THE IZHMO-KOLVA EPIC: PERFORMER – TEXT – AUDIENCE

Abstract

The article reveals the features of the formation and development of Izhmo-Kolva epic tradition. The analysis of folklore and ethnographic archival materials and own field records allows us to speak about the deep bi-ethnicity and bi-cultural origins of considered tradition. The convergence of two completely different cultures – Komi-Izhemtsy short time mastered the reindeer and the world of nomads, and the Nenets switched to a settled way of life, adopted the language and customs of Izhemtsy – here has acquired a systemic effect. The author considers a number of interrelated factors that determined the specifics of the folklore system “Performer – Text – Audience”. Semi-nomadic herding, combining the rustic lifestyle and the nomad world, created two epic worldview and two audiences, which were oriented singers. There appeared a special intra-family dual reality: Komi-Izhma girls marrying a Kolva-Nenets brought to the new life their language, their customs, their lyrical perception of the world, and men – carriers epic world, the epic of knowledge – in this case were the Nenets. Not less important factor for understanding of specifics of tradition was also the bilingualism of audience. Not only performers, but also listeners had the special language competence creating and special conditions for broadcast of folklore knowledge. All these processes are deeply intertwined with the life and folk culture as such. It is due to the interaction of the noted system factors in the Izhmo-Kolva epic, in spite of the later formation, it is possible to single out layers characteristic for genetically different stages of the epic development. Actually, the epic tradition organically combined both the Nenets folklore and the folklore world of the Komi-Izhemtsy. In terms of its composition and main themes, the Izhmo-Kolva epic tradition is typical of the original forms of the heroic epic, but it is inseparable from the fairy tale and mythological tradition of Komi.

On the basis of the generalized data on the tradition obtained by the author, the necessity of further research on the Izhmo-Kolva folklore system is substantiated in connection with all the above-mentioned extra-folklore factors.

