Scholarly record

UDAGAN CULTURE OF THE YAKUTS: IMAGES AND ALGYS (BASED ON THE MATERIALS OF THE HEROIC EPOS – OLONKHO)

L. Efimova, N. Orosina, O. Pavlova, N. Afanasev

Abstract

This article observes the Udagan's culture of the Yakuts. The authors concentrate on the study of the Udagan’s culture based on materials of the Yakut epos – Olonkho. The authors associate this phenomenon of culture with early religious ideas of the Yakuts and believe that it presents an early layer of culture. The word “udagan” as a term is referred to the languages of the Turkic-Mongolian, Tungus-Manchu peoples. However, the authors state that the Ugadan culture as a layer of culture is typical for the Yakuts and preserved among them. The analysis of text materials of three regional traditions of the Yakut olonkho studied images of Udagans. In general, researchers used the dualistic principle in the classification of images. This principle was preceded by the essence of the traditional world view in the culture of the people. According to this principle, two groups of images are identified in the texts of the Lensky and Northeastern regional traditions of olonkho. The first group included images of the Udagans of Aiyy tribe, the second group is Udagans of the Abaasy tribe. The first group of images was distinguished by the divine origin and the functional purpose of creative character. The image of the second group is connected with the opposite vision of the world with destruction meaning. Udagans of Abaasy tribe personified the evil beginning. The second criterion is a functional principle. According to this principle, images of Udagans are divided into two large types. The first type is represented by images of Udagan-Helpers. They were mediators and healers. Their role is to help in the battle of two sides – Aiyy warriors and Abaasy warriors. They accompanied the Aiyy warrior as the defender of the tribe till the end of his exploits. Udagans were the envoys of the head of the Upper World – Yuryung Aar Toion. The second type of images was the images of Udagan-Warriors. The images of Udagans who are able to engage in the battle with enemies of the main characters were included in this type of images. The authors studied the poetry of Aiyy tribe udagans, which represent the five main types of the Yakut algys.

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