Tol mör vös - Joint Winter Ceremony (2019)

In the 17th-18th century, the Udmurts, to escape Christianization and social pressure moved massively eastwards from the Kama River. They found refuge among the Bashkirs who were moslem and allowed them to follow the ways of their ancestors. Soviet anti-religious campaigns failed to root out the Udmurts' religious traditions although in some villages public prayers were cancelled for a while. Today amidst the Eastern Udmurts the traditional Udmurt faith is reborn, in almost all villages prayer ceremonies are carried out. The main aim of the ceremonies is to guarantee the favour of the gods, to pray for the health of people and domestic animals, for future crops, for world peace etc.
In the Tatyshly region of Bashkortostan where there are 19 Udmurt villages a multiple level prayer cycle has been developed. The winter traditions are less well preserved than the summer traditions. On the right bank of the river Yug winter village prayer ceremonies have ceased. Here in Vilgurt only the winter joint prayer ceremony tol mör vös takes place bringing together representatives of three-four villages. In 2016 the tol mör vös in Vilgurt was conducted by the Vilgurt priests Rais Rafikov and Salim Shakirov. Priest Fridman Kabipyanov from Balzyuga participated in reciting the prayers.