On the meaning and essence of one epic olonkho formula

Abstract

The aim of the study of this work is to reveal the meaning and essence of one important epic formula: “Eight-banded, eight-edged, With strife and anxieties, Elegant, beautiful Primordial, mother Earth...”. The understanding and interpretation of this epic formula causes controversy and discrepancy among researchers and translators. This goal requires the solution of the following tasks: consideration of the main points of view that exist in the domestic literature on this problem (the approaches of A. E. Kulakovsky, G. U. Ergis, G. M. Vasiliev, D. S. Makarov, E. S. Sidorov explaining the meaning of the epic formula); direct reference to the published texts of epic works, to confirm their theses, hypotheses; analysis of translations into Russian of the epic formula in the published texts of epic works, first of all, of the Yakut olonkho.

Based on the research of the above authors and, considering that all these approaches require their further development, the author offers his own vision and interpretation of this formula. The novelty of the work lies in the fact that the author finds examples in the published olonkho texts where the olonkho Universe, the Middle World are characterized not only as “eight-banded-eight-edged”, but also as “seven-banded-seven-edged”, “nine-banded-nine-edged”. The author believes that with the help of these epithets, storytellers sometimes unconsciously, intuitively express the idea of the ancient Yakuts about the Middle World and the Universe as a whole. So, for example, a three-part vertical structure (Upper world, Middle world, Under world) and a four-part horizontal structure (east, west, south, north) form a seven-part (seven-banded-seven-sided) spatial structure of the Olonkho Universe. Further, it should be noted that in myths, epic works of many peoples of the world, including Dolgans, Evenkis, Yakuts, the center of the world, the Universe is clearly distinguished. As a result, the idea of a nine-part horizontal spatial structure of the Middle World appears in the epic (center, east, west, south, north, southeast, southwest, northeast, northwest). In many published texts of the Yakut olonkho, this idea finds its expression in the statement: “The nine-banded-nine-edged primordial mother Earth”. The second line of the epic formula “ataannaakh-myonguenneekh” is also translated in different ways: “abusive”, “slippery”, “lumpy”, or “with strife and anxieties”, or “with a restless life, with eternal strife and turmoil...”. The third line of the epic formula, “aigyr silik”, does not cause much controversy and is translated by everyone roughly the same, as “smart, beautiful, decorated with luxurious greenery”. The fourth line of the epic formula, “aan iye doydu”, is understood sometimes as “the Universe as a whole”, sometimes as “Middle World”. The author in his work offers a holistic understanding of the meaning and essence of this epic formula. In his research, the author uses scientific methods of comparison, analysis and synthesis.

Reference

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