Inhabitants of Shuryshkarskiy district learn how to conduct “Bear Merrymaking”

The practical seminar “Yakty Khot: Return to the tradition” took place in the settlement Ovgort, Shuryshkarskiy district. It assisted to revival and preservation of the tradition to conduct the ritual holiday of Khanty people – Bear Merrymaking. Platforms for conducting of the seminar were organized in Ovgort museum of local lore named after Tylikova, the house of culture and the boarding school of Ovgort.

The seminar was divided into 4 basic units of lessons. The first was for children. It included theoretical and practical lessons on forming of the idea among schoolchildren on outlook of northern Khanty people, on traditions of Bear Merrymaking, rules of its conducting, participating in rituals of the holiday. Also lessons for pedagogues of schools, boarding schools and kindergartens were organized, as the press-service of the governor of Yamal informs. The program also included lessons for performers of folkloric artworks, specialists of cultural and leisure establishments, pedagogues on folklore, students of specialized educational institutions. These are theoretical and practical lessons that allowed forming the idea on meaning of ceremonies of bear rituals, providing the opportunity to pass knowledge from the old to the young, receiving practical experience of performing of folkloric artworks, dances and interacts. Women of older age and masters of decorative and applied art were acquainted to examples of items of cult attributes from museum collections, how to makes attributes for Bear Merrymaking. Bear Merrymaking (Yakty Khot) is one of the brightest phenomena of traditional culture of Khanty people. Their basic aim is to reconcile the beast and the man. They speak about the beast of prey as about a brother and not as about an animal or a hunting game. Ancient rituals, songs, pantomimes and others are performed within Bear Merrymaking.