Candidate of Philological Sciences Udmurt Institute of History, Language and Literature of UB RAS Izhevsk, Russia [email protected]
Abstract. The article aims to systematize and analyze the traditional Udmurt beliefs about the smallpox and the ways to treat it. The research topic is worthy of study as it has not been thoroughly investigated so far. Moreover, these beliefs are of great importance as they significantly differ from other folk models of illnesses. The study is based on prerevolutionary ethnographic sources of the late 18-th century – the early 20-th century and the author’s field material collected in the early 21-th century. The data allows tracing the historical evolvement of those beliefs. The author concludes that the Udmurt folk beliefs about the smallpox have undergone some changes during the last centuries. The concept of the smallpox and common behavior rules which family members were to follow if someone was infected with this disease have remained relatively stable. The main tactic for its treatment was propitiation of the smallpox spirit, expressing respect for it and ritual feeding. Having analyzed ethnographic texts of the late 18-th century – the early 20-th century, the author suggests that the Udmurt originally believed that the smallpox was caused and brought on by deities. While analyzing the Udmurt material the author also appeals to folk beliefs of both ethnically kindred and non-kindred peoples. The comparative study of the material shows that Udmurt beliefs about smallpox bear some strong or slight similarities to traditional beliefs of other indigenous peoples.
Key words: Udmurt traditional culture, mythological beliefs, folk medicine, smallpox, female deities, Shundy-mumy.