В 2005 г. якутский героический эпос Олонхо удостоился высокого статуса Шедевра Устного
и Нематериального Наследия Человечества. Это событие – итог многолетней работы эпосоведов
Якутии, Российской Федерации и коллег из разных стран мира. Историческое решение
ЮНЕСКО объединило усилия всех эпосоведов мира вокруг целеустремленной деятельности
по охране и распространению эпического наследия, как живого источника, который духовно
обогащает сегодняшнюю жизнь, укрепляет культурную самобытность и разнообразие и создает
новое интеллектуальное пространство для диалога и взаимопонимания.
Якутия активно участвует в этой благородной работе. В 2010 г. в Северо-Восточном федеральном
университете имени М. К. Аммосова создана специальная структура – Научно-исследовательский
институт Олонхо. Институт в 2013 и 2015 годах успешно провел две выдающиеся
международные конференции «Якутский героический эпос Олонхо – Шедевр Устного и Нематериального
Наследия Человечества в контексте эпосов народов мира» и «Эпосы народов
мира: проблемы и перспективы сравнительного изучения» с широким участием крупных специалистов
по эпосу. Конференции стали прекрасной школой международного сотрудничества.
В рамках первой конференции подписан важный документ – Соглашение о сотрудничестве
в изучении эпического наследия народов мира. В его развитие СВФУ учредил научный журнал
«Эпосоведение» – серия «Вестника СВФУ» (на русском и английском языках), призванный открыть
дорогу к более широкой поддержке идеи сотрудничества приверженцев мирового эпосоведения.
Мы уверены, что журнал объединит усилия специалистов во имя сохранения и эффективного
использования потенциала эпического наследия в интересах науки, образования и
культуры, международного сообщества. Приглашаем эпосоведов к активному сотрудничеству
с журналом.
В добрый путь!

The author discussses the problem of national peculiarities in epic as this relates to the subject of typology. Within the diversity of scholarly opinion on the subject, the author’s approach leans mostly closely towards that of the Russian scholar E. M. Meletinski and his English counterpart Sir Cecil Bowra, to the effect that folk epics should be divided into two categories – archaic and medieval. The class to which a given epic is assigned is аnindicator of theoriginality of its national matrix. Though each culture reflects features associated with both archaicand medieval characteristics, it is also true that the epic monuments in one or the other category also differ significantly from one another.

To illustrate his argument the author analyses three epics of medieval origin, the Armenian “David of Sasun”, the Spanish “Song of El Cid” and the French “Song of Roland”. While all of them share common features, such as the rivalry of the protagonists, nevertheless each reveals its distinct national profile. It emerges that the Armenian epic is more mythological, despite the fact that all the mythological aspects of the plot have undergone the influence of medieval folk thinking. Meanwhile, the Spanish and French epics, in contrast, are completely lacking in any mythological element in their plot structure. Here, our interest is drawn to the striking contrast in the portrayal of the protagonists of those epics on certain important areas. Roland was entirely devoted to the demands of chivalry, while El Cid was able to perform actions outside the norms of knightly conduct. All these divergences can be associated with the national origin of

In this article there is an attempt to give a brief review of some issues dedicated to animistic and totemic images, archetypes and also main story line in the heroic epos of endogenous peoples of Siberia. The hypothesis about some parallels of images, epic storyline of various tribes and peoples inhabiting Siberian territories is made. Epos of various Siberian peoples is represented variously. It is widely spread in some cultures, less developed in others and just developing or non-existent in some. Those peoples who have an epos at some extent are studied. Epos classification is made according to the language. Altai language family includes the Mongolian languages, its representatives are Buryats, and the Turkic languages represented by Yakut, Tuvinian, Altai, Khakas, Shor. The main attention is on general characteristics of the studied epos, plot and some features of similarities in story lines, images and symbols in the epos. The epos of the endogenous peoples of Siberia in its many forms is of great interest. It is an evidence of an original culture. It has an ancient origin and keeps information about traditions, customs and historical events.

he article raises question of neсessity of comparative study of Yakut heroic epos Olonkho, which have deep Turkic roots against the backdrop of development of modern epic studies. The Olonkho is a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. It predetermined strong interest in epos, its origin and existence in foreign environment of North-Eastern Asia. Use of epos materials enriches the theorems of domestic epos specialist. At the moment a new phase begins and can give new reasons for the scientific solution of epic heritage problem not only Yakut ethnos, but also all Turkic peoples.

