Svetlana C-O. Dongak
Publications by the Author
3 publications
FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF OVAA AMONG THE TUVINIANS
The article discusses religious structures called ovaa, which were widespread in Tuva. There were two types of ovaa: stone mounds built on mountain passes and tent-shaped structures erected on mountains, foothills, or plains. The main purpose of these structures was to worship local natural objects, such as mountains and water sources, which the Tuvan people believed had invisible masters. These masters needed to be appeased through the use of ovaa. However, their functional value went beyond religious structures. They also served as landmarks in the space where the nomads moved. Over time, the meaning of the ovaa, primarily in the form of a tent, expanded to become a marker of ancestral lands. The most radical changes were related to Buddhist ideas about local “masters” and Buddhist deities, so the local customs began to change. In a visible way, the new knowledge affected the interior design of the ovaa. Now, people began to place precious items and images of Buddhist deities on a small table in the center of the tent. Along with the spiritual changes, both types of ovaa were also affected by historical developments in Tuvan society. They were used as border markers along the southern and northern borders of Tuva during the 1930s and 1940s.
THE MEANING OF THE TITLE AND THE SYMBOLISM OF THE CLOTHING OF THE AMBYN-NOYON OF TUVA
The article discusses the title and clothing of Ambyn-noyon, as the senior official of Tuva during its stay in the Qing Empire (1757-1911). These questions have not been the subject of analysis by researchers. The term Ambyn-noyon is of Manchu origin and generally means "supreme noyon". Ambyn-noyon's clothing was also introduced during this period, along with the establishment of new procedures related to the administrative-territorial division of Tuva and the appointment of new officials. For him, as the highest official, ceremonial clothing was prescribed, which, in its symbolism, was somewhat different from the clothes of other officials.
SOME SEMANTIC ASPECTS OF NUMBER NINE IN HOUSEHOLD PRACTICE OF TUVANS
The article is devoted to some semantic aspects of the number nine among Tuvans. The sacredness of the number nine, like other numbers, has been formed over several centuries, during the different historical periods, under the influence of certain ideological and religious views, and has become an essential part of the tuvan spiritual culture.