Academic literature on the topic 'Yakut Mythology'

A number of negative characters in Yakut mythology, as well as individual images of folklore, are considered. The point of view, according to which the basis for the emergence of certain mythological ideas among the Yakuts was the real world, the features of the landscape and climate, to the extent that they influenced a person, is proved. It is noted that the culture of the Sakha people is based on rich mythological concepts that have developed during the development of the vast expanses of the Arctic space. The authors analyze ethnographic notes of the XIX—XX centuries and modern scientific publications, which examine the mythology and folklore of the Sakha people (Yakuts). An attempt has been made to clarify the question of the influence of knowledge about the fossil remains of the mammoth fauna on the formation of mythological ideas related to the peculiarities of the climate of the region being developed. The image of a mammoth is analyzed in the broad context of the mythological views of the Yakuts. It is concluded that secondary esoteric ideas about mammoths, caused by the discovery of their remains, could form the basis of a prototypical image for a number of characters in Yakut mythology, for example, a water bull and a cold bull. It is proved that the idea of mammoths could be reflected in the external appearance of the abaasy heroes in the epic folklore of the Sakha.

В статье рассматриваются вопросы развития социальных, в том числе гендерных установок в якутской мифологии и эпосе. Проведен анализ роли образа Yрүҥ Айыы Тойона в формировании патриархальной организации якутского общества. Образ Yрүҥ Айыы Тойона явился патроном нового социального порядка и инструментом вытеснения культов матрилинейной общины и их ведущего персонажа – хозяйки земли. В работе выделены этапы исторического развития образа Yрүҥ Айыы Тойона, связанные со структурными изменениями в общине якутов в процессе перехода от матрилинейности к патрилинейности, а также идеологической функции данного культа. Образ Yрүҥ Айыы Тойона выступил носителем типических черт социальной группы тойонов и мифы о нем оказывались активным элементом структур господства в якутском обществе. Культ Yрүҥ Айыы Тойона сложился и поддерживался как идеологическое обоснование власти тойонов, глав отдельных патронимий. Он был необходим для того, чтобы привнести и укрепить идею патриархальной организации в якутскую мифологию. Образ Yрүҥ Айыы Тойон самодостаточен и не нуждается в чудесных качествах и героических деяниях. Самое существенное для творцов и потребителей мифологии заключалось в его социальном статусе главы агнатной общины. В мифе и героическом эпосе олонхо образ Yрүҥ Айыы Тойона закрепляет патриархальную генеалогию. В культе Yрүҥ Айыы Тойона выпукло представлена идея гендерного господства мужчины и проявляются тенденции, которые вели к образованию гендерной иерархии в якутском обществе. Мифология Yрүҥ Айыы Тойона явилась обоснованием системы агнатного родства, освящая нормы обычного права, закреплявшие господствующее положение мужчины и подчиненное положение женщины. Миф об Yрүҥ Айыы Тойоне предстает как активный элемент структур господства в якутском обществе, игравшим функцию инструмента закрепления гендерного неравенства и установления власти якутского тойоната. The article considers the development of social attitudes including gender imperatives in Yakut mythology and epic. The analysis of the role of the character of Urung Aiyy Toyon in the formation of the patriarchal organization of the Yakut society is carried out. The character of Urung Aiyy Toyon was a patron of the new social order and a tool for supplanting the matrilineal community cult and its leading character the mistress of the Earth. The work highlights the stages of the historical development of the character of Urung Aiyy Toyon, associated with structural changes in the Yakut society during the process of transition from matrilineality to patrilineality, as well as the ideological function of this cult. The character of Urung Aiyy Toyon acted as a bearer of typical features of the social group of toyons, and myths about him turned out to be an active element of the structures of domination in the Yakut society. The cult of Urung Aiyy Toyon was formed and maintained as an ideological rationale for the power of the toyons, heads of individual patronymias. It was necessary in order to bring and strengthen the idea of a patriarchal organization in Yakut mythology. The character of Urung Aiyy Toyon is self-sufficient and does not need magical qualities and heroic deeds. For creators and consumers of mythology its social status as the head of the agnationalcommunitythe was most important. In the myth and the heroic epic of Olonkho, Urung Aiyy Toyon reinforces the patriarchal genealogy. In the cult of Urung Aiyy Toyon, the idea of male dominance is vividly represented and the tendencies that lead to the formation of a gender hierarchy in Yakut society are manifested. The mythology of Urung Aiyy Toyon was the rationale for the system of agnatic kinship, sanctifying the norms of customary law, reinforcing male dominance and women's subordinate position. The myth of Urung Aiyy Toyon appears as an active element of the structures of domination in Yakut society, which functioned as a tool for consolidating gender inequality and establishing the power of the Yakut toyons.

