TOTEMISM

TOTEMISM is a traditional belief based on the idea that there is a supernatural kinship between a human and his so-called totem: an animal, a plant, less often a natural phenomenon or an inanimate object. The members of a clan or a clan unit, as a rule, were prohibited to hunt the totemic birds or animals, which were the symbol of their totems, it was also prohibited to eat meat of these animals and marry people from the same clan. According to the beliefs of many peoples, a totem was a mythical first ancestor of the clan or a transformation of the dead ancestor's souls. The ideas about totems were a basis for the cult of animals and birds (see Cults). Folklore considers totemic animals to be defenders and protectors of a clan, a symbol of happiness and welfare. The legends often have a plot about an animal transformed into a man, a birth of a baby with giant strength from a woman and an animal, etc. The horns, claws, fangs, cones, fur of animals were considered magical, they were used as talismans and as means of ethnic medicine. T. is reflected in architecture, decorative arts and crafts, calendar-ceremonial folklore, prohibitions, ethnonymy of many Bashkortostan peoples.