References

1. Mikushev A. K. Komi ehpicheskie pesni i ballady [Komi epic songs and ballads]. Leningrad, Nauka, 1969, 295 p.
2. Komi narodnyj epos [Komi folk epic] / Red. A. K Mikushev. Moscow, Nauka, 1987, 686 p.
3. Vászolyi–Vasse, Eric: Syrjaenica II. Narratives, Folklore and Folk Poetry from Eight Dialects of the Komi Language. Vol. 2: Kolva and Usa Specimina Sibirica XV, XVII, XIX. Savariae – Szombathely, 2001, 531p. (In Engl. lang.)
4. Fol’klor komi i nencev Neneckogo avtonomnogo okruga (v zapisyah Fol’klornogo fonda IYALI Komi NC UrO RAN 1968-1973 gg.) [Folklore of the Komi and Nenets of the Nenets Autonomous Area (in records of 1968-1973 of Folklore fund of ILLH of Komi SC, Ural Branch, RAS)] / Sost. A. V. Panyukov. Syktyvkar, Kola, 2009, 500 p.
5. Izsajsa komiyaslön fol’klor (Fol’klor zaural’skih komi) [Folklore of the trans-Ural Komi] / Sost. M. I. Yoltysheva, N. S. Korovina, A. V. Panyukov. Syktyvkar, Publishing department of ILLH, 2016, 295 p.
6. Mikushev A. K. Komi narodnyj epos [Komi folk epic]. In: Komi narodnyj epos [Komi folk epic] / Red. A. K. Mikushev. Moscow, Nauka, 1987, pp. 8-64.
7. Panyukov A. V. Sinergetika fol’klornyh kontaktov: izhmo-kolvinskaya fol’klornaya tradiciya [Synergetrics of folklore contacts: izhmo-kolvinsky folklore tradition]. In: Fol’kloristika komi: Regional’nye fol’klornye tradicii Evropejskogo Severo-Vostoka i Zaural’ya v mezhkul’turnom kontekste [Folklore studies of the Komi: Regional folklore traditions of the European Northeast and Zauralie in a cross-cultural context]. Syktyvkar, Publishing department of ILLH, 2012, pp. 189-208 (Works of Institute of language, literature and history Komi SC. Iss. 70).
8. Panyukov A. V. Izhmo-kolvinskij epos: vstrecha tradicij [Izhmo-kolvinsky epic: meeting of traditions]. In: Izvestiya Komi nauchnogo centra UrO RAN [News of Komi scientific center, Ural Branch, RAS]. Iss. 4 (24). Syktyvkar, Publishing department of Komi of Scientific center, 2015, pp. 30-41.
9. Mikushev A. K. Nauchnyy otchet o Kanino-Timanskoy folklornoy ekspedicii (may-iyun 1972 g.) [The scientific report on Kanino-Timansky folklore expedition (May-June, 1972)]. In: Nauchnyj arhiv Komi nauchnogo centra, UrO RAN [Scientific archive of Komi scientific center, Ural Branch, RAS]. F. 5, Op. 2, 118, T. 1, 241 p.
10. Fol’klornyj fond Instituta yazyka, literatury i istorii Komi nauchnogo centra. Videozapis’ V1907–22, der. Kievat Shuryshkarskogo r-na Tyumenskoj obl. Isp.: S. F. Konev 1934 g. r. Sob.: A. V. Panyukov, P. F. Limerov. 2003 g. [Folklore fund of of Institute of language, literature and history of Komi SC. Video V1907–22. Village Kiyevat, Shuryshkarsky district of the Tyumen Region. Performer: S. F. Konev, 1934. Collectors: A. V. Panyukov, P. F. Limerov. 2003]. (In Komi lang.)
11. Fol’klornyj fond IYALI Komi NC. Audiozapis’ K255-6, s. Muzhi Shuryshkarskogo r-na Tyumenskoj obl. Isp.: G. N. Valeev. Sob.: A. K. Mikushev, Yu. G. Rochev. 1970 g. [Folklore fund of ILLH of Komi SC. Audio recording K255-6, settlement Muzi, Shuryshkarsky district of the Tyumen Region. Performer: G. N. Valeev. Collectors: A. K. Mikushev, Y. G. Rochev. 1970]. (In Komi lang.)
12. Fol’klornyj fond IYALI Komi NC. Audiozapis’ K253-6-8, pos. Gorki Shuryshkarskogo r-na Tyumenskoj obl. Isp.: T. I. Vityazev. Sob.: A. K. Mikushev. 1970 g. [Folklore fund of ILLH of Komi SC. Audio recording K253-6-8, settlement Gorki, Shuryshkarsky district of the Tyumen Region. Performer: T. I. Vityazev. Collector: A. K. Mikushev. 1970]. (In Komi lang.)
13. Fol’klor nencev [Folklore of Nenets] / Sost. E. T. Pushkareva, L. V. Homich. Novosibirsk, Nauka, 2001, 505 p.
14. Komi narodnyje pecny [Komi folk songs]. Vol. 2: Izhma i Pechora. Izd-e 2-e. Syktyvkar, Komi knizhnoe izd-vo, 1994, 192 p.
15. Pushkareva E. T. Istoricheskaya tipologiya i ehtnicheskaya specifika neneckih mifov-skazok [Historical typology and ethnic specifics of the Nenets myths fairy tales]. Moscow, Mysl’, 2003, 286 p.
16. Fol’klornyj fond IYALI Komi NC. Audiozapis’ K263-2, pos. Beloyarskij Priural’skij r-na Tyumenskoj obl. Isp.: M. G. Terent’ev 1933 g. r. Sob.: V. M. Kudryasheva 1970 g. [Folklore fund of ILLH of Komi SC. Audio recording K263-2, settlement Beloyarskij, Priural’skij district of the Tyumen Region. Performer: M. G. Terentyev, 1933. Collector: V. M. Kudryasheva. 1970]. (In Komi lang.)
17. Mifologicheskaya proza malyh narodov Sibiri i Dal’nego Vostoka [Mythological prose of the small people of Siberia and the Far East] / Sost. E. S. Novik [Web resource]. URL: http://www.ruthenia.ru/folklore/novik/13.Struzhka.htm(accessed May 20, 2017).
18. Istomin K. V. Kolva-yaran: proiskhozhdenie; mezhehtnicheskie kontakty; prirost naseleniya poseleniya osedlyh nencev; kolvinskie nency v XX v. [Kolva-yaran: origin; interethnic contacts; increase in population of the settlement of settled Nenets; kolvinsky Nenets in the XX century]. In: Sajt “Tradicionnaya kul’tura narodov Evropejskogo Severa” [Site “Traditional Culture of the People of the European North”]. 2001 [Web resource]. URL: http://www.komi.com/folk/nenci/(accessed January 1, 2015).
19. Povod N. A. Olenevodstvo komi-izhemcev Severnogo Zaural’ya (vtoraya polovina XIX – nachalo XX v.) [Reindeer breeding of the Komi-izhemtsev of Northern Zauralie (the second half of XIX – the beginning of the 20th century)]. In: Vestnik arheologii, antropologii i ehtnografii [The bulletin of archeology, anthropology and ethnography]. 2006, № 6 [Web resource]. URL: http://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/olenevodstvo-komi-izhemtsev-severnogo-zauralya-vtoraya-polovina-xix-nachalo-xx-v(accessed May 20, 2017).
20. Fol’klornyj fond IYALI Komi NC. Audiozapis’ A2003-7, pos. Haruta Neneckogo avtonomnogo okruga Arhangel’skoj obl. Isp.: K. F. Kanev. Sob.: A. K. Mikushev. 1968 g. [Folklore fund of ILLH of Komi SC. Audio recording A2003-7, settlement Haruta, Nenets Autonomous Okrug of the Arkhangelsk region. Performer: K. F. Kanev. Collector: A. K. Mikushev. 1968]. (In Komi lang.)