DOI: 10.25136/2409-8744.2022.2.37822

Abstract: This article examines a special genre of Yakut oral literature – modern Yakut "horror stories". This new genre was formed on the basis of traditional folklore in the late Soviet period during the era of active Urabanization processes in the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and is a genre of modern post-folklore. Proceeding from the point of view that any folklore transformations are indicators of the dynamics of public sentiment, an attempt was made to look at this genre as a reflection of some social experiences that support and are reflected in certain plots that remain more stable. The sources of the study were data from a survey conducted in 2018, in which 213 respondents took part. With the help of the obtained materials, some quantitative data were revealed, as well as the most popular and frightening motives of the modern Yakut horror story according to the respondents. The review of the most popular plots is carried out, the characteristics and regional features of the genre are given. The author comes to the conclusion that the Yakut horror story, arising during the period of urbanization processes, is the result of the decomposition of rural communications, and the characters of the modern chthonic spectrum differ from the traditional ones in their simplified appearance and universality in relation to global culture.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2021.9.36403

Abstract: This article examines the emergence and essence of the Yakut scare story. The modern Yakut scare story takes roots from the traditional culture, but in its genre form represents the modern urban legend. The goal of this research lies in tracing the process of synthesis from the perspective of anthropology. The author analyzes the differences between the Yakut, Soviet and Russian scary motifs, as well as determines the key traditional sources of the emergence of the Yakut scare story. The author aims to examine scare story as an important part of modern ethnic culture that retained traditional images, as a result of transition from the traditional life to an industrial society, rather analyzing separate stories through the prism of folklore studies. This defines the scientific novelty of this paper, as this topic has not previously become a separate subject of research in the scientific literature. The sources for this article employ the theoretical works about the Yakut culture, folklore overall, as well as Russian and Soviet horror stories; field materials acquired by the author, such as excerpts from interviews and sociological survey. The conclusion is made that the modern Yakut scare story has emerged in 1970s on the basis of traditional folklore, which obtains the features of the Soviet scare story and forms the new genre of modern folk art.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-8744.2019.6.31072

Abstract: The object of this research is the image of mammoth in spiritual culture of the peoples inhabiting Yakutia. Mammoth fauna has always, in one or another way, affected the social, economic and even political spheres of people’s life, and of course, it left an imprint on the spiritual life in form of the myths, legends and mythical images. These representations played a substantial role in spiritual culture of the peoples of Yakutia; therefore, this article attempts to view them in the folklore of mammoth archetype as a part of ethnic culture. There is scattered data regarding the representations of different peoples on mammoth fauna. Usually, such myths are described with the entire range of folklore of a particular ethnos, and were not viewed comprehensively in the common context. The novelty of this research consists in the attempt of collection, systematization and analysis of information on the role of mammoth in folklore of the peoples of Yakutia, as well as identification of the categories of images reflecting the traditional representations on mammoths and their regional peculiarities. It is concluded, that the representations of mammoth among the peoples of Yakutia can be divided into two categories: more realistic eastern (the Ykaghir and the Chukchi), and more mythical western (the Yakut, the Even, and the Evenks). For all of the listed ethnoses, mammoth is an important and sacred animal, who has chthonic traits, but also carries the religious mediation functions.