Introduction. The article examines the politics of Persia, the Russian Empire, Great Britain, and the Khiva Khanate in their relations with Turkmens in the west of the Central Asian region, with special attention given to the dynamics of Russian and Persian interaction on the issue of Turkmen’s territories in the first half of the 19th c. At the time, Turkmens, lacking any central organization, were a multitude of related and opposing clans, each of which strove to preserve its traditional way of life; their actions were concerted only during the periods of Persian aggression. The present article aims at studying the Turkmens’ history of the period in the context of their struggle for independence against regional and world powers. Materials and methods. The research is based on a great variety of Iranian, Russian, and English sources, shedding light on their diplomatic activities in the region and the role of Turkmen clans. Thus, the material is examined, with a focus on the role of Turkmens in Russian and Iranian relations; this innovative approach is intended to fill in the existing gap in the research. Several methods employed in the study were as follows: criticism and analysis of written sources, analysis of phenomena and summing up of the results obtained, induction and deduction; these facilitated an understanding of the general international context in the Transcaspian subregion of Central Asia and of the Turkmens’ part in the regional geopolitics. Notably, Turkmens are not viewed purely in ethnocultural terms, but rather as an object and subject of the Great Game in the East because, undoubtedly, they took efforts to influence the course of geopolitics in the region. Conclusion. Actively resisting their traditional enemies ― Persians and Khivans ― and maneuvering between the leading powers in the struggle for their independence, the Turkmen clans became participants in the Great Game in Central Asia.

Introduction. Dangerous infectious diseases have always been part of human history. The pandemic associated with the spread of COVID-19 underscores the importance of studying experience of dealing with global epidemics. Research goals and objectives. This article attempts to analyze the problem of spread of infectious diseases in Kazakhstan and the history of dealing with epidemics. The history of combating epidemics in Soviet Kazakhstan covers a large spatial and temporal scale, so the chronological framework of the study is limited to the period up to the early 1930s. Materials and methods. Documents of the Central State Archive of Scientific and Technical Documentation of the Republic of Kazakhstan and published reports of the state institutions were used as the research sources. The narrative method selected as appropriate in approaching the issues of “real life” helped reconstruct the conditions that prompted the emergence and spread of epidemics in Kazakhstan, as well as examine the ways employed to combat them. The historical-genetic method was instrumental in shedding light on the essence and dynamics of the epidemic situation in Kazakhstan during the period in question, while the historical-comparative method was helpful in identifying the positive dynamics of the fight against infectious diseases in Soviet Kazakhstan. Results. The research was focused on the epidemic situations in Kazakhstan in the pre-revolutionary and Soviet periods. This involved a study of the formation and development of the system of anti-epidemic protection in the Soviet period, as well as of the main methods of combating infectious diseases employed by Soviet and republican government agencies. Conclusion. The research shows the effectiveness of vaccination, medical and sanitary education of the population involved, as well as of other additional measures in eradicating particularly dangerous infectious diseases.

Introduction. The article aims at analyzing the state policy regarding unauthorized fishing settlements of migrants on the Kalmyk pasturesin the period between the second half of the 18th and 19th cc. to better understand the processes of historical development of the Caspian territories of Kalmykia and of the Russian Caspian region. Accordingly, the lines of research were as follows: to examine the causes for unauthorized settlements and the dynamics of the state policies in the region, to study the migrants (settlers) in terms of the irethnicity, social class, and occupation, as well as their relationship with the authorities. Data and methods. The study was based on materials of the Russian State Historical Archives, the State Archives of the Astrakhan Region, the National Archives of the Republic of Kalmykia, and published sources. Both historical-genetic and historical-comparative methods were employed for the analysis of the data. Results. The author investigated the history of each of the unauthorized fishing settlement, the migrants’ backgrounds in terms of ethnicity, social class, and occupation, and the government’s policies in relation to the migrants. The study shows that such settlements were related to the growth of fishing industry in the region and, partly, to the government’s military and policing practices on the coast of the Caspian Sea. The authorities began to deal seriously with the problem of unauthorized fishing settlements on the Kalmyk pastures from the mid-19thcentury, with the start of transformation in the fishing industry. At the turn of the 20th century, the settlements were removed from the control of the Kalmyk authorities and were legalized, then, the process of their administrative-territorial and land structuring was started to finally complete in the second decade of the 20thcentury. Conclusions. The policy of the authorities in relation to unauthorized fishing settlements on the Kalmyk pastures differed from that in other areas of the Kalmyk steppe. In Mochagi, the authorities did not insist on the removal of such unauthorized settlements and negotiated with the settlers, and only if the latter rejected the proposed solutions for staying on the Kalmyk pastures, the question about their eviction was raised. Such policies on the problem of settlements on the coastal strip of the Caspian Sea, namely in Mochagi, were justified by the interests of the fishing industry to prevent any harmful effect in case of removal of villages and their inhabitants.

