Folklore Genres Research Articles

Symbolic meanings of totemic images in modern mystical artistic works

The authors of the article considered the artistic activity and the specifics of the use of folklore motifs and totemic images in modern mystical artistic works. To determine the symbolic meanings of totem concepts in the stories, the main sources are taken as a basis, demonstrating the relationship and features of literature, myths and folklore. The literary-aesthetic, philosophical, religious aspects and meanings of mysticism are explained. The scientific paradigm presents individual reasoning and concepts regarding artistic mysticism. The authors, along with identifying social problems in mystical micro-plot artistic works published during the period of independence, tried to find out the artistic, poetic activity of folklore genres (legends, myths, magic, fantasy, baksy) used by writers in the process of transmitting thoughts in an allegorical form. For the interpretation of folklore motifs in mystical prose, the artistic works of Tursynzhan Shapai «Sacred tree», Nurgali Oraz «Misplaced tree», Maksat Malikov «Headless wolf», Kanat Abilkair «Zhylan kegi (Revenge of the Snake)» and Lira Konys «Beloved of the Devil» are taken as the object of research, the literary and aesthetic subtext of snake, tree and wolf symbols is analyzed. Along with the activity of folklore totemic concepts as an artistic act in these stories, the role of the utilitarian and educational functions is differentiated from a scientific point of view. The aesthetic activity of legends, mythical totems as an intertextual text in today's Kazakh stories is comprehensively studied and demonstrated in a comparative form. For the first time, the elements that appear under the cross-influence of mystical and folklore motifs in stories are considered. Priority is given to the ways of reviving totemic concepts based on a literary text in the worldview and belief system of the people. Keywords: mysticism, motif, totem, symbol, myth.

Cовременное состояние песенного фольклора башкир (по экспедиционным материалам XXI в.)

Introduction. At present, people’s interest in the historical and ethnocultural heritage has increased, and the desire to preserve traditional values for future generations has grown stronger. Song recordings made in the 19th – 20th centuries are evidence of the developed musical and song tradition of the Bashkir people. Due to the collecting efforts of M. A. Burangulov, A. N. Kireev, S. A. Galin, N. D. Shunkarov and others, a whole layer of folk songs has been preserved. During expeditions that have been intensified since the beginning of the 21st century by the Institute of History, Language and Literature of the Ufa Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, folklorists are working hard to multifacetedly cataloguize folk knowledge, on the basis of which one can judge the state of traditional modern folklore of the Bashkirs. In our understanding, ‘modern folklore’ is folklore that has existed since the middle of the 20th century to the present, regardless of the environment of existence. Goals. This work aims to consider the genres of traditional musical folklore of the Bashkirs that have survived today, to give a brief description of them, and also to analyze them from the viewpoint of assessing the modern spiritual state of the ethnos. Unlike other genres, musical genres are well preserved in the memory of the population. It is the song and takmaks that are the main genres of modern Bashkir oral and poetic creativity, which makes it possible to reveal the dynamics of the development of folklore. Materials and Methods. The research is based on the author’s expedition materials collected in the 21st century in different regions of the Republic of Bashkortostan and beyond, where the Bashkirs live compactly. They retain collective axiological attitudes and serve as a way of expressing shared emotions. These genres have a high level of demand among the population and therefore quantitatively prevail in expedition records. Folk songs are kept in the memory of people — bearers of folk musical culture, and are not recorded by them in writing. The transmission of musical and folklore works occurs orally. This means that any folk song is perceived and absorbed by each new generation by ear directly at the moment of sounding. Occasionally, songs can be recorded along with their stories and legends. The availability of songwriting histories is a characteristic feature of Bashkir folk songs. Many songs lose their names over time, but they do not completely disappear from the memory of the people, as evidenced by the comments of informants characterizing these works in expressions, such as ‘my mother’s song’, ‘this song was performed by my father’, etc. This phenomenon reflects the strong cultural connection between generations, when performers with special trepidation cherish the memory of their relatives and can reproduce the tune once performed by their father or mother. Along with drawling songs, short four-line songs without a title, drinking songs and takmaks are also common. Takmaks, in turn, are distributed not only orally but also in writing. Modern takmaks are distinguished by great mobility and efficiency, they instantly respond to urgent problems. In the light of recent events, takmaks have appeared on the topic of a pandemic, self-isolation, and online training. Results. A review of folklore materials collected in recent decades shows that the musical genres of Bashkir folklore continue to exist, which means that it is necessary to study not only the current state of the Bashkir song heritage but also its evolution. The folk song, folk singing traditions must be passed on to the younger generation, and only then the folk culture will develop and be preserved for future generations.

