TOTEMISM
TOTEMISM, traditional beliefs based on the ideas of supernatural kinship between man and the socalled totem – animal, plant, not so often natural phenomenon or inanimate object. The members of the totem group, as a rule, bearing the name of their totem, were forbidden to hunt, to eat the meat of the totem birds and animals, to marry one another. According to beliefs, totem was a mythical primal forefather of a clan or the reincarnation of the souls of the deceased ancestors (ref. Animals and birds cult). In the Bashkir folklore, totem animals are the patrons and leaders of clans (ref. Singrau torna), symbols of happiness and well-being (ref. Kungyrbuga). In legends “Bear Guy”, “Descendants of the Clan of Wolves”, etc, the plots of mutual transformation of animal and man, a woman having a baby of great physical power conceived by an animal, animal speaking the language of people (ref. Akhak-kola), etc were developed. T. was reflected in the architecture, decorative and applied art, and ornament of Bashkirs (ref. Charm, Holidays). The spreading of T. in ancient times among Bashkirs is mentioned in the records of Ibn Fadlan.
