SYMBOLISM OF THE MAIN IMAGES IN THE BURYAT GESERIADE

The article studies such universal constants of traditional culture as nature and its elements: heaven, earth, fire, water, mountain and tree. Special attention is paid to their symbolic content and reflection in the epic world picture of Buryats. The national identity and functional peculiarities of natural concepts in the Buryat uligers about Geser recorded from the famous narrators Alfor Vasiliev, Peokhan Petrov, Manshud Emegenov, Paramon Dmitriev, are revealed. The study of uliger texts shows the world model of the Buryat people and their ancestors. It is represented by such universal images as the heaven, the earth, the fire, the water, the mountain, the tree, and others. The illustrative material proves the presence of peculiar relations among these natural elements and they all create the basis of the national worldview of Buryats. The given examples of veneration and worship of these symbols reveal the ancient religious, historical, cultural, and social traditions of the Buryat people. The analysis of the epic texts proves the idea that ancient traditions and rituals are of eco-friendly content. The epos shows the inseparable connection of man with the surrounding world, reverent attitude of people towards mother nature. The latter allows to speak about the axiological content and didactic potential of the cults considered in the paper. Actually this is the main purpose of this work.

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