THE CULT OF ANCESTORS IN THE BELIEFS OF THE CHUVASH

DOI: 10.47026/2712-9454-2025-6-1-81-92

УДК 39(=512.111):2-168-055.5″18/191″

ББК Т521(=635.1)-77

Aleksandr O. GAVRILOV

Key words

beliefs, ancestral cult, the Chuvash, peoples of the Volga region, funeral and memorial rituals.

Abstract

The relevance of studying the cult of ancestors lies in the fact that it occupies the central place in the system of traditional ethnic culture plays an important role in the formation of systemic knowledge about the past, and preservation of historical memory. The cult of ancestors, which originated in ancient times, has been preserved in a truncated form to this day, so its scientific analysis makes it possible to better understand the succession of generations, to use the experience of ancestors not only to strengthen the foundations of the family, clan, but the society taken as a whole.

The purpose of the study is to study the peculiarities proper to the manifestation of the ancestors’ cult in the mythology, religious beliefs and ritual practice of the Chuvash in the XIX – early XX century.

Materials and methods of the study. The research is based on the analysis of folklore and literary materials using general scientific and special (observation, document analysis) methods of scientific analysis. Chronological, comparative methods, cultural and anthropological approach were used.

Results. The article reflects both common, characteristic for most peoples, and special features of the manifestation of the ancestral cult among the Chuvash. The ideas about the afterlife, supernatural opportunities of those who have passed into another world, can be considered universal. The Chuvash also believed that those who died of natural causes passed on to another world and continued their existence, and therefore needed food and tools, unlike the “unsanctified” – sorcerers, suiciders, etc. There are many parallels in the beliefs of the Chuvash and neighboring peoples: the Mari, the Mordvins, the Udmurts. The peculiarities are manifested in the details, which can be established, in particular, by analyzing the works of verbal folklore. For example, according to Chuvash myths, the universe consists of seven floors (worlds). The upper world or the heavenly world was considered the abode of the god Tura, deities and good spirits. The middle world, “çut tĕnche”, was considered the habitat of people and all living things, and the lower, underground “lesh tĕnche” was the habitat of evil spirits headed by Shaitan. God created a man to be immortal in his own image and likeness, but because of non-observance of his commandments the man was sent to the earth. The interaction of the heavenly, earthly and other worlds can be considered one of the widespread folk myths. The next feature of the ancestors cult manifestation among the Chuvash can be considered a special reverence for the mythical heroes pattӑrsem: Ulyp, Atӑl, Uslati, Temen, Sarri, Akhplata, Sakhata, Surӑm, Shu, etc. The author agrees with the opinion of scientists who believe that some historical figures turned into an object of worship. The worship of the Bilar Muslim preacher Maalum Khoja (Valĕm Khuça) was widespread among the Chuvash people. Individual rituals of reposing the dead and escorting them to the underworld are considered. Transformation of traditional beliefs under the influence of Christianization and bourgeois modernization is reflected.

Conclusions. The cult of ancestors was formed during the time when tribal relations dominated in the society and it is one of the most conservative in the system of traditional beliefs. The Chuvash ideas about the universe, gods and spirits, creation of all living things and man, life and death, the interaction between mythical worlds, etc. contain common features with myths, legends, traditions, and the ritual system of different peoples, which can be called panhuman and universal. Significant parallels were identified in the cult of the ancestors of the Chuvash and the Volga peoples: the Mari, the Mordvins, the Udmurts, the Tatars. Chuvash mythological and epic works, recorded in archival and museum collections, various publications, as well as observations of the authors, enabled us to identify the features in the manifestation of the cult of ancestors in the beliefs of the Chuvash. The impact of historical changes and especially Christianization on destruction and transformation of the traditional culture of the Chuvash people is noted.

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About the author

Aleksandr O. Gavrilov – Post-Graduate Student, Department of Archaeology, Ethnography and Regional History, Chuvash State University, Russia, Cheboksary (sanya_gavr20@mail.ru; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-2816-3762).

For citations

Gavrilov A.O. The cult of ancestors in the beliefs of the Chuvash. Historical Search, 2025, vol. 6, no. 1, pp. 81–92. DOI: 10.47026/2712-9454-2025-6-1-81-92 (in Russian).

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