The article notes famous national specialists of epic studies as V. M. Zhirmunskii, E. M. Meletinskii regarding the epos comparative study. Among the second wave of domestic specialists of epic studies B. N Putilov`s researches that are written on the basis of integrating data about the epic heritage of many nations are of profound interest. The author almost came to an understanding of epic composition and made indispensable contribution to historic-genetic and typological epos study. Genetic community, linguistic and ethnic affinity questions are easily traced in S. Yu. Neklyudov`s works about Mongolian nomads heroic epos. Main principles of this work lead the author to problems of Turkic-Mongolian epos shared features. Leading Yakut scientist I. V. Pukhov dedicated his researches to specific comparative-historical study of Turkic-Mongolian as well Yakut. He left the samples of comparative historic-genetic researches of Yakut epos. In general new phase of Yakut heroic epos comparative study has a huge theoretic and research reserve.

Necessity and need for new comparative researches of Yakut heroic epos with theoretic achievement of modern epic studies are proved in this article. Numerous publications of Yakut epic cultural monuments that show rich genre content of Olonkho contribute it. It is necessary to take into consideration a new status of Olonkho as Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, thanks to which Olonkho has begun its new life in the world epic society.

We consider the spatiotemporal images and characters in Yakut heroic epos Olonkho in relation of two basic conceptual ideas of space and time: substantial and relational. There is no special research of spatiotemporal images and characters using original ethnic texts of Yakut heroic epos Olonkho in national and foreign philosophical literature and researches of the epic. Characteristics of both objectivistic approach concepts with some domination of relational concept of space and time appear in published Olonkho texts. The article deals with examples from most famous published Olonkho texts confirming author`s thesis. The author further claims that some ancient units of length and time didn`t lose heuristic potential for expressing and creating new bright unexpected images and meanings even nowadays. It is about heuristic potential of many ancient Yakut units of length and time such as ilii, syom, kharys, bylas, tysykyl, tong kyos bystynga, kyunnyuk etc. In the Yakut Olonkho we also find spatiotemporal images and characters expressing not only quantitative, but also qualitative characteristics of spatiotemporal attitude. There is qualitative description of main spatial direction in the Olonkho: east, west, south, north. Upper, Middle, Under worlds of the Yakut Olonkho need to be qualitatively described. Olonkho epic hero determines seasons like spring, summer, autumn and winter qualitatively, not quantitatively.

The article is dedicated to the research of the epic «Son of Kur» («Kur uglu»). The relevance of this study due to lack of a comprehensive analytical study of the genesis and the poetics of the Tatar version of the epos. Purpose of the article is to explore the Tatar book epic «Son of Kur» («Kur uglu») as a monument capable of preserving the poetic traditions of creative consciousness of ethnic group. The problem arising from the target goal is to explore different Tatar dastan versions based on the plot about son of Kur, to describe the general structural and content features of texts, to discribe common structural and informative text characteristics and to identify similarities and differences between traditional Turkic and Tatar heroic epic on this subject. The article used comparative-historical, historical and typological, textual research methods.

National versions of the epos of «Son of Kur» («Kur uglu») may be divided into Western (Ajarian, Turkish, Azerbaijani) and Eastern (Turkmen, Uzbek, Kazakh, Tajik) versions. Many Eastern and Western versions have been recorded during musical performance of the famous of Bakhshi (improviser). In the analysis of existing manuscripts and published Tatar texts relating to the XIX century, the article traced individual motives of the famous epic of about the son of Kur, the parallels between the Pan-Turkic heroic epic were drawn, the peculiarities of the Tatar version of the «Son of Kur» («Kur uglu») were found. Unlike Western and Eastern versions, the story system of the Tatar versions is more compact, and they have not been performed by the ashugs and were distributed in a book form. At a certain formation phase of the book epic Dastan «Son of Kur» («Kur uglu») is significant as a work that satisfies the needs of the nation in a written literature.