Tito and Children in Political Folklore 1980: Wishes for Tito's Speedy Recovery

In 1980 Tito's health deteriorated. The citizens of Yugoslavia followed the news about the course of his illness with apprehension and anticipation. From January to May 1980, citizens sent more than four hundred thousand messages wishing Tito a speedy recovery. Among the most numerous were children. Starting from the assumption of the closeness between political socialization, folklore and political culture in Yugoslav society, in this paper I analyze some of the basic motives present in the messages that children sent to Tito. Insight into the messages that the editors of the publication "Tito. Messages, wishes - the children of Yugoslavia" call a "vow", and in the sense of the promise that children will preserve the achievements of Yugoslav socialism, it enables the reconstruction of Yugoslav political myths and Tito's representation within children's political culture. The reconstruction of the narrative enables the recognition of the following motives: Tito as a hero and a fighter against all evil; 2. Tito as a solar deity; 3. Tito as an (imaginary) friend and protector of all the children of the world. For the purposes of this paper, wishes for a speedy recovery are understood as a folklore genre, and some of the specifics of Yugoslav children's political folklore.

РОЛЬ ЛЕЗГИНСКИХ НАРОДНЫХ ЗАГАДОК В СТРУКТУРЕ БЫТОВОЙ СКАЗКИ

The article deals with Lezgi folk riddles. They can be a constituent element of many genres of folklore, although they exist in folk art as an independent genre. The analysis is focused on folk riddles in the “fairy tale” speech, as well as the use of various kinds of “mysterious” elements in the creation of folk tales. The riddle participates in the complication of many fairy tales. The role of the riddle in a fairy tale is controversial. Basically, the function of riddles in a folk tale is entertaining, but their role in fairy tales is also very significant for the formation of the plot. Riddles are firmly entrenched in a number of fairy tales to complicate them. Both folk tales and folk riddles are metaphorical. We study the traditional plots of Lezgi folk tales, in which we find riddles. The purpose of our study is to identify the multi-aspect interdependence of the Lezgin folk riddle as a plot-forming element in various types of fairy tales. Creative imagination often introduces a riddle into the plot of social and everyday tales “about wise answers” (“about guessing”), which most often contain the origins of difficult riddle problems. The relevance of the chosen topic is due to the lack of study of this issue in the Lezgi oral and poetic creativity.

COMPARATIVE AN TIVE ANALYSIS OF EPIC HELPERS IN ENGLISH AND SIS OF EPIC HELPERS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK FOLKLORE

Introduction. Uzbek and English people live in different continents, however the similarity in subjects, classification and representation of heroes can be observed in their folklore. Fairy tales, myths, legends, epics reflect the lifestyle, culture, beliefs and worldview of each nation. They embody national aspects for sure. National identities are reflected in images of protagonists and helpers in any genre of folklore. Research methods. Awareness of other cultures demands investigations in many spheres, including literature and folklore. Comparative-typological and historical-comparative analysis of the image of epic helper are the main methods used in our research. Results and discussions. The image of the patron saint heroes is rooted in pre-Islamic.

РЕЦ. НА СЕРИЮ В 3 КН.: Фольклор татар Башкортостана / сост., предисл., коммент. И. К. Фазлутдинова. Казань: ИЯЛИ, 2021.