The article aims at shedding light on the history of the Buryat-Mongolian Scientific Committee: stages of its growth, contributions of its staff members in the organization of research and its implementation. Materials and methods. Both published and unpublished documents kept in the Center for Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs of the Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist, and Tibetan Studies of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences and in the State Archive of the Republic of Buryatia were used as the main sources for the reconstruction  of the past events while the data analysis was based on the main scientific principles of historicism, systematicity, and objectivity; the paper’s comprehensive approach was implemented via the method of system analysis, problem-chronological and historical-comparative methods, and local history. Results. The Buryat-Mongolian Scientific Committee (Buruchkom), established in July 1922, was designed to promote the national-cultural construction in Buryat-Mongolia while focusing on research and educational tasks. It had to begin its operation under far from favorable conditions, such as poor funding, illiteracy of the population, a shortage of personnel, and practically non-existent printing and publishing, especially in the Buryat-Mongolian language. Nevertheless, Buruchkom organized the studies of Buryat history, archaeology, spiritual and material culture, language and religion, and started field work as well. A significant portion of its activities was initially directed towards translation of educational and socio-political literature into the Buryat language, related terminological and lexical studies, preparation and publication of teaching materials, such as textbooks and teaching manuals for Buryat-Mongolian schools. The academic environment was enhanced with establishing a library and museum, which were of much relevance for future scientific work. Buruchkom’s final success was due to its fruitful cooperation with the central scientific institutions of the country and the Mongolian Scientific Committee. Conclusion. Despite that its team of researchers was not numerous, Buruchkom managed to organize, as well as conduct research projects in the fields of history, archaeology, ethnography, and linguistics. Having accomplished an important objective of laying the foundations of science in the region, it has now become a leading academic center of the Republic, known for its research in the arts and humanities. 

Introduction. The article deals with the mythologized characters of the Bashkir mythology ― sikhyrsy (сихырсы, sorcerers). Its aim is to identify and to interpret the characters and their names, as well as other related vocabulary. Data and methods. The research materials include folklore texts and entries of dictionaries of the Bashkir and of other Turkic languages. The main methods employed for the analysis are descriptive and comparative. Results. The main, most common names of Bashkir sorcerers have been established. These are the terms сихырсы and боҙомсо, which come from lexemes sykhyr (сихыр: magic, witchcraft, sorcery) and bozom (боҙом: damage, witchcraft, harm effected with the help of mythologized objects and means). In addition, the article discusses the terms osokso (осоҡсо), arbausy (арбаусы), iamialliauise (әмәлләүсе), etc., characterizing the methods of Bashkir sorcerers’ malicious actions. There are parallels from other Turkic and non-Turkic languages to the terms associated with sorcerers and witchcraft, which indicate the origin of Bashkir terms. Hence, it has been established that some lexical items, as well as the characters they refer to have pan-Altai roots, some are Turkic, some are inter-Turkic, still others are of Bashkir origin; and a number of words are loans. In particular, the term sikhyrsy (сихырсы) itself goes back to Arabic, while the items bozomso (боҙомсо), arbausy (арбаусы), osokso (осоҡсо), and yelpeui (йелпеү) have parallels in many Turkic languages. Interestingly, йелпеү has phonetic variants not only in the Turkic, but also in the Mongolian languages; and боҙомсо and арбаусы have parallels in the Finno-Ugric languages. Also, the article discusses in some detail methods of Bashkir sorcerers’ malicious actions, illustrating them with examples. According to the author, the most common of these are the use of grave earth, “mortuary water”, needles to sew a shroud, raw eggs, dolls, blood of innocence, menstrual blood, as well as witchcraft based on the use of sweat, knots, and special incantations, which, according to the Bashkir ancestors, enhanced the harmfulness of techniques used. Finally, the article deals with cases of witchcraft of medicine men, positive characters of Bashkir mythology, who performed them to punish evil, namely, thieves of cattle and of goods, and rapists. Conclusions. The mythologized characters of sykhyrsy belong to negative characters and the Bashkir language has numerous items for their designation. The sykhyrsy had at their disposal a variety of means and methods to do harm, as well as antidotes to their harmful action. There is terminology for every magical action, the items often having Turkic or Altaic roots, and sometimes borrowed from other languages.

