The traditional art of the Ob Ugrians as a mean of communication with the world of spirits
English
journal number:
Journal’s Subject Headings:
History, ethnography, archeology
About author:
Leading Researcher, Ob-Ugric Institute of Applied Researches and Development (628011, Russian Federation, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug – Yugra, Khanty-Mansiysk, Mira st., 14A), Candidate of Historical Sciences. [email protected]
ABSTRACT
Introduction: addressing the problem of folk art as a mean of communication with the world of spirits on the example of traditions of Ob Ugrians the author considers it as a multifaceted system of irrational knowledge of the surrounding reality.
Objective: to reveal the deep relationship of folk art with the mythological representations of spirits affecting on the organization of vital space of people.
Research materials: the author compiled, systematized and comprehensively presented the published data on this question as well as the own field material. The earliest of these data are contained in publications of Finnish scientists Kannisto A. and K.F. Karjalainen. E.A. Alekseenko, V.M. Kulemzin, M.A. Lapina, G.E., Soldatova, V.I. Spodina, and E. Schmidt wrote about the sacredness of music and song traditions of Ob Ugrians including other sound accompaniments of rituals. Information on the semantics of the Khanty sacred ornaments was borrowed from the works of T.A. Moldanova. All kinds of folk art of Khanty and Mansi people are concentrated in the ceremonial complex of the Bear’s Games, which were studied in works of V.N. Chernetsov, E. Schmidt, O.V. Mazur, T.A. Moldanova, S.A. Popova. Field materials of the author were recorded in 1995 in Kazym of Beloyarsky District of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug and in 2007 in Khanty-Mansiysk.
Results and novelty of the research: the traditional art as a communicative mean in the irreal space surrounding people is a quite prospective problem for the study of ritual and ceremonial sphere of the traditional culture of the Ob Ugrians. The author considers the question of the relationship between the traditions of “reading” of external
sound natural background and the ways of sound accompaniment of rituals for establishing of contacts with the world of spirits, and for the first time the author shows the relationship of the symbolism of the movements in the ritual practice and folk choreography of the Khanty and Mansi people. The article presents special sacred semiotic system functioning in the ritual sphere and including a specific set of sounds, melodies, songs, rhythmic movements, visual symbols which most clearly manifested in the Bear’s Games.
Key words: Ob Ugrians, traditional art, mythology, folklore, representations about the soul, the spirits-patrons, ornament, music, folk choreography.
Acknowledgements: the author expresses the gratitude to the informants and reviewers. For citation: Voldina T.V. The traditional art of the Ob Ugrians as a mean of communication with the world of spirits // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2018; 8(1): 99–111.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: addressing the problem of folk art as a mean of communication with the world of spirits on the example of traditions of Ob Ugrians the author considers it as a multifaceted system of irrational knowledge of the surrounding reality.
Objective: to reveal the deep relationship of folk art with the mythological representations of spirits affecting on the organization of vital space of people.
Research materials: the author compiled, systematized and comprehensively presented the published data on this question as well as the own field material. The earliest of these data are contained in publications of Finnish scientists Kannisto A. and K.F. Karjalainen. E.A. Alekseenko, V.M. Kulemzin, M.A. Lapina, G.E., Soldatova, V.I. Spodina, and E. Schmidt wrote about the sacredness of music and song traditions of Ob Ugrians including other sound accompaniments of rituals. Information on the semantics of the Khanty sacred ornaments was borrowed from the works of T.A. Moldanova. All kinds of folk art of Khanty and Mansi people are concentrated in the ceremonial complex of the Bear’s Games, which were studied in works of V.N. Chernetsov, E. Schmidt, O.V. Mazur, T.A. Moldanova, S.A. Popova. Field materials of the author were recorded in 1995 in Kazym of Beloyarsky District of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug and in 2007 in Khanty-Mansiysk.
Results and novelty of the research: the traditional art as a communicative mean in the irreal space surrounding people is a quite prospective problem for the study of ritual and ceremonial sphere of the traditional culture of the Ob Ugrians. The author considers the question of the relationship between the traditions of “reading” of external
sound natural background and the ways of sound accompaniment of rituals for establishing of contacts with the world of spirits, and for the first time the author shows the relationship of the symbolism of the movements in the ritual practice and folk choreography of the Khanty and Mansi people. The article presents special sacred semiotic system functioning in the ritual sphere and including a specific set of sounds, melodies, songs, rhythmic movements, visual symbols which most clearly manifested in the Bear’s Games.
Key words: Ob Ugrians, traditional art, mythology, folklore, representations about the soul, the spirits-patrons, ornament, music, folk choreography.
Acknowledgements: the author expresses the gratitude to the informants and reviewers. For citation: Voldina T.V. The traditional art of the Ob Ugrians as a mean of communication with the world of spirits // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2018; 8(1): 99–111.
