Common and Special in the Funeral Rite of Russian Kalmyks and Oirats Abroad in the XVII–XXI Centuries

Abstract

The article is devoted to the сommonality and peculiarity in funeral rite of the Kalmyks and Oirats abroad from the XVII to the XXI centuries. The topic is important in the context of the question of Kalmyk and Oirat identity. The Kalmyks have passed a long historical way far from the community of the Oirat peoples, so the question of comparing the funeral rite also related to the issues of the transformation of ethnic culture. Materials and methods. The article is based on the historical and ethnographic method, which consists in analyzing information about the funeral rite using data from historical sources, archaeology and personal observation. The article uses materials from travelers and researchers of the Kalmyk and Oirat-Mongol funeral rite. Results. The article examines the funeral rituals of the Kalmyks and Oirats abroad, taking into account the existing variability. The analysis is supplemented by the materials of the American Kalmyks, whose funeral rite also has its own peculiarity. It is known that the Oirats had many types of burials: in the ground, in fire, in the air, in water and variants of leaving the body. Changes in the economic structure had significantly impact on the process of transformation of funeral rites. In particular, in the XXI century, the Kalmyks had only an earthen burial and, as a rarer option, cremation. Conclusions. In general, the funeral rite of the Kalmyks and Oirats abroad has retained its fundamental symbolic elements, such as: preparation of the body of the deceased; its carrying-out; rituals, accompanying burials – the rite of purification after the funeral, observance of the 49th mourning period, the importance of the 7th day, etc. The existing differences are dictated by the historical way that the Kalmyks passed through: the absence of cremation, detailed rituals, more modest ritual system, the disappearance of some pre-Buddhist rituals, etc.