Introduction. This publication is devoted to the issues of deportation of the Kalmyk people to Siberia (1943–1956) and the memories that the individuals have of their traumatic experience of the exile period. It consists of an introduction, two interviews, and comments on them. The narratives belong to Kalmyks who were of preschool age at the time of Siberian exile. The purpose of the publication is to focus on “children of Siberia” as a separate generational stratum, with their own specific experiences and loyalties; Siberian villages, sites of their socialization, becoming their homeland. Of relevance are the facts that contribute to the mosaic of the Siberian life of Kalmyks and the stories shedding light on the feelings and experiences of children growing up in Siberia. Also, the author was interested in analyzing the expressions and verbal formulas, plots and associations that create the protagonists’ spontaneous narratives, and the ways the language of trauma, which arises in any narrative of the traumatic event, is used in the material under study. Data and methods. The interviews were taken by the author from V. I. Badmaev (2008) and from A. N. Ovshinov (2018); presented in the form of transcribed texts, these are examined via the method of discourse analysis. Results. The discursive strategies of the two narratives indicate their largely positive character. The author shows that, for their specific exile experience, the “children of Siberia” should be singled out into a separate generational stratum. The material will be of interest to the student of the Kalmyk deportation history and the people’s memory of the exile. 

Introduction. In multiethnic societies, the issues of interaction between different peoples is the subject of monitoring, as well as of constant attention, on the part of the government as a measure of preventing any contradictions and complications in this area. The article aims at studying the populations’ attitudes and perceptions in terms of local and national (federal, Russian) identities in the Republics of Bashkortostan and Tatarstan, as well as the degree of their involvement in the global social transformations of the Russian society at large. Data and methods. The research focuses on the analysis of the results of 2020–2021 surveys of the population of the two neighboring republics conducted within the framework of the Project «Preservation and development of the ethnocultural and linguistic diversity of the republics as a condition for promoting Russian federalism». When selecting the objects for the research the authors were guided by the fact that Bashkortostan and Tatarstan are leading subjects of the Russian Federation both in terms of socio-economic development and an awareness of civil and ethnic identities. Results. The study shows that while their ethnic (regional) identities have recently been of relevance for the populations in both republics, at the same time, there is a growing awareness of their national (federal) identity; there is an interest in promoting institutes of civil society, as well as in facilitating greater access to active involvement of the people in the economic, social, and public processes. Sociological surveys help correct approaches, as well as clarify and specify some concepts related to ethnological issues. This article, for example, includes analysis of various types of identities, including such concepts as «all-Russian nation», «ethnic identity», which are in the center of discussions in the scientific community. Granted the data of new ethno-sociological studies, the study attempts to further clarify the conceptual bases of these notions, the processes contributing to their formation, and their relationship with other forms of individuals’ identities and loyalties characteristic of modern Russian society. Conclusion. The process of growing national (federal) identity may encounter some difficulty, granted that there are problems in the economic sphere and everyday life. Positive changes in the economic, political, and social areas that will further a better quality of life and provide greater opportunities for development of human potentialities may significantly improve the situation. A diversity of ethnic, cultural, and confessional backgrounds characteristic of the populations in the regions in question contribute to the specific features of their worldviews, loyalties and perceptions, and the study of the mentalities of the people is of urgent relevance for the development of adequate policies in the area.

Introduction. The article examines the subjectivity in the representation of Turkic clans in ibn Fadlan’s famous memoirs devoted to the Arab mission trip undertaken from Baghdad to the Volga Bulgaria in early 10th c. Informed by the latest linguistic theories, the authors aim to analyze how the modus of his text, i.e. the meaning of the entire historical document, is influenced by the memoirist’s personality as a bearer of certain cultural characteristics and of specific religious beliefs, as well as by historical and everyday circumstances at the time the travelogue was written. Data and methods. Both the reconstructed Arabic original and available Russian translations and commentaries were used in a comparative mode. In addition, the authors considered the recent works of Arab scholars discussing the issue of discourse types of ibn Fadlan’s heritage in the context of the medieval Arab history and thinking. The article focuses on the prevailing themes and motifs in the text of the Arab traveler, when describing the social structures, traditions, and rituals of the Turkic ethnic groups he encountered (chiefly Oguzes), to identify the moduses (of condemnation, fear, surprise, admiration, etc.) through which these were realized, as well as the linguistic means of their expression that disturbed the neutral style of the story. The results of the analysis allow to draw a conclusion that the modus of the work was largely shaped by the medieval way of thinking and the world picture characteristic of the Arab-Muslim traveler, as well as by the official status of ibn Fadlan’s work at the court of the Abbasid Caliphate in its heyday. Also, the authors point out that there is a passage in the text that may be fictional, its morphology being largely of a fabulous character. Notably, attention should be drawn to ibn Fadlan’s attempts to find some possible commonalities between the civilizations, especially in the heavenly realm, and to promote an understanding between the peoples, even if neither cultural nor trade interaction between them existed at the time.

