ON THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING THE ISSUES OF ETHNOGENESIS THROUGH THE PRISM OF CULTUROGENESIS (FROM THE EXPERIENCE OF STUDYING THE TRADITIONAL SPIRITUAL CULTURE OF THE GAGAUZ PEOPLE IN THE CONTEXT OF INTERDISCIPLINARY AND ETHNOREGIONAL STUDIES)

Abstract

The article substantiates the importance of studying the process of ethnocultural interaction as a part of ethnic history. The importance of cooperation between ethnologists and representatives of related sciences is emphasized. It is noted that the study of the dynamics of culture, as well as the influence of socio-cultural factors and foreign ethnic environment on it, is relevant especially for those peoples, the question of whose origin is still unresolved. To study their ethnic history, the author developed and tested an ethno-regional approach, the results of which are considered on the example of the Gagauz. Thanks to the application of this approach, both the main components of the ethnic core of their culture and its inherent regional characteristics were identified. As a result of the study, the author came to the conclusion that the analysis of the ethnogenesis of the Gagauz people is impossible without considering the processes of cultural genesis. It is concluded that a comprehensive study of ethnoregional and ethnocultural characteristics can become the key not only to studying the functioning of the genetic mechanism of culture in the past, but also to explaining its phenomena in the present.