VARIANTS OF THE KHAKASS MYTH ABOUT “THE EXTERMINATION OF ARINS BY SNAKES": THE EXPERIENCE OF ETHNOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS (LATE 18TH – MIDDLE 20TH CENTURIES)»
DOI: 10.23951/2307-6119-2019-2-102-109
The purpose of the paper is to characterize the Khakass myth about "The exterminating Arins by snakes". The following objectives for the study were set: to systematize and analyze various variants of this folk story and to introduce into scientific circulation new archival materials on the designated topic; and to identify the historical context of the narrative in question. The chronological scope of the work covers the late 18th through the middle of the 20th centuries. The choice of such time frame is conditioned, first of all, by the state of the source database on the topic. The study is based on an integrated, system-historical approach to the study of the past. The research methodology is based on historical and ethnographic methods - scientific description, concrete historical analysis, structural-semantic and relict. As a result of the analysis, the following conclusions can be drawn: 1) the myth about “the extermination of Arins by snakes" is a unique product of the oral folk art of the Khakass. With its unusual plot, it aroused deep scientific interest among researchers, beginning in the 18th century and continuing into the 20th century. As a result, its variants were recorded and published. 2) the myth distinguishes two main alternating themes. First, there is a complex of views associated with snakes. In the religiousmythological consciousness of Khakass the image of this reptilian was endowed with sacred features, although in general the attitude towards it was ambiguous. This representative of the reptiles belonged to the category of animal totems, revealing a mystical relationship with certain Khakas genera, in particular the Kachin tribe Yzyr. Secondly, the designated myth brightly illustrates the process of ethnocultural interaction of the designated ethnic communities. In this respect, under the symbolic extermination of Arins by snakes, in our opinion, it is necessary to understand the real historical processes of turkization and assimilation of Ket-speaking groups by Khakas. Thus, the myth in question has the character of a genealogical narrative. In it, in a deeply symbolic form, the historical events that took place in the life of the designated ethnic group were reflected. By concluding marital unions and migration processes, the Arins joined the Khakas people, and became one of the Khakass clans, settled on Khakass territory.
Keywords: history and culture of Khakas, ethnic processes, folklore, myth, symbol, snake, Arins
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Issue: 2, 2019
Series of issue: Issue 2
Rubric: ANTHROPOLOGY
Pages: 102 — 109
Downloads: 762