Introduction. The article deals with “Qinding Huangyu Xiyu tuzhi” (QHXT), the Qing source of the second half of the 18th century, namely its chapter (juan) 41 devoted to the weapons and military symbols of the Oirats of the Dzungarian state (1635–1758). The chapter in question has not been translated into Russian, neither has it been the subject of a special study so far. The aim of the present article is to introduce the evidence of this part of the Qing source on the weapons and banners of the Dzungars. Results. The compilation of the document was initiated by Emperor Qianlong after the territory of the Dzungar state was annexed to the Qing Empire. A group of Qing officials and of European specialists was sent to explore the newly acquired lands. The work in Dzungaria was largely carried out in 1756–1757, while the study of East Turkestan was completed in the spring of 1759. The work on the text itself began the same year to continue for about 23 years (1759–1782). Manchu military leaders who participated in the war in Central Asia took part, among others, in the compilation of the document. The source includes descriptions of Dzungarian weapons for distant and close combat, armor, and two types of Dzungarian banners. Each item is supplied with description and transcription of its original name. In some cases, the material used for their manufacture and typical sizes are indicated. The data of the written source under study compared with authentic samples of Dzungar weapons and pertaining visual materials has shown that the Qing officials described the features of their construction and decoration with high degree of reliability. Some of this information is unique and can be found in no other sources of the period. The data of the source is of special relevance for attributing various types of weaponry cited in Mongolian sources of the 17th–18th cc., as well as in the Mongolian and Oirat epics. The Qing authors made comparisons of the original names of the Dzungar weapons and armor with their construction features, which opens new avenues for elaborate studies of written works and epics of Central Asian populations. Conclusion. The analysis undertaken in the present article has shown that to date QHST is the most valuable and detailed Qing written source on the weapons and banners of the Dzungars of the middle of the 18th century. 

Introduction. The article examines additional comments (1929–1932) made by Professor N. N. Palmov on his Essays on the History of the Volga Kalmyks (1926). Goals. The study seeks to introduce this new material which shows the scholar’s persistent interest in the subject and, at the same time, contributes to a better understanding of the history of the Kalmyk Khanate. Materials and Methods. The research involved the identification of the chronological framework of the handwritten material, its categorization into thematic blocks, and contribution to the subject. Results. In the library of Astrakhan State Museum of Historical Archives, the authors discovered thirty seven handwritten additions made by Palmov on the pages of his copy of Essays on the History of the Volga Kalmyks, vols. I–II. These were made between 1929 to 1932 when the scholar apparently continued his studies on the subject using the materials of Astrakhan Kalmyk Archives and scientific literature. The author’s comments covering the period up to the 1760s contain valuable data on the 1702 conflict between Khan Ayuka and his sons and provide detail on the feudal conflict of 1724. Also, Palmov provides additional evidence on Noyon Donduk-Ombo’s activities during the period of feudal wars and, later, when he was Kalmyk Khan. Finally, the comments include important data on the foreign policy of the Kalmyk Khanate, chiefly the history of its interaction with the Dzungar Khanate in the 17th–18th centuries. Conclusions. Palmov’s handwritten comments discovered on the pages of his Essays on the History of the Volga Kalmyks are a significant contribution to his scientific heritage that sheds light on the history of feudal strife in the Kalmyk Khanate in the 1720s–1730s.

