Chernykh A.: e-mail: atschernych@yandex.ru Tel.: +7 (3422) 212-70-19 13a, Lenina str., Perm’, 614090, Russian Federation Full Professor (History), head of Ethnologic Studies sector, department of History, Archeology and Ethnography, Perm’ Research Center, Uralic Division, Russian Academy of Sciences
This paper is financially supported by two grants of the Russian Fund for Humanities: No. 15-11-59002 “Symbolic functions of objects of traditional culture of peoples of the Urals” as regards A. V. Chernykh’s research and No. 16-34-01044 “Studies and description of the Vlach Dialects of the Gipsy “Romani” language in Russia as regards K. V. Kozhanov’s research.
The article is based on the field work data collected during the last ten years among the Moldovaya group Kalderash Roma (Gipsy) settlements in Russia. It describes a cluster of beliefs regarding the mythological character called Mam’orry. Naming and representation of the character’s image, its qualities and functions are analyzed. Mam’orry is an anthropomorphic mythological character appearing as an old woman always. Mam’orry fulfils a limited range of character-forming activities, the main is to visit a person in order to ask for some water. This character is also related to the prohibition of lack of water in a tent or at a house at night. Absence of water, “dryness”, has negative connotations in Romani culture. After having visited the house this character can also vomit out some “pulp” which usually turns to be a luck bringing blessing by Mam’orry. This “pulp” could be used as a basis for a “mascot” which brings luck and happiness to its possessor. The article also analyzes basic ideas of the texts describing this character, tales and comments to them are cited in Romani and Russian.
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