The article considers some of the motives of the Kalmyk heroic tale and the Kalmyk heroic epic “Jangar”. Traditional motives such as the motive of a childless old man and an old woman, the motive of a miraculous birth correlated with the subsequent motive of begging the saints for the son heir are considered by the author. Family`s defender of the heroic fairytale in the Kalmyk heroic epic “Jangar” turns into the heir of the epic king. Compositional techniques and episodes telling about the birth of an heir-hero, the son of Jangar – Shovshur, show how masterful Kalmyk dzhangarchies, i.e., storytellers, were. New light is cast on the theme of the clan continuation from the point of view of resolving public problems, the issue of succession passes to the issue of revival of Bumba country. Kalmyk dzhangarchies refused to develop the traditional motive of childlessness straigthforwardly, because it would contradict the character of the epic hero. A number of motives of the Kalmyk heroic tale clarifies some uncertainties, mysteries of the narrative in the text of the epic songs as the true deep meaning of what is happening may be found in the fairy story, where biographical form of the narrative determines a strong connection with all of its links, motives, situations.

As a result of the analysis, the author concludes that the traditional fairy-tale motive of childlessness, followed by the motive of begging for the son and the heir, as well as the mythological motive of the birth of the heir by the elderly heroine in the Kalmyk epic “Jangar” is transformed and replaced by the image of the rescue hero of the country Bumba.

The object of the article “Some comparative-typological features Batyr in the epic of the Tatar people” is the image of the main characters in the epic legends of the Tatar people. The epic legends Batyr – is, first of all, a representative of the common people, which symbolizes his secular ideas and aspirations. In another way, this type is called a national hero. Because it is rich in attitudes, political beliefs of the people. Epic environment has characterized the protagonist as an example, the standard imitation of. Tracing the evolution of epic biography of the hero and his heroic deeds in the typological and comparative-historical and typological basis, identifies the leading motives Batyr create an image with a national character. In today eposovedenii concept of “national hero” is used as a charismatic symbol of national identity. Reconstruction of the portrait characteristics of national Batyr goes through obscheepicheskih analysis techniques. Such motives as the miraculous birth, obtaining athletic horse and weapons, magic invulnerability determine the “face” of each of the national hero. Also focuses on the transformation of the role of the protagonist with its functional purpose. Sometimes, the national hero of many different functionality, which is determined by the outcome of the developing events of the epic.

There have been rich oral epic traditions in China from the remote past, disseminated among ethnic minority peoples, with three dominant types, namely, heroic epics, creation epics, and origin epics. Scholarly works in epic studies can be traced back to a few centuries ago, with both foreign and domestic scholars’ involvement. Over the past two decades, a new paradigm in epic studies has been shifting from mainly literary concerns towards folkloristic researches in many directions, labelled by some scholars as a “paradigm shift of epic studies”.

In the light of modern science saved up and generalized over the last years specific questions about the ancient Silk Road pictured in Turkmen epic national creativity in comparison with the similar facts from folklore and the literature of some other peoples are considered.

All Turkmen love-fantastic destans (novels) which contain personal names of beloved (“Leila and Mejnun”, “Jusef and Zuleikha”, “Gu land Bilbil”, “Zukhra and Takhir”, “Shakhsenem and Garib”, etc. Total number of similar works reaches 25), are saturated with the spirit of journeys where the protagonist is exposed to sterntest tests durability of his feelings to a beloved, passing through awful adventures with stars, genies, hourian and other supernatural characters. Despite the fact that in romantic-fantastic destan “Gul and Senuber” has strong influence of the Arabian fairy tales from a cycle “One thousand and one night”, and also local Turkmen fairy tales, the narration of events starts with the story that the father of protagonist Senuber the Hurshid-padishah is the governor of a city (country) under the name the Çyn (i.e. China). The author writes that after numerous adventures and drudgeries in the different countries, including in shehri-Shebistane (the Gloom city-country), Senuber with his beloved Gul comes back in a native city (country) the Çyn (China) for permanent residence and finishes his work. In anonymous Turkmen romantic destan “Hurlukga and Hemra” a return route of the protagonist from Egypt (Misr / Müsür) to China (Çyn-Maçyn) and back is shown. In article the given plot is pursued completely.

