A Ram in the Traditional Ritual of Khakas, Associated with the Human Life Cycle: Wedding and Funeral (Late 19th – Mid 20th Century)

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of this article is to characterize the ram/sheep and its image as an animal included in the Khakas rituals associated with weddings and funerals. Leading in the study is the principle of historicism, when any cultural phenomenon is considered in development and taking into account a specific situation. The research methodology is based on historical and ethnographic methods: remnants (relict) and semantic analysis.Results. As a result of the analysis, the following conclusions can be drawn. 1. The ram / sheep and its image occupied an important place in the traditional culture of the Khakas. 2. The animal in question was extremely in demand due to its utilitarian and sacred significance. In practical terms, it was undoubtedly perceived as an important and accessible source of meat and raw materials for household needs. In religious and mythological terms, the designated animal acted as a symbolic projection – a “replacement” for the human soul, which had a close connection with the world of ancestors and deities. The image of a ram was consistently associated with the idea of vitality and fertility. 3. The ram was extremely common in gift-exchange processes, both within the human community and in relationships with the spirit world. Therefore, it was assigned a special role in rituals conditioned by the human life cycle, including those associated with marriage and death. 4. In the Khakas worldview, much attention is paid to the concept of bones.Conclusion. Therefore, it is not at all accidental that in the culture of these people the concept of genus is designated by the term seok – ‘bone’. Not only human bones were considered sacred, but also animal bones, including a ram. It was believed that life potential and mystical power were localized in individual elements of its bone structure. These sacred parts included the skull, chest, tibia, and humerus. They were widely used in wedding and funeral rites.