References Akhmetshin B. G. Mining folklore of Bashkortostan and the South Urals. Ufa, Kitap , 2001, 288 p. (In Russ.) Mukhametzyanov R. M. Ritual poetry of the Priik Tatars of Dissertation of Candidate of Philological Sciences. Ufa, 1973, 228 p. (In Russ.) Mukhametzyanov R. Ritual poetry of the Priik Tatars of Bashkortostan. Ufa, Bashkir State University Publ., 1977, 70 p. (In Tatar) Mukhametzyanov R. Ritual poetry of the Priik Tatars of Bashkortostan. Calendar poetry. Ufa, Bashkir State University Publ., 1982, 72 p. (In Tatar) Mukhametzyanov R. Specificity of Tatar folklore genres: a tutorial. Ufa, Bashkir State University Publ., 1989, 84 p. (In Russ.) Fazlutdinov I. Toponymic traditions and legends of the Tatars of Bashkortostan: historical foundations and ideological and aesthetic functions. Abstract of the dissertation of Candidate of Philological Sciences. Kazan, 2005, 26 p. (In Russ.) Folklore of the Tatars of Bashkortostan: legends, stories, oral stories., preface and comm. by I. K. Fazlutdinov; ed. A. M. Suleimanov. Ufa, Kitap Publ., 2018, 344 p. (In Tatar) National and cultural heritage: Tatars of Bashkortostan. Sterlibash. Part 1. N. Sh. Nasibullina; ed. I. I. Yamaltdinov. 2nd ed. Kazan, Institute of Language, Literature and Art Publ., 2021, 440 p. (From the treasury of scientific research). (In Tatar) National and cultural heritage: Tatars of Bashkortostan. Sterlibash. Part 2. Comp. N. Nasibullina; ed. I. I. Yamaltdinov. 2nd ed. Kazan, Institute of Language, Literature and Art Publ., 2021, 448 p. (From the treasury of scientific research). (In Tatar) Folklore of the Tatars of Bashkortostan: Western and South-Western regions., preface and comm. by. I. K. Fazlutdinov; ed. K. M. Minnullin. Kazan, Institute of Language, Literature and Art Publ., 2021, 312 p. (In Tatar) Folklore of the Tatars of Bashkortostan: Northern and North-Eastern regions., preface and comm. by I. K. Fazlutdinov; ed. K. M. Minnullin. Kazan, Institute of Language, Literature and Art Publ., 2021, 296 p. (In Tatar) Folklore of the Tatars of Bashkortostan: central and North-Western regions., preface and comm. by I. K. Fazlutdinov; ed. K. M. Minnullin. Kazan, Institute of Language, Literature and Art Publ., 2021, 304 p. (In Tatar) Legends are an echo of history. Reflection of major historical events of the 16th–20th centuries in the legends of the Tatars of Bashkortostan: a textbook. A. M. Suleimanov. Ufa, Bashkir State University Publ., 2003, 201 p. (In Tatar)

BEHAVIORAL PROHIBITIONS IN FUNERAL AND MEMORIAL RITES OF THE CHUVASH

On the basis of literary, archival, folklore sources and expedition materials, the article examines such a little-studied genre of Chuvash folklore as prohibitions (taboos). Special attention is paid to the systematization and analysis of behavioral prohibitions that have long existed and continue to exist in the funeral rites of the Chuvash. By behavioral prohibitions, the author means a set of well-established and generally accepted prescriptions and rules that regulated the everyday and ritual behavior of an individual and a collective within the framework of a funeral and memorial rite – family members, relatives, as well as other members of a rural community. Their observance was due to the fear of the society members before the deceased and death, the desire to appease the deceased and secure his protection, as well as the desire to protect themselves from the deceased and ensure his safe transition to the other world. By adhering to the prohibitions, people ensured their own safety and well-being, and in general secured the protection of the deceased as a representative of the ancestral world. Despite the superstitious nature of most of the prohibitions, they still exist nowadays. On the one hand, this indicates the antiquity of their origin, on the other – their stability in time and space.

Christianity and Slavic Folk Culture: The Mechanisms of Their Interaction

In Slavic folk culture, Christianity is a foreign, borrowed cultural model, while the oral tradition is native and familiar. The different areas of folk culture were influenced to varying degrees by the Christian tradition. The most dependent area of Slavic folk culture on Christianity was the calendar. In many cases, it only superficially accepted the Christian content of calendar elements and reinterpreted it in accordance with the traditional mythological notions. The same can be said about the folk cult of saints. The Christian saints replaced pagan gods and over time were included in the system of folk ideas, beliefs and rituals. The mechanism for regulating the balance between man and the world is a system of prohibitions, the violation of which is recognized as sin and is punished by natural disasters, death, disease and human misfortunes. The Slavic folk tradition adapted not only the individual elements, structures and semantic categories of Christianity, but also the whole texts, plots, motifs, and themes developed in various folklore genres. Therefore, the pre-Christian folk tradition of the Slavs was able to assimilate many Christian concepts, symbols, and texts, translate them into its own language and fill them with its own content.

