Traditional system of values of modern Buryats (on the example of the ethnical group of Barguzin Buryats)
V. V. Lygdenova1, O. B. Dashinamzhilov2
1Institute arheology and etnographii, Pr. Akad. Lavrentieva, 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
2Institute of History of SB RAS, Nikolaeva str., 8, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
Keywords: values, traditions, rituals, the Buryats, culture, religion
Abstract
The present article is dedicated to studying the traditional values of Barguzin Buryats and to revealing the factors that contribute to the formation of national consciousness. The values of education, family, children and knowledge of the own history and native language are considered. The objectives of the paper are to identify the changes in the role and functional mindsets in the family, their consequences and to consider the factors contributing to the development of national consciousness despite the ongoing assimilation. Barguzin Buryats are chosen as the research object because they constitute an ethnic group which is least susceptible to modern modernization processes, since they are living in a remote territory and still retain traditional values. However, presently they are also undergoing profound changes. In this work, there is carried out for the first time a detailed analysis of the transformation of the traditional values of modern Barguzin Buryats; there are used the field data, interviews, statistical and historical data, as well as the national census data for 2002 and 2010 for the Republic of Buryatia. The main conclusion is that, on one hand, there is identified such trends as the transition to a family model with a small number of children and decreasing of the number of Buryat people speaking their native language; on the other hand, there is growing interest among the population towards ancestry, religion and national ceremonies. Religious syncretism is a unique feature of the worldview of Barguzin Buryats and characterizes one of the stages in the evolution of religious beliefs.
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