In the analysis of the work by I. V. Pukhov (1904-1979) “From folklore to literature” the folklore basis of poems of A. Y. Kulakovsky and P. A. Oyunsky is proved. The author’s original concept in analyses of dynamic communication of myths and legends with images of the Yakut poems revealed. Essential value of writing of Kulakovsky is emphasized by recognition of author’s style that reveals in three main research foreshortenings of its works (a folklore form, structural components of a verse, image of the poem). Actually he calls him the founder of the Yakut literature and proves influence of his poetry on next generations. The analysis of the drama poem “Red Shaman” is based on this postulate. In the presented researches the convincing proof of Pukhov originalities of mythological and folklore images, disclosure of idea and philosophical allegories in monologues and remarks of characters P. A. Oyunsky is modern. The researcher comes to innovative conclusions regarding figurative system of the poem, methods of introduction, giving concrete functions and implications, providing subtexts in the private episodes of legends. It is summarized that Pukhov`s positive attitude toward difficult works of the Yakut literature is based on exclusive knowledge of folklore and culture. He emphasizes olonkho motives in poem compositions, mythological sources in the system of images; realistic tendencies of disclosure of a subject in the artistic idea. Therein is his profound knowledge of folklore and special methodology as the researcher of fiction.

It is a well-known fact that the Turkic-speaking peoples of Eurasia and Siberia possess a rich heritage of oral epic poetry. Much has been written down, and in some areas the oral tradition of epic poetry is still flourishing today. While a few of the early texts, written down in the 19th century, are available in older German translations (A. Schiefner, W. Radloff), the majority of these epics can only be accessed either in their original language or (in some cases) in Russian translation. Translations of Turkic oral epics into European languages such as English, German or French are urgently needed in order to familiarize epic scholars outside the Turkic- or Russian-speaking world with this important corpus. Translating Turkic epics into European languages poses, however, a number of problems. In the following some of these problems are identified and discussed with reference to my translations of the Uzbek oral epics Ravshan and Alpamysh into German, the Karakalpak epic Edige and the Kirghiz epic Manas both into English. ´The latter translation is still ongoing; two volumes have so far been completed. The translation problems concern basic methodological questions such as the choice between a literary and a literal translation and the strategies available to overcome differences in linguistic structure between the source languages and the target languages. An important element in translation is not only the linguistic, but also the stylistic level of the text. In addition, a translation has to pay attention to paralinguistic aspects (e.g., music and performance modes) and to the cultural world of the original. The translator is not only a mediator between languages, but also between cultures.

The article is dedicated to the epic formula research of the universe in the olonkho “Eles Bootur” by P. Ogotoev (in the original and French texts). The purpose of our study is to compare epic formulas of the universe in Yakut and French versions of olonkho in order to determine the methods of their translation into French.

Vertical (contact simple and complex) and horizontal (contact simple and complex) alliterations were identified in the original text and in the translation of olonkho. Anaphoric repetitions predominate in alliterations.

Same syntactic constructions in epic formulas create rhythmic and syntactic parallelisms consisting of a few lines of poem, create rhythmic organization of epic formulas and give extraordinary solemnity to the Olonkho. Parallel design contributes to creating an increasing gradation. Gradation effect is ensured by the choice of words of similar meaning, synonyms and their position in the parallel structures. The basis of gradation is attributes of words that arranged in ascending order.

In French translation there are more words and syllables in poem lines than in the Yakut original text. A variety of translational transformations (replacement, addition, rearrangement of the sentence, the restructuring of lines of verse) is used. Definite and indefinite articles at the beginning of lines and word order in the parallel structures are used in order to translate the alliterations into French. For gradation effect the selected words with similar meanings are chosen, their position in the parallel structures were taken into account.

The aim of the article is to find some facts in the Yakut Olonkho text “Nyurgun Byogyo” by N. A. Abramov – Kynat from Meginskii ulus that can be typical for local narration style. The research method is a comparative study of the given text on the basis of findings by the Yakut epos researcher N. V. Emelyanov and E. N. Kuzmina, who reviewed the plot and typical places in the epic texts as well as logical analyses of the text. Text properties` search in the given olonkho helped to identify original places as description of Aal Look Mas, Ysakh celebration where there is a grandson of the goddess Aiyy Yeehsit among the people, which is not traditional. News about celebration reached the hostile world which is peculiarly depicted by the narrator. Description of the heroes competitions during Ysakh is original. Young hero challenges not only Upper and Lower world, three skies but also a bear, the king of th forest. Horse keeper Soruk Bollur is a messenger of the Upper world, Kun Kurye hero, which is also not traditional. The hero prepares three times before the fight as Aan Alakhchin khotun advised. Research result`s analysis will help new generations to form reading, listening and comprehension skills of the epic texts. It is modern in the age of globalization and ethnic assimilation.