HISTORICAL ORIGINS OF STATE AND NATIONAL PATRIOTISM IN KAZAKH FOLKLORE OF THE XIX CENTURY

The article outlines the problem of patriotism in Kazakh folklore in Kazakhstan, which does not eliminate its relevance. One more genre of Kazakh folklore, one of the most prominent Kazakh folklore patriotisms, is a very good idea that the proverb finds its solution. Generally speaking, folklore patriotic traditions, heroic epic poems, heroic and sincere expressions of our heroic epic poems are the most important issues facing the state today – absorbing the formulative essence of our proverbs.

The peculiarity of syntactic constructions of Lezgian folk riddles

The subject of this research is the peculiarity of syntactic constructions of Lezgain folk riddles. The object of this research is the aphoristic genre of Lezgian folklore – the riddles. Along with other folklore genres, riddles hold a remarkable place in the folklore poetics Lezgins, featuring prevalence of storytelling. The relevance the selected topic lies in the absence of specific research dedicated to comprehensive analysis of this genre of Lezgian folklore. The article illustrates the syntactic constructions of folk riddles of Lezgins. The conducted brief syntactic analysis is valuable for further research of this topic, since the linguistic aspect of studying folk riddles is yet to be explored. The scientific novelty is defined by the fact that Lezgian folk riddles, which are one of the ancient genres, require in-depth study. The conclusion is made that Lezgian folk riddles use mononuclear syntactic constructions to achieve concision in describing a propounded object or phenomenon. The interrogative or narrative sentences are commonly used. There are also riddles with compound syntactic structure. The acquired results can be used in the practical work of folklorists and linguists.

Национальные художественные традиции в творчестве современных бурятских детских писателей Э. Дугарова и М. Батоина

The paper aims to reveal specificity of the Buryat folkloric tradition manifestation in creative work of the modern Buryat children’s writers. Scientific originality of the study lies in the fact that works of the modern Buryat children’s writers E. Dugarov and M. Batoin are analysed through the lens of the folkloric and literary tradition. As a result, it is shown that the modern Buryat children’s writers actively use traditional folklore genres, trying to preserve pragmatic, semantic and structural specificity of the source text. At the same time, modern authors broaden the content and structure of traditional genres, transform epical forms into dramatic ones, use different genre traditions within a single literary work thus revealing their artistic potential.

COLOR SYMBOLS AND ETHNOLINGUISTIC ASPECTS IN ENGLISH AND UZBEK FOLK TALES

Background. The article provides a lot of information about the commonalities between the genres of English and Uzbek folklore. In addition, in English and Uzbek fairy tales, many writers have expressed their views on the harmony of colors. There is also information about the differences between English and Uzbek fairy tales. Methods. From time immemorial, man has not only fought for his own survival, but also for the longevity of his tribe. Consequently, the content of alla, rubbish, fairy tales and riddles is primarily aimed at shaping a conscious, strong, agile and agile human upbringing. People's perceptions of the world around them and their accumulated knowledge about it, as well as their wisdom and conclusions based on life experiences, are conveyed to children in the form of specific advices and means that they can understand. That is why there is a lot in common in the folklore of different peoples, even in countries far away from each other

The Carol about the Pagan Rite of Sacrifice of a Goat and Its Interpretation in Russian Scholarship of the 19th to 20th Centuries

