Shamanism

The first mention of Yakut shamans

The burgomaster of Amsterdam N.Vitzen first described yakut shamans and sacrifices in the extensive work «About Northern and East Tartariah » (1696). He writes: « When somebody is ill or dies, Yakuts ask shaman to “conclude" a contract with the devil about that… With loose flowing hair the shaman shouts in all throat, strikes in a drum, falls down to the ground and lies for a long time in a dead faint… When the patient feels better, he usually pays off cattle, which shaman cuts and eats. Skins, by rules of belief, should be hung up stretched on trees ».

Sources of shamanism

The very first shamans in Yakutia, as well as in other places of a planet, appeared in the Stone Age, - rock paintings, describing « little people dancing », ritual masks, resemblance of tambourines testify of it. Many scientists consider that ancient shamans themselves were the authors of these petroglyphs.

The most unique "shaman" scripture

As noted archeologist A.P.Okladnikov says, the most unique scripture with the image of shamans is on the river Majja, «and there are no equal ones on its originality, interpretation of figures and saturations in Eastern Siberia .

The most northern shamans' burial place

In 1980 archeologist S.P.Kistenev found out remains of the most ancient and most "militarized" woman –shaman of Yakutia by near the place Rodinka, on inflow of Kolyma -Panteleikha. This most northern in the world neolithic burial place is 3600 years old. She was christened by journalists as «An Amazon from Panteleikha» for all hunting and fighting weapon, kept with her. Probably, she broke another record on an abundance of ornaments on her ritual suit, which has more than 18 thousand of beads only.

The most well-known udaghanka

When Russians have brought writing in Yakutia, the name of probably the most well-known udaghanka Agrafena, from vicinities of Zhigansk, has been fixed. She was so esteemed and inspired such a fear at inhabitants of northern districts even after death, that body of Agrafena was taken from a tomb and burnt, under the decision of the Yakut authorities at the end of 18th century. But in a century the well-known Siberian poet Davidov devoted to Agrafena the poem. And the island on the Lena river in 80 kilometers up to Zhigansk, where the great woman-shaman lived, is named after her.

The most beautiful udaghanka

The most beautiful udaganka of Yakutia was, probably, the namesake of the well-known ballerina Anna Pavlova, born in 19 th century. She was like a top-model. She was very tall for Yakut woman ( 190 cm ), her body was perfect, her eyes were wide and clear, her features were correct and beautiful, her voice was deep. Besides she was very smart and well-mannered. When in 1883 the count Ignatyev visited our northern capital, there was a formal dinner party, and Anna was there among seven first beauties of Yakutsk . Pavlova was not only the great healer and clairvoyant, but also she had amazing skills like walking on the water.

The tsars failed to see shamans

In one's time three Russian emperors could become the most high-ranking patients of oyuuns. The very first of them was Peter the Great. He heard a lot about the force of the Yakut shamans. And before the death in 1825 he called for a court the Siberian magicians as he was disabused of the European doctors, and it was his last chance. After him Peter II and Anna Ioannovna have done the same attempts . But, alas, these orders were too late given and the way from Saint Petersburg to Yakutsk was very long. That is why these august persons, passing away, never have waited for the healers from far northern suburb.

Shaman dressing is the heaviest one

The shaman dressing, ever belonged to Yakut oyuuns, was record on number of details: a quantity of the metal pendants reached forty, and weight was up to several tens of kilos. Only the best hereditary smiths had the right to make details for such attire, and only several times for whole life.

The longest burial

The most extended ritual of burial that Sakha people had in the last centuries was for the most known shamans. They buried each of them three times - first two times in a suspended coffin – arangas, and only then in a land tomb. This process could be tightened up to 150 - 200 years, because each of the arangas should decay and destroy naturally and only after that "to pass on the baton". It was considered, that while the shaman is not committed to the earth, his spirit lives near to the remains, guards them and the burial place.

Revenge of the shaman

According to the local residents of the settlement Elgetsk there is a big shaman burial place of 1800s on the nearest hill. A platform in front of this tomb was chosen for the aerodrome. But the builders met with the invisible obstacle: the equipment always broke, and then the tractor operator has sunk. The foreman poked angrily into the tomb with a stick, and even spat out with words of a damnation. His end was terrible – first he got blind, and then died of terrible headaches. So the platform was never completed.

The most mysterious tents

Evenks erected tents (of skin) for the biggest shamans or for the most important and crowded rituals in taiga. Such dwellings had two galleries, faced west and east and symbolized the way out into Eden and the Underworld. Nobody lived there constantly - people gathered there during kamlanie. Fyodor Matjushkin, a former lyceum student and a friend of Pushkin A.S.,was in a such tent, travelling in 1820s across Yakutia. That night he heard the most exact prediction of his own future.

The most original amulets

Yukagirs had the most unusual form of reverence of died shamans in the territory of Yakutia . After death of the great shaman they prepared his body, separating meat from bones. Then bones of a skeleton were distributed between relatives. The nearest and influential one took a skull. Remains were stacked in specially sewd leather bags and accompanied everywhere owners of sacred relics as amulets and means for soothsayings.

The most effeminate shamans

Chukchi masters of spirits were the most original in the territory of Yakutia in the old days. Probably, recognizing that on their path the women prevailed, many young people receiving magic gift became nowadays' transvestites. They weared womanlike and had a female head styles, did women's house work and even "married" quite officially.

The most devoted defenders

Evens' shamans were the most constant and even eternal defenders of a family. Having undertaken such duties during the life, they, according to belief, should carry them after the death too, giving a helping hand.

Provided by Vladimir Fedorov
Translated by Elena Osipova, YSU Student
Resource: "Yakutia: Records", Yakutsk, Bichik Publishing House, 2004