MYTHOPOETICS OF THE PLANT CODE IN THE TRADITIONAL CULTURE OF THE MORDOVIAN PEOPLE

Abstract

This issue on the image of plant in the traditional Mordovian culture illustrates its verbal representation in the Moksha and Erzya folklore of different genres, gives information about the peculiarities of its explication in Mordovian literature and applied and decorative arts, shows the place of the plant images in the Mordovian worldview. The image of plant in the folk arts influences the artistic principals of Mordvins, passed down from generation to generation. The image of a tree is one of the traditional symbols in Mordovian folk culture. This symbol is polysemantic. It is common for Mordovian songs about maidenhood, beauty and youth to use the images of plants and trees. Also, the images of fructiferous trees and their fruits are used to describe the people’s appearance in oral tradition. Basically the cultivated trees, such as apple tree and bird cherry, are used. Evergreen trees are less popular than leafy ones. The form of a tree, its colour and other peculiarities are used to create a poetic image. The article pays a lot of attention to the sacral meaning of the plant image and the ways of its correlation with a person. Perception of folklore works through the plant images makes it possible to better understand the Mordovian worldview. As well as the semiotic system of other Finno-Ugrians of Russia, Mordovian semiotic system used to evolutionize without significant changes in the basic vision of the world. Mythological thinking, based on the pagan worldviews, facilitated developing of archetypes.