Home – Home – Jornals – "Philosophy of Education" 2016 number 3

Religion and the national language are tightly interconnected, since they are a composite part of ethnical identity. The present article is dedicated to revealing a role of religion in education, particularly, in the studies and preservation of the native language on the example of local group of Barguzin Buryats. The author evaluates the religious activists’ contribution to the native language preservation and engaging the youth to its study through the analysis of educational and holiday events organized by religious organizations. Besides, the problems that are connected with the native Buryat language preservation are touched upon here. Due to worsening of the situation with the national language in schools and higher education institutions, the leader of the Traditional Sangha of Russia Damba Ayusheev called for the support of the Buryat language teachers and for the creation of dialect dictionaries of the Buryat language in each district. Consequently, the Barguzin dialect dictionary was published by the Kurumkan datsan administration. In addition, annually in the Ivolginsky dastan, there are carried out the Buryat language contests among the schoolchildren, and this undoubtedly fosters the interest to the national culture among the youth. In Barguzin valley, the problem of the native language preservation is not as critical as in Ulan-Ude where the majority does not know their language, because Barguzin Buryats still speak Buryat there due to a far distance from the city. In Barguzinsky and Kurumkansky districts, Shamanist rituals are often organized where the Buryat language is one of priorities because it is used for «communication» with the spirits of ancestors. The same happens after Buddhist ceremonies such as worship to the goddess Yanzhima and Water gods-«nagi»; the competitions for the best song in the Buryat language and the best theatrical sketch on the national theme are held there. Thus, the role of religion in the native language studies and preservation is important now. However, unfortunately, the situation with the language preservation remains critical, because of the loss of its main function which is communication.