The Republic of Kalmykia (Russian: Респу́блика Калмы́кия, tr. Respublika Kalmykiya; Kalmyk: Хальмг Таңһч, Hal'mg Tanghch) is a federal subject of Russia (a republic). Population: 289,481 (2010 Census). It is the only Buddhist region in Europe.
Kalmyk people or Kalmyks (Kalmyk: Хальмгуд; "Kalmyk" is alternatively translated as "Kalmuck," "Kalmuk," or "Kalmyki") is the name given to western Mongolic people - Oirats, whose descendants migrated from Dzhungaria in the seventeenth century. Today they form a majority in the autonomous Republic of Kalmykia on the western shore of the Caspian Sea.
The music of Kalmykia has its roots in the musical culture of Oirats, slightly influenced by Turkic, Caucasian and Russian music and instrumentation. Traditional instruments include the dombra, which is used to accompany dance music. The state folk ensemble Tulpan was formed in 1937 to promote traditional Kalmyk music.
Epic bard and throat singer Okna Tsagaan Zam is a Kalmyk that performs the ancient Oirat epic Jangar. He usually accompanies himself on the dombra, but has been known to have the accompaniment of the Mongolian morin huur while singing the epic. .