The article is devoted to the ideas about the Creation myth in the Yakut epic folklore. This topic is little-known in Yakut folklore studies, which indicates the relevance if the research. The author of the article identifies and examines traditional ideas about the creation of the world, using the folklore recordings. The novelty of the research lies in the fact that it reveals this issue with involvement of a wide range of materials on mythology and folklore, and also presents a comparison with the oral tradition of other peoples, for the first time. The author identifies motifs about the creation of the world, which are implemented in various ways (expansion, extraction, production, nomination), and shows diachronous coats in the traditional worldview of the Sakha people in the Yakut myths, folk songs and the epic poems, such as “The world has expanded from a small point” (“Expanding Universe”), “A diver pulls the Earth out of the sea,” “The Earth and its inhabitants appeared after the drying up of the primary sea,” “The world was created by God,” “The world was created by God and the devil,” “The world created by three brother-gods,” “The Universe is divided into three worlds as a result of the conflict of three creators,” “At the creation of the Universe, the Middle World was divided into eastern and western Siberia,” “Heavenly heroes create the Middle World.” The author founds close connections with the worldview of the Evenks, the Evens living in the neighborhood with the Yakuts, as well as the Altai, Mongolspeaking peoples.

Describing a culture by means of another language is a large and interesting translation task. Nowadays, this eternal problem becomes more and more relevant for traditional cultures since the quality of the transmitted verbal information about unique culture-specific elements also depends on the accuracy of their description. The Russian language for the peoples of the Russian Federation is the language of interethnic communication, and translating folklore and literary texts, as well as writing scientific works in Russian on the Yakut culture, allows other peoples to discover the Yakut culture. Over the four centuries of Yakut-Russian contacts, many texts describing the Yakut culture have been created in Russian. In this research, the source material is three different texts: a translation of a heroic epic, a translation of a work of fiction, and an ethnographic description of a native speaker of the Yakut language and culture written in a non-native Russian language. These texts contain the same culture-specific elements that are translated differently depending on the target audience. In the course of the research, we have found that the culturespecific elements of the Yakut culture are mainly transliterated, and commentaries on them can be different in exhaustiveness and depth. In addition, we note that traditional loan translations from the Yakut language have been established to translate various epithets and set expressions associated with folklore and mythology. Such expressions often seep into scientific texts on ethnography because traditional crafts and traditional life, in general, are inextricably linked with the spiritual culture of the people.

The relevance of the study is due, on the one hand, to the insufficient knowledge of the semiotics of the Yakut epos olonkho, and on the other, the need to implement a new paradigm of modern science, which involves the convergence of scientific knowledge. It is noted that the fundamental categories in the worldview are the modes of space and time, which in total lead to another mode of being - a chronotope. The subject of this article is the codes of cosmological mythology in the texts of the epic olonkho from the perspective of a peculiar spatio-temporal organization of the epic world of olonkho. The purpose of the study is to decode the elements of mythology, as a result of which “compressed” messages about scientific knowledge that indicate the existence of a single source of typology of culture are found. Particular attention is paid to the variety of codes, the rules for their emergence, taking into account the national characteristics of language and thinking. A systematic approach to the subject of study, structural-semiotic analysis, methods of review and description are used in the study. The novelty of the study is in an attempt to partially solve the problem of the disunity of two types of cultures (folklore and fundamental laws of nature) in the context of a general typology of culture. This study indicates the prospects for further consideration and definition of the elements of a peculiar symbolic-semiotic system of space-time organization in the texts of the Yakut epos olonkho.

