E-mail: barguten@mail.ru Tel.: +7 (983) 420-94-08
6, Sakhyanova str., Ulan-Ude, 670047, Russian Federation
PhD in History, Leading Researcher, Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
The article was prepared within the framework of the state project “Ethnocultural Identity in the Architectonics of Folklore and Literary Texts of the Peoples of the Baikal Region,” No. 121031000259-6.
According to the ethnographer B. R. Zoriktuev, the island of Olkhon (Irkutsk region) is one of the sacred centers by the Barguts of China, along with the sacred mountain Barkhanuula. He observes that the Hailar Barguts (“Old Barguts”) continue to observe traditions in which the theme of returning to their historical homeland in the Baikal region is always present. After a trip to the sacred center of Utaishan (PRC, Shanxi province), the author of this article had the opportunity to visit not only the sacred Mount Alkhanai, but also Olkhon Island, which is also a sacred place for the Buryats. Following G. R. Galdanova, the author believes that the “host spirits” of Mount Alkhanai and Olkhon Island are interconnected. Thus the rite of worship on Alkhanai “opened the way” to “the head of the thirteen northern patrons,” Oikhon baabai (the father of Olkhon). The purpose of this article is to describe the structure of this rite and to identify the ethnocultural connection between the Buryats and Barguts of the Trans-Baikal region, and to clarify their relationship to the sacred objects of Olkhon Island. To understand the modern ritual tradition of the Buryats, the author visited the iconic site of the “Shaman Stone” (also known as Cape Burkhan) on the island of Olkhon in early October 2020.
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