In publications of Russian folklore, along with authentic texts there are a number of literary stylizations based on folklore. The article traces the history of one such pseudo-folkloric text—a carol which was first published by Ivan Petrovich Sakharov (1807 to 1863) in 1837. It has been established that this carol is a montage of two texts: the first is a carol, printed in 1817 by I.E. Sreznevsky in the Ukrainian Bulletin, and the second is a song included in the Tale of Brother Ivanushka and his Sister Alyonushka (SUS 450). Such contamination is unique and is found only in this one text, which was later reprinted many times. Taking into account Sakharov’s reputation as a falsifier of folklore, there is no reason to doubt that it was he who composed this carol; such contamination of works belonging to different folkloric genres is also characteristic of other of Sakharov’s publications. The carol that Sakharov published attracted the particular interest of researchers of Slavic mythology due to the fact that it described how an old man was going to sacrifice a goat. Several generations of historians saw in this pseudo-folkloric text a description of a ritual that pagan Slavs performed in ancient times. Considering the carol as an historical document, researchers of mythology built their interpretations based on the supposed time of its appearance, the nature of its genre, plot, and individual details. Thus, Sakharov’s pseudo-folkloric creation found an eager audience among scholars, and it stimulated their imagination in picturing the life of pagan Rus’.

SONGS OF CHORAL PERFORMANCE OF THE PEOPLES OF DAGESTAN (on the example of Kumyk and Lezgin songs)

Non-ritual lyrics are works of oral and poetic creativity. It, like ritual poetry, is closely connected with the life of the people. It reflected his desires and aspirations, the make-up of his soul, worldview, aesthetic and ethical ideas. The most important theoretical problem of folklore is the elucidation of the specifics of various folklore genres, which is primarily reflected in their names. The object of our research is the songs of the choral performance of the peoples of Dagestan. This genre variety of non-ritual lyrics is most widespread in the oral and poetic work of the Kumyks and Lezgins. The purpose of our work is, on the basis of a systematic study, to form a holistic view of this genre. We rely on an integrated approach to the text, which acts as a link between individual scientific techniques and methods: comparative, descriptive, etc.

НАВОИЙ ИЖОДИДА МИФОЛОГИК ОБРАЗЛАР СТИЛИЗАЦИЯСИ

The work of Hazrat Alisher Navoi was formed on the basis of a spiritual treasure that has passed a rich and long historical path of development. The work of the great poet is connected with the oral tradition of the people on the one hand, and with the Qur'an and Hadith, which are the main sources of Islam, on the other hand. Stylistic folklorisms emerged as a result of the effective influence of folklore genres, motives and images in the works of A. Navoi. In the article A. The originality of the use of angelic and satanic mythonyms used in Navoi's works and the motives put forward by them are analyzed

Historical Issues in Uzbek Historical Folklore Genres

This article addresses the issue of specificity in certain genres of Uzbek historical folklore, in particular, historical epics, historical narratives and historical songs.

To the Question of Linguocognitive Qualification of Folk Riddles (on the Material of Russian and Azerbaijan Languages)

In the presented article, folk riddles are subjected to linguocognitive analysis. Riddles have traditionally been studied either in literary or in a purely linguistic (structural and semantic) aspects, which turn out to be weak in terms of revealing the entire system of explicated and implicit patterns of architectonics of a not so voluminous, but rather complex linguistic and ethnocultural mechanism of folk riddles. Based on the current situation, we considered it necessary to illuminate the named units in the aspect of their linguocognitive comprehension in the space of a comparative typology - on the material of unrelated languages. Due to the limited possibilities of communication, we focused only on the main parameters of the linguocognitive analysis of riddles – the properties of anthropocentricity, conceptual base and internal form.Riddles are anthropocentric through and through, their conceptual base, as a rule, is associated with the disclosure of objects and phenomena precisely in their conceptual hypostasis: answers are always nominations of concepts, and not the names of objects and phenomena in their dictionary sense.The analytic-synthetic structure of riddles, more than any other linguistic unit, reveals the deep connections of language with the creative thinking of the speaking subject, most clearly explicates the so-called internal form of the linguistic unit, conditioned by the “national spirit of the ethnos”.The analysis once again confirms the need for a systemic linguo-cognitive understanding of the named units of the small genre of folklore, especially in its typological implementation.

