai uses against malicious spirits. The complete care and the constant presence of Umai near the child continues until he learns to walk, run, understand speech and speak fluently. This happens at approximately 5-6 years. When the child becomes accustomed to his social environment, especially his parents, relatives and later his playmates, his connection with Umai-Ana ends. When a child reaches this stage, a special ritual is performed for Tengri, which involves the sacrifice of a domestic animal. Appeals are made for the child’s longevity.
Erlik
Sacrifices to Erlik were conducted at night, by slaughtering domestic animals with some defect (a broken horn, lameness, etc), as it was believed that the invisible Underworld contrasted with the visible one, where humans dwelt.
The Earth Goddess
In the spring, before the beginning of the agricultural season and in the autumn, after the harvest, as a sign of gratitude for the abundance of food and happiness, the ancient Turks and Mongols made a sacrifice to the Earth Goddess. Milk, kumys and tea were offered and pleas made for a fertile land and a rich yield.
The life, fertility and productivity of land depended on the Water Goddess. Therefore sacrifices were made to Earth and Water at river sources and lakes, asking for a good harvest, increase in cattle and general well being.
The Fire God – Ut Ana
Fire was associated with the clan, but each family also maintained a family Fire, which was united with that of other families. The Hearth was protected and kept clean, a careless attitude could result in the Fire God becoming angry and leaving the yurt.
Desecration of Fire was forbidden. This included throwing rubbish, leftovers or foul smelling substances onto it; stoking coals with a sharp implement; stepping over it or stepping on ashes. Ashes from the hearth were taken to a secluded place, where neither people, nor animals would go. To spit on a flame meant that one’s lips would become blistered. It was prohibited to deviate from the daily ritual of tending the Fire and offering it food and beverages. If these rules were violated, the Fire would punish the inhabitants by burning possessions or the dwelling itself, or depriving the inhabitants of the Fire God's protection against malicious, illness-causing spirits. A burnt object was seen as a terrible sign of Fire’s anger and a special prayer with sacrifices had to be made. When the burning wood in the hearth crackled or whistled, it meant that Ut-Ana was happy and the master of the house expected good news and visitors.
Once a year family prayers to Ut-Ana were organised. Their purpose was to ask for the family’s health and fortune. A Kam conducted the household prayer to Ut-Ana. A white ram with a black face was often given as a sacrifice. Before the sacrifice, simmering milk was poured upon the ram and it was decorated with coloured ribbons, before being released back into the herd. In this way it was devoted to Ut-Ana, before being slaughtered. The right front part of the carcass and heart were burnt and the remaining parts given to the Kam. A required component of all the Kam’s ceremonies was birch, which symbolised the link between the upper and lower worlds. Birch branches (sis) decorated with chalama (ribbons of blue, red and white) were placed on the floor around the hearth. After a sacrifice to the Fire God, the Kam threw pieces of fatty meat into the flames, which would then intensify. In invocations to Ut-Ana, the Kam usually said: “You, Fire, Mother of ours. You have 40 teeth. You are covered with red silk, and have a white silk bed. I did not step on white ashes. Small children and dogs did not touch you. I sacrificed the white ram, I gave the white lamb, I bow to you, Fire, grant us an easier life.” The sacrificial food for deities and spirits was prepared on flames. People ate the meat, and the Deities and Spirits fed on the smell of the roasted meat.
Fire had a cleansing quality. A desecrated object was held above the flames for cleansing. Ambassadors visiting a Khagan were always led between two fires. Before a man give a public oath he had to be purified by flames. For this purpose fires were set in two places and he had to pass between them.
Fire was a patron of dwellings and a home’s sanctuary. A bride on arriving at her husband’s household had to bow to the Fire on entering the dwelling, so that her family would be as happy as the ancestors. Women led the bride entering a new family to the yurt of her father-in-law. When inside, she usually knelt, she then poured fat onto the flames and bowed a few times, saying, ‘Mother-Fire and Mother-Fat, award me with your favor!’ The Kam, stretched his hands over the flames, calling: "Lady Hearth Ut-Ana! By your will this flame is born. So let this flame protect the dwelling against malicious spirits and act as a barrier against human treachery. May the goodness warm without burning and may evil be eliminated. Let Fire last a thousands years! Bless this hearth, Ut-Ana!" After that, the Kam declared the bride to be a wife and a mistress of the hearth and the groom a husband and master of the yurt.
