The Khakas people's Chatkhan: historical-ethnographic review

Chatkhan is the main national musical instrument of the Khakas people. In spite of its wide existing the theme has never been the subject of a special historical-ethnographic research as in the past, so in the future. For the first time the history of the chatkhan's study, the level of spreading and the form of its existing among various ethnic groups of the Khakas people - the Sagai, Kacha, Kysyl - are observed in the article. The systematization, the classification and the scientific description, including the information about the construction and methods of making, the formation and acoustic essential qualities, ways of folk performance are given. It is noted that the evolution of the chatkhan was long and complicated. The number of the strings varied between 3 and 6 or 7, and even more. As a result of the research it is ascertained that the basic reason for its longevity is its connection with the so called khai (throat singing), a characteristic phenomenon of the folk vocal art. The leading genre of the khakas folklore alyptykh nymakh (heroic ballads) is unthinkable without this kind of singing accompanied by the chatkhan. The key figure of the khakas folk-singing is called khaidzhi, the singer of heroic ballads to the accompaniment of the chatkhan, using the technique of throat singing. The conclusion and recommendations including in the article are first of all directed at the subsequent improvement of the chatkhan's construction and the technique of the performance with the help of it, which is dictated by an impetuously developing national musical culture of the Khakas people.