Тенгрианство сегодня активно изучается и привлекает внимание научного сообщества, являясь первой монотеистической религией ранних кочевников степи современного евразийского пространства. В научном сообществе феномен «тенгри» в традиционных религиозных верованиях якутов особенно актуален в связи с ренессансом традиционализма, начавшегося в постсоветский период, а также с появлением новых религиозных течений, трансформирующих и способствующих популяризации традиций народа в условиях глобализации. Однако в современном якутском обществе явление тенгрианства в контексте традиционных религиозных верований мало распространено и изучено. Следовательно, целью данного исследования выступает изучение роли тенгрианства и его основных черт в традиционных религиозных верованиях якутов, а также современных религиозных направлений (на примере веры в Айыы по учению Л. А. Афанасьева-Тэриса). В статье указаны черты тенгрианства, которые являются основополагающими в традиционных верованиях якутов. Стоит отметить, что в ходе работы был задействован метод интервью, позволяющий ближе познакомиться с учением Л. А. Афанасьева-Тэриса, который разработал данное учение на основе исторических фактов и свидетельств, используя архивные источники. Таким образом, в результате исследования выяснили, что основные черты тенгрианства представлены в традиционных верованиях якутов, особенно в обрядах жизненного цикла. Так, тенгрианство сохраняется в современном якутском обществе как явление неоязычества благодаря сохранению мифологии, традиций и использованию основных обрядов на праздниках. В выводе также был поднят вопрос о религиозной самоидентификации современного якутского общества, что говорит о дальнейшем изучении данного вопроса. Tengrianism is actively studied today and attracts the attention of the scientific community, being the first monotheistic religion of the early nomads of the steppe of the modern Eurasian space. In the scientific community, the phenomenon of “tengri” in the traditional religious beliefs of the Yakuts is especially relevant, in connection with the renaissance of traditionalism that began in the post-Soviet period, as well as with the emergence of new religious trends that transform and promote the popularization of the traditions of the people in the context of globalization. However, in modern Yakut society, the phenomenon of Tengrianism in the context of traditional religious beliefs is not widely spread and studied. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to study the role of Tengrianism and its main features in the traditional religious beliefs of the Yakuts, as well as modern religious trends (using the example of faith in Ayyy according to the teachings of L. A. Afanasyev-Teris). The article shows the features of Tengrianism, which are fundamental in the traditional beliefs of the Yakuts. It is worth noting that in the course of the work, the interview method was used, which allows you to get acquainted with the teachings of L. A. Afanasyev-Teris, who developed this teaching on the basis of historical facts and evidence, using archival sources. Thus, as a result of the research, it was found out that the main features of Tengrianism are represented in the traditional beliefs of the Yakuts, especially in the rituals of the life cycle. Thus, Tengrianism is preserved in modern Yakut society as a phenomenon of neo-paganism due to the preservation of mythology, traditions and the use of basic rituals on holidays. The conclusion also raised the question of the religious self-identification of the modern Yakut society, which indicates further study of this issue.

