Passportization in Tuva and Transformation of Clan/Tribal Names

Introduction. The passportization arrangements resulted in that Tuvans acquired surnames and patronymics: the ethnic naming tradition was thus replaced by a Soviet naming formula. So, the transformation processes led to names (ethnonyms) of clan/tribal groups — that had often been used as last names in the years of the Tuvan People’s Republic (TPR), and not that often during the Soviet passportization — were virtually excluded from Tuvan naming formulas, which is largely evident from present-day surname selections of Tuva’s population. So, modern Tuvans — already generations of them — may (and actually do) face drastic difficulties when it comes to identify themselves with a certain clan/tribe, suffer from being unaware of actual genealogies and names of direct ancestors. Goals. The study seeks to examine the transformation of the ethnic naming tradition — into the Soviet naming formula observed after the passportization. To facilitate this, the paper shall specify peculiarities of Tuvan naming practices in the TNR and Soviet Tuva, trace some changes in traditional naming patterns caused by the Soviet passportization. Materials and methods. The work pays particular attention to writings of Tuvan scholars — experts in Tuvan studies, ethnographers — and archival documents, periodicals of the TPR and those from the Soviet era (1940s). The study focuses on surnames of Tuvans that resided in territories supposed to have experienced utmost transformation processes of excluding clan/tribal designations from the naming formula, and particularly on ones selected by natives of Erzinsky District. Results. The passportization arrangements did entail dramatic changes in anthroponomy of modern Tuvan clan/tribal groups. The traditional naming system has undergone changes only to be replaced by different naming patterns, which is confirmed by present-day surnames and naming formulas of Tuva’s population. In particular, ethnonyms (names of clan/tribal groups) have been largely excluded from naming formulas of Tuvans residing in Erzinsky District.