The culture of Tuva

The traditional culture of the Tuvans, the main population of the republic, is a nomadic culture. Due to its relatively isolated position — the absence of railways, the mountains surrounding the territory on all sides — self-sufficient nomadic farms have been preserved in Tuva to the present day. The traditional occupation of the Tuvans is the breeding of sheep and horses, and in the Toji region, reindeer herding and hunting are still the main occupations of the population.

Buddhism in Tuva

The traditional religion of the Tuvans is Tibetan Buddhism, which is combined with elements of ancient shamanism. In September 1992, the Dalai Lama XIV, who is the spiritual leader of Buddhists, made a three-day visit to the republic.

The Tuvinian throat singing has gained worldwide fame and has become an unofficial symbol of the republic.

Other symbols include the Tuvinian stone-carving art.

The annual Tuvan holiday of animal breeders Naadym, the festival of Ustuu-Khuree, the festival of felt, and the celebration of the national New Year Shagaa are colorful and popular events that attract visitors from all over the republic and tourists from neighboring republics and distant countries.

Archaeology in Tuva has gained great popularity. The symbol of ancient Tuva is the bronze panther, which was discovered during the excavation of the Arzhan-1 burial mound and dates back to the 8th century BC. In 2001, during the excavation of the Arzhan-2 mound, a rich burial was discovered, which was called the first archaeological sensation of the 21st century.