The article explores national motives (Ukrainian, Jewish, Yakut), which are found in the stories, essays and novels of V. Korolenko, and the problem of the intercultural communication that takes place in his works. Ukraine, namely the Volyn region, the second half of the XIX century, where the childhood of the future writer took place, is described in his works. Korolenko acquaints readers with the bright pages of its history, cultural traditions, customs, peculiarities of life, uses folklore sources, in particular, the heroic epic and mythology. The material for the analysis was the stories „Without a tongue”, „Children of the dungeon”, „The forest is noisy”. In particular, the story „Without a tongue” is full of characteristic ethnographic realities of Polissya village: Ukrainian houses under thatched roofs, features of religion due to the interaction of Catholicism and Orthodoxy, the specifics of the local dialect and even clothing. In the course of the study, the synthesis of Ukrainian, Polish and partly Jewish cultures, characteristic of this cultural and historical locus. Jewish motifs are widely represented: historical plots („Legends of Flora, Agrippa and Menachem, son of Yehuda”); cultural and religious identity of the Jewish people, language, clothing, characteristics of life, etc. (the story „The Mendel Brothers”; traditional holidays and elements of folklore (the image of Hapun in the story „Judgment Day (Yom Kippur”)). There are Yakut national motives: descriptions of the life of the local population, local traditions and customs, the specifics of religious ideas, which are a synthesis of Christianity and paganism (the story „Dream of Makar”) In V. Korolenko’s „Siberian stories”. The proposed exploration, with the selection and analysis of national motives in the most famous works of V. Korolenko, opens opportunities for further study of the writer’s work in this context, in particular, in the autobiographical novel „History of my contemporary”.

В статье раскрывается мифологический образ Улуу Тойона в текстах ранних записей олонхо и определяется его семантика. В качестве материала исследования использованы ранние записи якутского героического эпоса олонхо, включенные в трехтомное академическое издание «Образцы народной литературы якутов», составителем и редактором которого выступал Э. К. Пекарский. Для подробного анализа образа использована схема описания мифологических персонажей, введенная в научный оборот Л. Н. Виноградовой. С целью наиболее объективной характеристики анализируемого образа вместе с фольклорным материалом в сравнительном аспекте рассмотрены сведения, хранящиеся в этнографических трудах исследователей якутской мифологии и религии, в которых образ Улуу Тойона вызывает споры, представляется двойственным, сложным, неоднозначным. В ходе анализа выявлено, что Улуу Тойон в текстах ранних записей олонхо изображен персонажем, враждебным жителям Среднего мира, они его боятся. Улуу Тойон и его племя не покровители, наоборот, они совершают только зло, пытаясь погубить все живое в Среднем мире. Сам персонаж также представлен одиноким, хотя имеет множество детей и потомков, которые бесплодны и несчастны. Защитой для людей-айыы выступает Древо Аар Луук Сибээт Мас и искры прозрачной печки. Авторы приходят к выводу, что в изученных материалах ранних олонхо Улуу Тойон выступает дьявольским божеством абаасы. The article reveals the mythological image of Uluu Toyon in the texts of the early records of Olonkho and defines its semantics. The material for the study is the early records of the Yakut heroic Olonkho epos included in the three-volume academic publication “Samples of Yakut Folk Literature” compiled and edited by E. K. Pekarsky. For a detailed analysis of the image, the scheme of mythological character descriptions introduced by L.N. Vinogradova was used. In order to characterize the analyzed image in the most objective way along with the folklore material in a comparative aspect, the author analysedthe information preserved in the ethnographic works of the researchers of Yakut mythology and religion in which the image of Uluu Toyon is controversial, complex and ambiguous. Through the analysis it was revealed that Uluu Toyon in the texts of early records of Olonkho is depicted as a character hostile to the inhabitants of the Middle World. Uluu Toyon and his tribe do not protect, on the contrary, they perform only malignant functions, trying to destroy all living things in the Middle World. The character himself is also represented as lonely, although he has many children and descendants who are barren and unhappy. The protection for the Aar Luuk Sibaet Mas Tree and the sparks of the transparent stove are the protection for the Aayyu people. Thus, in the studied materials of the early Olonkho, Uluu Toyon appears as a devil deity of the Abaasy.