Introduction. The history of archaeological studies on the territory of the Republic of Kalmykia began with the 1929 archaeological-ethnographical expedition of the Saratov Oblast´ Museum of Local Studies. The expedition’s field work included archaeological probings and diggings. The aim of the present study is to do a qualitative and quantitative analysis of the archaeological collections of Saratov Museum recovered during archaeological excavations in the Kalmyk Autonomous Oblast´ in the period between 1929 and 1937. Results. In general, the methodological level of the seexcavations directed by P. S. Rykov was quite good for the time they were conducted. The fact that most of the findings were accepted by the Museum immediately after the field season was closed maybe seen as the evidence of the professionalism of the team during the planning of the expedition and its actual work. Notably, practically all the results of the archaeological research (1929–1937) were published. The numbering of finds in the registration cards largely corresponds to that of the field report, which indicates that the field inventory was compiled in the process of field and laboratory work. In addition, some of the finds in the field inventory are listed as fragmented clay vessels, while in the Museum, they are recorded as whole items, which also indicates the methodological level of the work done.Conclusion. The collections in questionare a valuable source as far as the archaeology of the Volga-Manych steppes is concerned, because the physical material that they include is illustrative of the main types of archaeological sites recovered on the territory of modern Kalmykia, i. e. relating to settlement types (settlements, camps, selishcha) and burial types (burials under earth mounds and scattered burials). These collections feature items from allmajor eras: Eneolithic, Bronze, Early Iron, and Middle Ages.

Introduction. The article aims at studying the terms for the traditional dwelling and its parts in the modern Kalmyk language and in the language of the Oirats of Mongolia in a comparative and comparative-historical modes. Analysis of lexical material of the old-written Mongolian, the Khalkha-Mongolian, and the Buryat languages helped identify common terms and common Mongolian basis; also, some features of the Oirat distribution area and specific characteristics of Kalmyk and Oirat of Mongolia were clarified. The lexical material reflects to a degree the historical realities of the ethnic groups in the period of the common Mongolian proto-language, and in a later period of the settlement of Mongolian clans and the formation of Mongolian languages. Materials and methods. The research database comprises the data of dictionaries of the languages under study, as well as field material collected from informants during expeditions to Oirat groups in Western Mongolia. The main research methods are descriptive, comparative, comparative-historical, and continuous sampling. Results. The analysis helped identify both common Mongolian and specific terms characteristic of Kalmyk and Oirat of Mongolia, reflecting the nomadic lifestyle of pastoralists. Conclusion. The authors argue that the commonality of the traditional dwelling vocabulary in the languages in question indicates their common origin, as well as great antiquity of the Oirat clans’ original material culture.

Introduction. Modern philological science associates with structural-semantic approaches to the study of linguistic phenomena. But so far, the structural-semantic study of Bashkir proverbs based on the entire corpus, as well as the identification of the final types of models has not been undertaken. The purpose of this article is to study models of elementary simple sentences of the structural type (S) + NAcc + VF. This type, with an object in the accusative case, is the most frequent one; the accusative in the Bashkir language is a grammatical means of formalizing the actant as an object of direct immediate impact. Data and methods. Generalized personal proverbs selected from the folklore database of the Machine Corpus of the Bashkir language were used as the research material. The proverb corpus contains 354 proverbial expressions representing generalized personal sentences, i.e., 73.5 percent of the total number of one-part verb proverbs. The research method consisted in isolating an elementary simple sentence, which includes a predicate and obligatory actants; the author draws here on the work of Novosibirsk syntax students. The syntactic model is understood as the content plane of an elementary simple sentence, which is determined by its proposition. The structural diagram represents the expression plane of an elementary simple sentence. At this stage, the study focuses on proverbs with simple finite verbs. Results. The study shows that 8 models are implemented within the structural scheme (S) + NAcc + VF. Of these the model of physical impact on the object [(S) + NPatAcc + VActf] is the most frequent one, 62 proverbial expressions have been identified for this model. Each model of the structure in question is characterized by its inherent set of semantic roles and typical meaning, while in most cases, object actants act in the form of a certain accusative. Conclusions. The syntactic features characteristic of the construction of this type of proverbial expressions are likely to occur in modern literary language and colloquial speech with a more complex syntactic structure.

