Hidden patriarchal connotations in the image of a warrior woman in the Yakut olonkho

The article is devoted to the analysis of the image of the heroic maiden in the heroic epic of the Yakuts (olonkho) from the point of view of its socio-cultural role in a patriarchal society. The authors question the widespread interpretation of this image as a relic of matriarchy, offering an alternative explanation of its functions and meaning within the patriarchal order.

The main purpose of the study is to identify the causes and cultural functions of the image of a female warrior in the Yakut epic. The authors apply the structural and functional method within the framework of M. S. Kagan’s activity approach, considering the epic as a system reflecting the value orientations and social practices of traditional society.

The article analyzes the plots of olonkho, in which the hero maiden occupies a central place. Special attention is paid to the motifs of finding a spouse, fighting with suitors, and marrying a former slave, which is interpreted not because of matriarchal remnants, but as a strategy to preserve property and the status of the paternal family in the absence of male heirs.

The authors rely on the works of leading researchers of the epic (V. Ya. Propp, E. M. Meletinsky, I. V. Pukhov, N. V. Emelyanov), as well as on ethnographic data on the traditional Yakut society. They show that, despite patriarchal norms, Yakut women could inherit property and temporarily assume male roles, which is reflected in the epic.

The key conclusion of the article is that the image of the heroic virgin does not contradict the patriarchal order; on the contrary, it serves to strengthen it. It symbolizes a woman’s temporary acceptance of male functions in critical situations (the threat of extinction of the family due to lack of heirs), after which she returns to the traditional role of wife and mother. Thus, the epic fulfills an ideological function, consolidating the values of the continuation of the paternal family and the inheritance of family property.

The study contributes to understanding the role of female images in the heroic epic and demonstrates how cultural narratives adapt to the social needs of society. The results of the work can be useful for research in the field of folklore studies, cultural studies and gender studies.

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