CHARACTER STRUCTURE OF MANSI FOLKLORE: FOREST MAN MISKHUM

Mansi folklore is the richest material for research in the field of folklore, linguistics, ethnography and other sciences. Comprehension of folklore genres and images opens new boundaries for the study of representations reflected in codes and symbols. The characters of folklore are people, animals, elements, fantastic (mythical) creatures. In this article we will focus on one character - Miskhum. In Mansi folklore, he is presented as a forest man, whose main function is to help forest dwellers, hunters, disadvantaged orphans. Miskhum belongs to a local group of characters living in the forest. Extensive information about him is contained in fairy tales, stories and myths. The aim of the study is to conduct a systematic analysis of the image of Miskhum on the material of folklore texts and folk ideas. The research materials were field material of the author, as well as the texts of Mansi fairy tales published in various folklore collections, in periodicals. This work adds to the scientific knowledge about the Mansi folklore. For the first time, on the basis of folklore, linguistic and literary data, the image of a forest man is subjected to system analysis, and its functionality is revealed. The anthropomorphism of the image, its desire for socialization, distinguishes the folklore image from the mythological. Possession of the ability to metamorphosis, the desire to provide assistance, to bestow people with magical objects and abilities, all these qualities allowed Miskhum to be elevated to the rank of higher beings. In the traditional views of individual local groups, the Mansi Miskhum is exalted to the status of a patron spirit. The complex of prohibitions, ritual actions, the system of amulets existing in the Mansi determine the boundaries and degree of human interaction with Miskhum. The material opens up possible prospects for continuing research into the character and plot structure of Mansi folklore.

Refinishing the Story: Transforming Stories of Life into Life Stories

Abstract Some of the most common stories shared by recipients of public assistance are “origin stories”: personal experience narratives that describe how people found themselves in need of help. In terms of the narrative event, these stories initially appear complete, meeting common criteria for defining narrative. But participants also narrate futures that provide an alternative ending to their origin stories and, in doing so, reframe, redefine, and “refinish” these stories. Analysis of these alternative endings reveal narrators to be both bricoleurs and cultural commentators, often referencing two well-established narratives in US culture: the cultural myth of the American Dream and the legend of “the welfare queen.” Further, the move to imagine the future encourages narrators to transform stories of their lives into more holistic life stories, revealing the life story as an emic genre of folklore.

ОБРАЗ КОНЯ В ГРУЗИНСКОМ СКАЗОЧНОМ ЭПОСЕ В КОНТЕКСТЕ СРАВНИТЕЛЬНОЙ МИФОЛОГИИ

В грузинском сказочном эпосе встречается большое количество сюжетов, которые широко распространены в странах ближнего Востока и Европы. По сюжетному указателю Аарне-Томпсон-Утер конь-чародей встречается в разных типах грузинских волшебных сказок, особенно в типах ATU314 Золотистый, ATU530 Принцесса на стеклянной горе и ATU531 Ясновидящий конь. Целью статьи является выявление связей сказочных и эпических мотивов, которые содержат общие мифологические черты в образе волшебного коня. Исследование этих мотивов выясняет типологическое и семантическое сходство сказочных фигур с мифологическими божествами.Настоящая статья ориентирована на сравнительное изучение фольклорных сюжетов. Основные методы: структурный анализ и сравнительно-типологический метод. Важно сравнить диахронические элементы устных повествований с определенными трансформациями эпоса и сказки. Для структурного и сравнительно-типологического анализа мифопоэтических символов в сказочном эпосе опорой служат основные положения работ «Морфология сказки» и «Исторические корни волшебной сказки» В. Я. Проппа. Для выявления основных черт содержания использованы культурологические и этнографические труды.В результате исследования установлено, что, в отличие от литературного эпоса, устная сказка еще сохранила отдаленную связь с мифологическими представлениями о звере как о чудесном помощнике человека, основанными на древних тотемистических верованиях. Мифическое происхождение сказочного коня, в первую очередь, олицетворяется в обладании им четырех стихий, проявляющихся в его огненной и крылатой сущности, а также тесной связью с землей и водным миром. Волшебный конь сказок полностью проявляет все детали своего мифического происхождения.Символика коня в мифическом аспекте весьма знакома фольклористам, но сопоставление разных жанров фольклора на примере грузинского материала дает возможность выяснить взаимосвязи сказочных, эпических и мифологических мотивов в междисциплинарном аспекте.Сюжеты волшебных сказок как грузинской народной прозы, так и тех культурных особенностей, которые касаются взаимоотношений эпических традиций кавказцев и других народов мира, создают широкое поле исследователям для текстуального анализа.