IMAGES OF THE AIYYDEITIESIN THE OLONKHO OF THE NORTHEASTERN YAKUTS

Abstract

The article considers the images of the higher deities of aiyy in texts of the olonkho of the Northeastern epic tradition of the Yakuts (Sakha). This article addresses the problem of regional and local traditions of the Yakut olonkho. The olonkho of the Northeastern tradition is studied as a separate branch of the epic tradition of the Yakut narrative. The purpose of this article is to study the epithets and functional accessories of the deities Yuryung Aar Toyon and Yuryung Aiyy Toyon in the olonkho of the studied tradition. To achieve this goal, it was necessary to consider the works of researchers of the Yakut folklore, ethnography and history. We analyze the epithets of the higher deities of the aiyy and revealed their functions in the texts of the olonkho of this tradition. Using the method of continuous sampling, we examined the works of researchers. Using the comparative-contrasting and descriptive methods, the epithets and functions of the deities of the aiyy were revealed in the olonkho of the Northeastern tradition. When analyzing the epithets of the deities Yuryung Aar Toyon and Yuryung Aiyy Toyon, we used the lexical-semantic method. We studied over 20 works of researchers. For the Yakut people, the master of the Upper World had four images: Yuryung Aar Toyon, Yuryung Aiyy Toyon, Aar Aiyy Toyon and Aiyy Tangara. The olonkho of three regional traditions are considered: Lena River area, Vilui River area, and Northeastern. The image of the deity Yuryung Aiyy Toyon is most often mentioned in olonkho of Vilyui (in 5 texts out of 8) and in the Northeastern epic tradition (in 6 texts out of 14). In contrast to these traditions, the Lena area olonkho is dominated by the images of the deity Yuryung Aar Toyon (in 5 texts out of 6). The images of the deities Yuryung Aar Toyon and Yuryung Aiyy Toyon in the texts of the Northeastern olonkho are studied in detail. These images were characteristic of the texts of olonkho from Moma, Abyi, Verkhoyansk and Middle Kolyma local traditions of the Yakut people. The author comes to the conclusion that in the texts of olonkho of the Northeastern tradition of the deity, Yuryung Aar Toyon and Yuryung Aiyy Toyon had different epithets and functions. It is possible to assume that they were separate mythological characters.

Acknowledgements: Research in the framework of the project of the North-Eastern Federal University “Heroic epics of the Turkic-Mongolian peoples of Eurasia: problems and prospects of comparative study”.

References

1. Illarionov V. V. Iskusstvo yakutskih olonhosutov [The art of the Yakut olonkhosuts]. Yakutsk, Bichik, 1982, 127 p.
2. Kuz'mina A. A. Olonho Vilyujskogo regiona: bytovanie, syuzhetno-kompozicionnaya struktura, obrazy [Olonkho of Vilyui region: existence, plot-composition structure, images]. Novosibirsk, Nauka, 2014, 160 p.
3. Orosina N. A. Tattinskaya lokal'naya tradiciya yakutskogo eposa olonho: formy bytovaniya, osnovnye obrazy i motivy[Tattinsky local tradition of the Yakut epic olonkho: forms of existence, the main images and motives]: avtoref. diss. … k. filol. n. Yakutsk, 2015, 25 p.
4. Kulakovskij A. E. Nauchnye trudy [Academic Works]. Yakutsk, Kn. izd-vo, 1979, 484 p.
5. Hudyakov I. A. Kratkoe opisanie Verhoyanskogo okruga [Brief description of the Verkhoyansk district]. Leningrad, Nauka, 1969, 440 p.
6. Ionov V. M. Duh-hozyain lesa u yakutov [Spirit-master of the forest of the Yakuts]. Petrograd, Tipografiya imperatorskoj akademii nauk, 1916, 45 p.
7. Alekseev N. A. Etnografiya i fol'klor narodov Sibiri[Ethnography and folklore of the peoples of Siberia]. Novosibirsk, Nauka, 2008, 494 p.
8. Pekarskij E. K. Slovar' yakutskogo yazyka [Yakut language dictionary]. Moscow, AN SSSR, 1958-1959. Vol. 1, 3858 stb.
9. Maak R. K. Vilyujskij okrug. 2-e izd [Viluy district]. Moscow, Yana, 1994, 592 p.
10. Lindenau Ya. I. Opisanie narodov Sibiri (pervaja polovina XVIII veka): Istoriko-etnogr. materialy o narodah Sibiri i Severo-Vostoka [Description of the peoples of Siberia (the first half of the XVIII century): Historical-ethnographic materials about the peoples of Siberia and the Northeast]. Magadan, Kn. izd-vo, 1983, 176 p.
11. Gogolev A. I. Istoki mifologii i tradicionnyj kalendar' yakutov[The origins of mythology and the traditional calendar of the Yakuts]. Yakutsk, Izd-vo Yakutskogo un-ta, 2002, 104 p.
12. Efimova L. S. Algys saha (Yakutov) v svete fol'klornyh tradicij tyurko-mongol'skih narodov Sibiri: klassifikaciya, obshchaya harakteristika [Algys of Sakha (Yakuts) in the light of the folklore traditions of the Turkic-Mongolian peoples of Siberia: classification, general characteristics]. Novosibirsk, Nauka, 2013, 178 p.
13. Vasil'ev V. E. Drevnie istoki kul'ta bozhestv ajyy (po fol'klorno-ehtnograficheskim materialam saha) [Ancient origins of the cult of the deities of the aiyy (according to the folklore and ethnographic materials of the Sakha)]: avtoref. diss. … k. i. n. Ulan-Ude, 2000, 20 p.
14. Pekarskij E. K. Slovar' yakutskogo yazyka [Yakut language dictionary]. Moscow, AN SSSR, 1958-1959. Vol. 3, 3858 stb.
15. Vasilyev V. E. Istoki tengrianstva: ot kul'ta gor do kul'ta Neba[Тhe origins of тengrianism: from the cult of mountains to the cult of Heaven]. In: Severo-Vostochniy gumanitarniy vestnik[The North-Eastern Humanitarian Bulletin]. No. 2. 2017, pp. 40-48.
16. Haan D'argystaj: olongho [Haan Djargistai: olonkho]. Yakutsk, Alaas, 2016, 232 p. (In Yakut lang.)
17. Ammosov K. H. Aalya-Behrgehn buhatyyr: olongho [Aaliya-Bergen Bukhatyr: olonkho]. Yakutsk, Bichik, 2008, 100 p. (In Yakut lang.)
18. Orto Halyma olongholoro: olongho [Olonkhos of Srednekolymsk: olonkho]. Yakutsk, Bichik, 2016, 280 p. (Saha booturdara: 21 t.; T. 18 [Sakha booturs: 21 vol. Vol. 18]) (In Yakut lang.)
19. Muoma olongholoro [Muoma olonkhos]. Yakutsk, Bichik, 2004, 240 p. (Saha booturdara: 21 t.; T. 4 [Sakha booturs: 21 vol. Vol. 4]) (In Yakut lang.)