The article is devoted to the urgent problem of the revived Burkhanism formation in the Altai Republic. The authors came to the conclusion that the historical path of Burkhanism from the ban to the post-Soviet rehabilitation led it to the ambiguous comprehension. The main theories about Burkhanism given in the reports of the scientific conference held in the year of its one hundredth anniversary are highlighted. It is noted that modern Burkhanism is supported by the southern Altai people, namely the Altai-Kizhi that live in the Burkhanism places of the Ongudai and Ust-Kan regions of the Altai Republic. Against the background of the revival of the Oyrot heritage, the post of Zaisan as head of a clan, the confrontation between the adherents of Altai jan (Altai faith), that represent a mixture of “old” Burkhanism and Shamanism, and a group of Altai Buddhists, who interpret Burkhanism as the periphery of Lamaism, appeared. Based on the ethnographic data the ritual practice of «feeding» the fire of the hearth, sprinkling sacred objects with milk and cleansing by fumigation with juniper are represented, which expresses the key idea of Burkhanism ‒ the reverence of the upper heavenly world that gives life to man, the well-being to his family and his clan. It was revealed that Burkhanism consolidated the people spiritually and ethnically; therefore, observance of ritual symbolism in everyday life contributes to the preservation of the life values: peace, grace, happiness, luck. In ritual life, Burkhanism symbols and attributes are observed spatially and temporarily. The period of the young moon and sunrise, as well as the time of the birth of the sun (day), are considered the most “favorable” time to initiate ceremonies in honor of the living. Ritual actions are performed according to the sun and an even number of times. Everything connected with the “world of the living” honoring ritual should be white. The very existence of the world depends on proper observance. According to the norms of modern Burkhanism, it is considered that the one who observes the ritual symbolism approved by Burkhanism is one of the «True» Altaians and this certain standard of “Altai” based on the traditional worldview.

Tadina Nadezhda Alekseevna, Candidate of Sciences (History), Associate Professor, Department of History and Archeology, Gorno-Altai State University; 1, Lenkina st., Gorno-Altaysk, 649000, Russian Federation, e-mail: ntadina@yandex.ru

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