Beliaeva-Saczuk V. A. Animals in the Traditional Culture of Oka Buryats and Soyots. The Sources of Food, Workers, Friends, or Sacred Creatures?

Veronika A. Beliaeva-Saczuk
Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences
Saint Petersburg, Russia
E-mail: belyaeva.veronika@gmail.com

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ABSTRACT. Wild and domestic animals play a significant role in the traditional culture of Buryats and Soyots. Throughout the year, they are the main source of food, means of transportation, and helpers in daily work. However, the attitude of humans to animals is not only consumptive. In the modern culture of the residents of Okinsky District we observed a specific approach to animals, which is based on respect and maintaining balance in nature. During the hunt, it is strictly forbidden to kill certain categories of animals that are considered sacred. The treatment of animals is closely associated with shamanism and Tibetan Buddhism. In local shamanism, every unusual phenomenon or incident is evaluated as a message from supernatural beings, and animals are perceived as possible mediators between the worlds of humans and gods. Tibetan Buddhism, which has dominated the local system of beliefs since the nineteenth century, has made remarkable changes in local rites and attitudes toward animals. Thus, many residents of Oka currently believe that animals should not be tortured or killed without reason (for example, people should not hunt for amusement only, or kill too many animals). In general, humans should not infl ict unnecessary suffering on them: because of this, one can be born an animal in their next life. Some domestic animals have become an important marker of ethnicity (reindeer for Soyots) or Oka regionality (yaks, khainags). In the recent years, the production of souvenirs made of yak wool has begun to develop, but it has not yet gained popularity, since Okinsky District attracts mostly mountain climbers and river rafters. Ethnographic tourism, despite all the efforts of the local administration and Oka’s residents, has not yet become popular. Therefore, animals still play one of the major roles in the economic, cultural and sacred spheres of life of Oka Buryats and Soyots.

KEYWORDS: Oka Buryats, Soyots, wild and domestic animals, shamanism, reindeer breeding, yak breeding

УДК 398(=512.31)
DOI 10.31250/2618-8619-2020-1(7)-110-117