Nardugan Festival

Nardugan Bayramı is a New Year festival celebrated among certain Turkic communities during the winter season. This festival, which has been observed for approximately 3200 years, symbolizes the rebirth of the sun, the shortening of the night, and the lengthening of the day. Its name is derived from the combination of the Mongolic word “nar” (sun) and the Turkish word “tugan” (born), meaning “new sun” or “birth of the new year.” Nardugan is celebrated with rituals that reflect the cyclical nature of nature, social unity, and wishes for abundance.

Throughout history, Nardugan Bayramı has been celebrated by Turkic communities across Central Asia and Anatolia. Although migration, the adoption of different religions, and cultural interactions caused it to be forgotten in some regions, since 2010 it has been revived as a festival in Gündoğan, a village in the Bodrum district of Muğla, Türkiye.

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Throughout history, Turkic peoples have lived under the influence of various religious and belief systems. Before Islam, the worship of Tengri, shamanism, nature, and ancestor cults were dominant, while religions such as Buddhism, Manichaeism, Judaism, and Christianity were also adopted. This multifaceted belief system shaped the solar and lunar cults that form the foundation of Nardugan Bayramı, as well as the ritualization of natural phenomena through figures such as Ülgen and Erlik.

During the Göktürk and Uyghur periods, the sun and moon were regarded as mythological symbols. The sun represented goodness and abundance, while the moon symbolized night and mystery. The struggle against evil spirits was interpreted as a battle between night and day, and this conflict was symbolically celebrated in Nardugan rituals.

The term Nardugan has been known by various names among different Turkic communities. The Tatars call it Koyaş Tuğa, the Udmurts and Misher Tatars Raştua or Zırizyalar, the Chuvash Nardava, the Mokshas Nartavan or Nartukan, and the Bashkirs Nardvan. It is also commonly referred to as Nardugan or Mardugan.^【1】 These variations emerged due to the nomadic lifestyle of Turkic peoples and their wide geographic dispersion.

Nardugan Bayramı is closely associated with the winter solstice. On December 21, the longest night of the year, night is symbolized by Erlik and day by Ülgen. At the end of the night, the sun’s victory is celebrated, and the festive spirit of the new year begins with the first full moon of the month. These celebrations include rituals that affirm the renewal of nature, the wish for fertility and abundance, and the strengthening of social solidarity and family bonds.

Before the festival, homes are cleaned and special meals are prepared. Families gather to share meals in preparation for the celebration. Participants wear their finest and cleanest clothing, reflecting communal unity and festive joy.

At the center of the celebrations stands a tree known as Akçam, also called the Life Tree or Ülgen Tree. This tree is decorated with offerings and prayers, serving as a focal point for gifts presented to the deity Ülgen. Participants tie ribbons and fabric strips to its branches to convey their wishes. The Akçam tree is predominant in Siberia, the Altai, and the Ural-Altai regions and is widespread in the territories inhabited by Turkic communities. It holds both aesthetic and ritual significance in the festivities.

Historical and ecological data suggest that the Akçam tree used in Nardugan celebrations is likely of the Abies sibirica species. Palynological studies indicate that Abies sibirica has been one of the dominant tree species in the region for approximately 8500 years. Its whitish-green color and needle-like leaves played a role in its symbolic identification by Turkic peoples as the Tree of Life.^【2】

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Participants sing songs in groups and dance around the Akçam tree. Women and young girls prepare felt-like ribbons, embroidering them with motifs of the Tree of Life to hang their wishes.^【3】 Although Erlik is regarded as an evil figure, on this special night he brings gifts and participates in the festivities as a symbol of goodwill. Erlik wears traditional Turkic garments such as a kaftan, headgear, belt, and leather boots. On the days when daylight overcomes the night, prayers and wishes are hung on the branches of the Akçam tree, and the gifts and wishes placed beneath it constitute the central ritual of the festival, believed to be accepted by Ülgen.^【4】

Nardugan Bayramı is not merely a New Year celebration; it encompasses multidimensional symbols such as the cycle of nature, the struggle between good and evil, abundance, and social solidarity. The battle between night and day is a mythological narrative conveyed through the figures of Erlik and Ülgen. The wishes and offerings hung on the Akçam tree form the central ritual through which communication with the deity Ülgen is established.

The festival is celebrated annually on December 22, recognized as the winter solstice, the longest night of the year. The festivities are timed to coincide with the first full moon of the month, marking the beginning of the new year.

Throughout history, Nardugan Bayramı has been celebrated across a wide geographic area and among diverse communities. Today, Tatars, Bashkirs, Chuvash, and Karachay-Malkar peoples continue to observe the festival. In addition to Turkic communities, historical evidence shows that Nardugan traditions were also present among Iranian groups, Bessarabian Armenians, and the Komi people. In Türkiye, the festival is celebrated since 2010 in the village of Gündoğan in Bodrum as a festive event with traditional revelry. Bonfires are lit, local games are played, and folk dances revive the traditional spirit. Women participate in colorful printed garments, and fabric pieces are symbolically tied to the Akçam tree.

Although Nardugan Bayramı shares similarities with the modern celebration of Christmas in terms of form and ritual—such as tree decoration, gift-giving, singing, and dancing—it also has distinct differences. The key distinction lies in Nardugan’s foundation in the figures of Ülgen and Erlik, whereas Christmas is rooted in Christian belief. It has been debated whether the Nardugan tradition was transmitted to Europe through the Huns and may have contributed to the origins of the Christmas tree custom.^【5】

Nardugan Bayramı is not merely a New Year celebration; it encompasses multidimensional symbols such as the cycle of nature, the struggle between good and evil, abundance, and social solidarity. The battle between night and day is a mythological narrative conveyed through the figures of Erlik and Ülgen. The wishes and offerings hung on the Akçam tree form the central ritual through which communication with the deity Ülgen is established.

Ayaz Ata is a wise and elderly figure who leads the rituals of Nardugan Bayramı in Turkic societies. He is regarded as a benevolent personality who aids people during winter, mediates goodness, and brings an end to the cold. During the ceremonies, Ayaz Ata wears his most magnificent attire and leads the presentation of gifts to the deity Ülgen. Due to his advanced age, a girl of grandchild’s age is typically assigned to assist him. This person may be his actual granddaughter or another individual of suitable age. Among northern Turkic peoples, Ayaz Ata appears after December 22 and the celebrations continue until February 1.

In Uzbek, Ayaz Ata is known as Ayoz Bobo or Ayaz Ota; in Kyrgyz and Kazakh, as Ayaz Ata; in the Bashkir dialect, as Kış Babası and his granddaughter Kar Güzeli; and in Tatar culture, as Qış Babay and his granddaughter Kar Kızı. In Turkic mythology, the cult of Ayaz Ata was integrated into winter solstice rituals through shamans. The six legs of Ayaz Ata’s sleigh represent the six stars of the Ursa Major constellation and the six openings of the heavens. Ayaz Ata acts as an intermediary between the Turkic people and the Moon God to end the cold.

While some recognize the existence of Ayaz Ata and Nardugan Bayramı, other perspectives challenge their authenticity. For instance, Professor Dr. Ahmet Taşağıl argues that there is no mythological figure named Ayaz Ata or festival called Nardugan in Turkic culture. He notes that although Turkic communities lived for centuries under Christian cultural influence, even among Christian Turkic groups such as the Chuvash and Gagauz, no trace of Ayaz Ata has been found. Furthermore, he points out that no historical records from the pre-Islamic Turkic period mention Ayaz Ata or Nardugan, offering a critical perspective on the historical origins of these traditions.^【6】