The Horse in the Wedding Ceremony of the Khakass (Late 19th – Mid 20th Century)

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to present the characteristics of the horse as a key object in the wedding tradition of Khakass.The chronological framework of the work covers the late 19th – mid 20th centuries. The choice of such time limits is determined by the state of the source base on the research topic. The principle when any cultural phenomenon is considered in development and taking into account a specific situation, the principle of historicism, is leading in the study. The research methodology is based on historical and ethnographic methods: remnants (relic) and semantic analysis.Results. In the traditional Khakass culture, the horse and its image play an important role. This animal was extremely in demand due to its utilitarian and sacred significance. In practical terms, it was perceived as the main means of transport and an affordable source of meat. In religious and mythological terms, it acted as a symbolic projection – a “replacement” of the human soul, which had a close connection with the world of ancestors and deities. The image of the horse was steadily associated with the idea of vitality and fertility, being endowed with apotropaic properties. All this naturally contributed to its inclusion in the wedding ceremony.One of the main components of the marriage ritual was the mutual gift exchange. The horse was one of the key objects of it. This animal was an indispensable element of the kalym and all the gifts replacing it, as well as the bride's dowry and the groom's share. At the same time, the gift horse was a kind of pledge and a symbol of the conclusion of an unwritten marriage contract. The possession of a horse and the presence of expensive decorative elements in its ammunition not only emphasized its aesthetic preferences, but also served as a marker of the social status and prestige of the horse owner. This norm was observed in the wedding procession.Conclusion. The role of the horse in the ritual and socionormative practice associated with marriage is one of the components of the multifaceted image of this animal in the Khakass culture. Such a wide functionality of the horse people’s lives obviously may indicate the nomadic roots of the phenomenon of horse veneration.