Fire was applied for the treatment of various diseases. If a child or adult had facial cuts, sparks were made over them using flint. The Kam, addressed the cuts, "Why does not a single branch move? Why do you wander here and there? May all the crusts together with the fiery sparks fall from this face... Do not build your yurt here any more… Do not return." With the help of Fire, the Kam treated a child from 'milk disease,' a disease of the oral mucous membrane. The treatment consisted of the Kam laying the child on its back and burning a piece of a birch bark on its chest, leaving a small mark. The same procedure was conducted for the treatment of excessive salivation. It was believed that ashes also had medicinal properties. So, a bleeding wound was covered with hot ashes, which accelerated healing. Hot ashes smeared across the belly with one’s right hand were a cure for abdominal pain.
The Wind God
Wind, as one of the elements of nature, creates a situation of change. It not only heralds clouds and storms, but it also brings diseases. Therefore the ‘possession of wind’, a skill to control weather, was one of the characteristics of strong Kams, Yadachi and other sacred persons. Their involvement was required in situations when the elements might cause problems. A light breeze produced by a fan was a part of Tengrian ritual. Blowing a light wind was considered an appeal to the spirits. One of the main movements of a Kam during ceremonies, which involved a tambourine or fan, was spinning around on one’s feet. This movement symbolically represented a whirlwind. The Kam turned clockwise, the same direction taken around sacred birches or fire during a sacrifice
Rain
In May, a sacrifice was made to the Rain God, which was followed by a 'Rain Celebration'.

PRINCIPAL BELIEFS
- Tengriism displays a keen respect for the environment, worshipping the elements, in particular the Sky. It is ecologically sensitive. One who defiles water is immediately and physically condemned because water is a gift from Tengri. One of their many principles is “do not waste” ensuring harmonious living with the environment.
- Tengriism does not have a clerical structure.
- Tengriism is a combination of shamanism, animism, totemism and ancestor worship.
- Tengriist beliefs are reflected through ritual worship of Tengri and his gods. 
- It is essentially monotheistic.
- 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 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 respectable life, a human being will keep his world in balance and maximise his personal power, Wind Horse.
- Belief that everything has a soul, or kut, even plants, animals and the natural environment.
- The Tengriist sacred scripture is called the Orkhon Script. It was discovered in 1889 in the Orkhon Valley in Mongolia and was used to publish the alphabet of the Old Turkic language. There are many rock carvings and paintings dating back to the 4th century B.C.E, they read as principles of Tengriist belief.
- There are many sacred mountains and lakes in Tengriist belief. These are the principle places:
Turkey:
- Beydigin Mountains
- Gokirmak (Sky river)
- Kizilirmak (Red river)
China:
- Tian Shan
Kazakhstan:
- Khan Tengri
- Kyzyl-bash
Mongolia:
- Altai Mountains
Kyrgyzstan:
- Issyk Kul
Bulgaria:
- Musala
- Perperikon

INFLUENCE IN MODERN SOCIETY
Unfortunately today Tengriism is something of the past, however, there are small groups of people who are still loyal to this ancient religion. A number of Kyrgyz politicians are actively pushing Tengriism to officially fill the ideological void. Dastan Sarygulov, who is the secretary of state and formerly chair of the Kyrgyz state gold mining company. He has established Tengir Ordo (Army of Tengri), a civic group that seeks to promote the values and traditions of Tengriism.
There is a Tengriist society in Bishkek, which officially claims almost 500 000 followers and an international scientific center of Tengriist studies. Both institutions are run by Dastan Sarygulov, the main theorist of Tengriism in Kyrgyzstan. Publications committed to the subject of Tengriism are more and more frequently published in scientific journals of human sciences in Kyrgyzstan as well as in Kazakhstan. The purpose of this movement is to influence the political circles, and have started to succeed in rekindling faith in the concepts of Tengriism. They want to bring Turkic people back to their natural and national religion.