Ob-Ugric Institute of Applied Researches and Development, Khanty-Mansiysk, Russian Federation, pan4enko.ludm@yandex.ru
ABSTRACT
Introduction: in traditional culture, there is a concept of spirit creatures “attached” to their primary habitat: forest, water, border, etc., which are embodied in fairy tales. In folklore studies, these characters are classified based on their functions, gender characteristics, and many
other factors. This article analyzes one of the female characters in Mansi folklore, embodied in the fairy tale genre. She is known by the name  Atajpekva (literally: woman with a keen sense of smell) or the “Sniffing woman”.
Objective: to determine the typology of the fairy-tale character Atajpekva.
Research materials: published folklore works with plots about Atajpekva, field materials of the author, indexes of fairy-tale plots.
Results and novelty of the research: the article represents the first study of a female fairytale character in Mansi folklore. It examines the system of functions she performs and identifies similarities and differences between this creature in various local Mansi groups. The authors hypothesize that Atajpekva is a demonic figure. In studying the character’s image, in addition to folktale sources, the authors utilized folk beliefs, taboos, and other elements of Mansi oral culture associated with Atajpekva. The study includes the author’s own fieldwork, which is valuable for subsequent research and has not previously been published. The article enriches scholarly understanding of Mansi folklore characters.
Key words: Atajpekva, anthropomorphic character, woman with a keen sense of smell, Mansi fairy tale
For citation: Panchenko L. N. Character structure of Mansi folklore: Atajpekva (lingvocultural aspect) // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2025; 15 (4/63): 693–701.