The Hero of The Yellow Wagtail: roots of the image
English
journal number:
Journal’s Subject Headings:
History, ethnography, archeology
About author:
Center for the Study of Religions, Russian State University for the Humanities, Moscow, Russian Federation, [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Mir Susne Khum (son of the Heaven Torum) occupies a special place in the pantheon of the Mansi people and is named Mir Shetivi-Kho, Каn-Iki, Оrt Iki (the Eastern Khanty), Ar Mig-Khui, Kale-Khui, Pairaxta (the Southern Khanty). This is one of the few images of the Ob-Ugric pantheon that has explicit Indo-Iranian roots (a horseman), which organically combines with characteristic ornithomorphic features. There are obvious (but unclear) different origins of the genesis of the image of the Son of Heaven, in different parts of the Ob-Ugric world. The analysis of the texts allows us to talk about the symbiosis of the trickster’s features and the hero in the image of Mir Susne Khum, and his belonging to the circle of «the last heroes».
Objective: to identify and analyze the ornithomorphic aspects of the image of Mir Susne Khum, and the peculiarities of the images of the trickster and the «last hero» in the Ob-Ugric texts.
Research materials: folklore and epic texts of the Ob Ugrians.
Results and novelty of the research: although the traditional image of Mir Susne Khum as a heavenly horseman is quite early, but the original image is, apparently, ornithomorphic. The world of Mir Susne Khum is endowed with the features of both a trickster and the «last hero». The initial model of his image had two components: «dark» (winter / death) and «light» (summer / life), balancing each other. Later, under the influence of traditional ornithomorphic (migratory) images (wagtail, goose, crane), the solar aspect of the image began to dominate.
Key word: Ob Ugrians, Mir Susne Khum, ornithomorphic calendar symbols, trickster, last hero.
For citation: Vrtanesyan G. S. The Hero of The Yellow Wagtail: roots of the image // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric studies. 2021; 11 (3): 536–545.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Mir Susne Khum (son of the Heaven Torum) occupies a special place in the pantheon of the Mansi people and is named Mir Shetivi-Kho, Каn-Iki, Оrt Iki (the Eastern Khanty), Ar Mig-Khui, Kale-Khui, Pairaxta (the Southern Khanty). This is one of the few images of the Ob-Ugric pantheon that has explicit Indo-Iranian roots (a horseman), which organically combines with characteristic ornithomorphic features. There are obvious (but unclear) different origins of the genesis of the image of the Son of Heaven, in different parts of the Ob-Ugric world. The analysis of the texts allows us to talk about the symbiosis of the trickster’s features and the hero in the image of Mir Susne Khum, and his belonging to the circle of «the last heroes».
Objective: to identify and analyze the ornithomorphic aspects of the image of Mir Susne Khum, and the peculiarities of the images of the trickster and the «last hero» in the Ob-Ugric texts.
Research materials: folklore and epic texts of the Ob Ugrians.
Results and novelty of the research: although the traditional image of Mir Susne Khum as a heavenly horseman is quite early, but the original image is, apparently, ornithomorphic. The world of Mir Susne Khum is endowed with the features of both a trickster and the «last hero». The initial model of his image had two components: «dark» (winter / death) and «light» (summer / life), balancing each other. Later, under the influence of traditional ornithomorphic (migratory) images (wagtail, goose, crane), the solar aspect of the image began to dominate.
Key word: Ob Ugrians, Mir Susne Khum, ornithomorphic calendar symbols, trickster, last hero.
For citation: Vrtanesyan G. S. The Hero of The Yellow Wagtail: roots of the image // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric studies. 2021; 11 (3): 536–545.