Introduction. The article aims to analyze Buryat versions of the epic Geser to identify their local features. It includes a detailed review not only of published texts, but also of manuscripts stored in the archives of Buryatia. For the first time, the regional versions of Geser are systematically examined as a necessary stage for further comparative studies of the genesis and transformation of epic traditions in Central Asia. Methods. The work uses comparative-historical and comparative methods of analysis. Of these, the latter was of key importance in comparing the versions of the epic that differ in terms of the place of their origin and temporal parameters. Results and discussion. The analysis began with a detailed discussion of published authentic texts of Geser represented by the Ekhirit-Bulagat and Ungin versions. Then, the features of archival versions of the epic are systematized and defined. The previous work on the plot composition and characters of each individual text is thoroughly compared to finally identify the features of the Buryat versions of the epic. Conclusion. The authors argue that the Ungin versions are quite close to the Mongolian ones, while the Ekhirit-Bulagat version, in their opinion, stands apart both in terms of their composition and themes. The introductory part of the uliger, a mythological prologue with a shamanic pantheon of deities, is characteristic only of the Buryat versions of Geser. Also, as far as the Western Buryat version is concerned, it may be pointed out that the influence of Buddhist teachings, which were not widespread in the heyday of the epic, was minimum. Of relevance are also the contaminations of the common Mongolian storytelling traditions with the characteristic motifs of the Central Asian epic. The identification of specific features of the local versions of Geser may expand our understanding of the specifics of the national epic as one of the main manifestations of traditional culture.

Introduction. In the oral popular art and written literary monuments of the Bashkir people, there is a special musical-poetic genre of the lyric-epic and religious character, which is called munajat. This article aims to analyze some of the ayats, hadiths, and religious terms used in the Bashkir munajats. Materials and methods. Samples of religious poetry borrowed from a thematic volume of the Bashkir folk art compendium were used as the main source of the research data. Over 1,500 examples have been identified, some of which are used in this article. A systematic and comparative analysis and a historical-typological research method were employed for the analysis of the material. Results. Many Bashkir scholars were among the students of the munajats. In their works, they often focused on the main features of the genre, such as religious motifs, plots, and appeals to Allah that they contain. Since early 1990s, the munajats have been experiencing a rebirth: old versions have returned to become popular again; also, new types, composed by our contemporaries, have emerged, and spread in various regions. The study resulted in identifying over one and a half thousand examples containing Muslim terms, ayats, and hadiths; some of them have been included in this article. Conclusions. The present study shows the peculiarities of the use of religious subjects, terms, and motifs in the Bashkir munajats. Some words and phrases were changed to adapt to the popular usage, while preserving the Arabic cliché. In its turn, the use of religious vocabulary enriched the Bashkir language and literature.

Introduction. So far, the genres of lullaby and poetic parody in the Kalmyk poetry of the twentieth century have not attracted much attention. Born in the late 1920s — early 1930s, the tradition was short-lived. While their genres were explicitly or implicitly marked, the works of Kalmyk poets in question were primarily oriented towards the Russian literary tradition. However, they expanded the genre paradigm of Kalmyk poetry in the intercultural dialogue. The relevance and novelty of the article is apparent, granted its focus on the two innovative works by Egor Budzhalov and Morkhadzhi Narmaev; these are single works that belong to the genres of anti-lullaby and satirical parody as part of the 1990s literary polemics of the contemporaries. This article aims to introduce these little-known poems of the two poets as representative of their contributions to the genres. Materials and methods. The sources for the study, Budzhalov’s “Ödgä tsaga saatulin dun” (“Modern Lullaby Song”, 1991) and Narmaev’s “Budzhala Egor zalud” (“To the man Egor Budzhalov”, 1991), were published in the local newspaper Khalmg ünn. The study of historical-literary milieu and realia, comparative-contrastive and hermeneutic approaches were employed to examine the poetic pieces in the context of literary, socio-political, ideological, and social processes on the eve of the country’s collapse; also, the biographical data of the poets that belong to different generations was helpful in the analysis of their ideological positions, as well as the authorial voices in the texts under study. Results. The study shows the innovative character of the poets’ efforts at creating a lullaby for adults, or an anti-lullaby song, and a satirical parody; these were to remain single samples, granted that the Kalmyk lullabies are mainly addressed to infants, and parodies are of a friendly character. Their works reflect the authors’ polar views on the realities in the 1980s and 1990s: criticism, on the one hand, and the defense of socialism, communist ideas, on the other hand. Conclusions. Budzhalov’s poem may look like a lullaby for children at first sight while, in fact, it is a lullaby for adults or rather an anti-lullaby, with the formulaic chorus baiu bai, a marker of the genre, acquiring in his piece the opposite message: wake up, do not sleep, act. Narmaev enters the dialogue with his younger contemporary, his poem also representing a synthesis of genres: a message, an open letter in verse, and a satirical parody. However, his parody is also transformed when the author parodies not so much his fellow poet’s style but the authorial implications concerning the Soviet reality. The tradition of literary polemics was not continued in Kalmyk poetry.