Problems of alcohol consumption in the oral and written literary tradition of the Yakuts (late 19th – early 20th centuries)

Abstract

The research subject of this article is the texts of folklore and literary works of the late 19th to the early 20th centuries, dedicated to the issue of alcohol consumption. The research was conducted using historical-cultural and comparative-historical methods. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the authors’ attempt to comprehensively study the problem of alcohol in folklore and written literary works of the pre-revolutionary period. The study examines the initial instances of critical understanding of alcohol consumption in Yakut society, as expressed in oral and written literary traditions of the people. In their analysis of the texts, the authors explored previously undiscovered archival documents. They conclude that, starting from the late 19th century, “songs about vodka” emerged in Yakut folklore, addressing the issues of alcohol consumption and explaining the harmful effects of alcoholic beverages to the population. The article acknowledges the contribution of folk singers who, alongside intelligentsia, initiated efforts the combat excessive drinking in Yakutia. In the 1910s, A.E. Kulakovsky, the founder of Yakut literature, authored two works addressing the problem of alcoholism. These were the first works in Yakut literature presented in the form of literary genres: a short poem and a narrative poem with a clearly expressed and developing plot, and a well-balanced composition. While folk singers raised awareness of the issue of drinking in their songs and portrayed its harmful effects on individuals, Kulakovsky, recognizing alcoholism as a potential national threat, vividely illustrated the potential consequences of alcohol addiction and its destructive impact on people's lives. A.E. Kulakovsky, as an educator, public figure, and spiritual leader of the nation, endeavored through his creative work to caution his people against excessive alcohol consumption.