The article considers kumys not only as the element of the traditional food of the Yakuts and life energy source of, but also as an important part of the traditional culture of the nation. There is a description of types of the Yakut kumys in order to characterize each type in correlation with its properties and consumption. The Yakut drink kumys is considered not only as a favorite drink due to its specific properties, but a beverage of an important ritual significance in the Yakut national culture.

In the epic texts kumys is described as the drink of heroes among other dairy products, which are the part of the Yakut traditional food. Guests are treated not only to kumys, but other national dishes.

Kumys and choron a patterned cup are not only traditional objects of ritual serving, but are the main objects that accompany the ceremony of propitiation of spirits and gods.

The increased interest of the population to kumys as a beverage, which has been considered a source of long life and good health since ancient times, is due to conscious return to the roots, rethinking its value not only ritually marked and permanent part of the summer holiday, but also as an everyday useful and necessary food.

Traditional Sakha clothes are discussed on the basis of the heroic epos Olonkho in this article. The author places the special emphasis on the lexicon reflecting outerwear and its details that represent material and spiritual culture of the Sakha people. Materials in ancient Tukic, the Altaic language family and the Russian language help to describe and analyze this lexicon. During the analysis some types of clothing that are not registered in ethnographic and lexicographic resources were found. It is discovered that the text of Olonkho contains the detailed description of a fur coats of characters. In this regard Olonkho is a unique means of fixing and distribution of rich informative material. The function of clothing is identified: the outerwear and its details is an indicator of social and material status of its owner. Fur coats made of skins and lynx fur and sable fur were worn by characters of an aiyy aymaҕa – a tribe of kind people. Characters of Lower world, an abaaha, wore rotten, shedding, shabby skins of domestic animals. Fabric and clothing shape is the base of traditional clothing lexicon. Detailed description of Olonkho heroes’ clothes helps to reveal the quality characteristics of the epos characters. In the future other theme groups will be described.

The article shows features of existing Russian epic folklore recorded in Kolyma in Yakutia. Versions of the texts collected by D. I. Melikov in 1893, V. G. Bogoraz (in 1894) and also the materials published in collections “The Russian epic poetry of Siberia and the Far East”, “Folklore of the Russian Mouth” are used in the analysis [4, 6]. For example, the bylina about Dobrynya Nikitich and the Snake is reviewed. It becomes clear that versions of the XIX century differ. So in Melikovsky`s version the Snake is male, in Bogoraz Zmeinishcha’s version – female. There is a replacement of motives, for example, when instead of motive “heats low-flow” appear in “heats krestovsky”.

It is obvious that bylinas of Kolyma have direct connection with the works of folklore typical for the Russian North of the European part of Russia. These works of folklore are distinguished by regional originality as they have difference from the versions of the bylina recorded on Indigirka according to L. N. Skrybykina [8].

Gradually epic folklore was lost. Records of folklore in 1982 when parts of versions were given in prose prove that. Number of images, motives and ending of works were missing.

The author refers to a number of his works on this subject. Influence of the Yakut language wasn’t shown in the bylinas though it is noticeable in historical songs.

Признание якутского героического эпоса Олонхо Шедевром Устного и Нематериального На - следия Человечества стало результатом многолетнего эффективного сотрудничества Республи - ки Саха (Якутия) с ЮНЕСКО, одним из самых авторитетных и значимых подразделений Орга - низации Объединенных Наций. Мировой статус олонхо обязывал многому, в первую очередь, расширению и углублению научных исследований по эпосу, с этой целью в Северо-Восточном федеральном университете имени М. К. Аммосова в ноябре 2010 г. был создан Научно-исследо - вательский институт Олонхо. На институт была возложена ответственность за формирование и распространение научного понимания общечеловеческой природы якутского эпоса