В статье ставится проблема культа орла в мифологических представлениях саха и бурят. Целью статьи является установление связи тотема культа с социальной организацией общества, наличие единого тотема свидетельствует о племенной организации общества. Задачами статьи можно считать изучение сведений о почитании орла в якутской и бурятской мифоритуальной культуре. Актуальность статьи проявляется в том, что сведения о архаичном тотемном культе сопоставляются с современными обрядами и фольклорными текстами. Изучение тотемных верований относится к исследованию дорелигиозного состояния общества. Новизной статьи можно считать использование методов исследований зарубежных антропологов в изучении тотемных верований. Метод исследования сравнительно-сопоставительный. Материалы и результаты. Представления народа саха об орле (солнце-творец-возродитель природы, приноситель огня, орел и космическое яйцо, орел и шаманство, орел и мировое дерево относятся к общечеловеческим. Анализ верований, связанных с Орлом, уводит в Скандинавию и в религиозные культы Древнего Египта, показывая общность мифологических представлений. В религиозных верованиях саха Орел занимает ключевое положение. Культ орла связан с хангаласским родом, однако по материалам Г. Ф. Миллера его считали своим покровителем хоринцы и батулинцы. Более того, в фольклорных текстах, сопоставляются термины хоро и Хотой — орел. В бурятском фольклоре, Орел является хозяином Ольхона и тотемной птицей племени эхиритов Верхней Лены, в старину он был почитаемым птицей у хоринцев. Тотемные верования относятся к древнейшим культам, они характерны для обществ, не приступивших к созданию собственной государственности, первобытно-родовой общины. Первобытные рода верили в свое происхождение от почитаемой птицы, олицетворяли себя с ним. Выводы. Общность культа орла у бурят и саха показывает общность предков, происходящих от единого хори-батулинского племени. Орел как тотемное животное занимал ключевое положение в якутском и бурятском шаманизме, что свидетельствует о архаичности их религиозных верований. The article studies the eagle totem in Yakut and Buryat mythology. The aim of the article is to establish the connection of the totem cult with the social organization of society, the presence of a single totem indicates the tribal organization of society. The objectives of the article can be considered the study of information about the veneration of the eagle in the Yakut and Buryat mythological culture. The relevance of the article is shown in the fact that the information about the archaic totemic cult is compared with modern rites and folklore texts. The study of totemic beliefs refers to the study of the pre-religious state of society. The novelty of the article is the use of research methods of foreign anthropologists in the study of the totemic beliefs of the Sakha. The research method is comparative. The materials and results. The ideas of the Sakha people about the eagle (the sun — the creator — the regenerator of nature, the bringer of fire, the eagle and the cosmic egg, the eagle and shamanism, the eagle and the world tree) are universal. Mythological ideas associated with the Eagle and the Sun is universal and goes back to the deepest antiquity. Interesting parallels with the Yakut and Buryat ideas are found in the mythology of the Scandinavia peoples and in the religious cults of ancient Egypt. It is showing the commonality of mythological ideas. In the Sakha religious beliefs, the Eagle occupies a key position. The cult of the eagle is associated with the Khangalas family, but according to the materials of G. F. Miller, it was considered its patron by the Khorins and Batulians. Moreover, in folklore texts, the terms horo and Hotoi — eagle are compared. In Buryat folklore the Eagle is the owner of the Olkhon and the totem bird of the Ekhirit tribe of the Upper Lena, in the old days it was a revered bird among the Khorin people. Totem beliefs belong to the oldest cults. They are characteristic of societies that have not begun to create their own state-hood, a primitive tribal community. Primitive families believed in their origin from the revered bird and personified themselves with it.

Yakuts in religious beliefs and heroic epics (olonkho) retain the idea of the highest deities of the cult of ayyy, who act in the image and role of positive heroes together with the heroes of the middle world. The main antagonists are evil spirits (abaaahs) and restless souls (uor). They are also an integral part of Yakut traditionalism. The article presents the traditional classification of antagonistic images in religion and the heroic epic as the main components in the representation of the Yakuts (based on the materials of researchers of the XVIII–XX centuries). In modern society, culture (mass and elite) reflects and forms the idea and worldview of people about a particular image. Accordingly, the study presents images in the mass and elite culture of modern Yakuts, namely in the field of painting, theater and cinema. In the course of our work, we came to the conclusion that the images of the lower mythology (the lower world) are more stable than the images of the upper mythology (the upper world), and, accordingly, are the main actors in the folklore of the people. The traditional images of antagonists in the folklore and religion of the Yakuts appear to us as evil, cold, and also directing misfortunes, diseases, and epidemics at people.