Guest Lecture Jan 18 The Khanty of Siberia and Circumpolar Bear Ceremonialism by prof. Andrew Wiget

INVITATION

Indigenous Studies Guest lecture

Prof. Andrew Wiget (Moscow State University):

THE KHANTY OF SIBERIA AND CIRCUMPOLAR BEAR CEREMONIALISM

Friday January 18th, 2019 at 16–18 o’clock.
Lecture room 6, Metsätalo (Unioninkatu 40), 3rd fl.

Throughout the forested zones of the northern hemisphere, the relationship between bears and humans is at the core of what are arguably some of the oldest forms of cultural activity. The Bear is the principal other-than-human person, sometimes an ancestor, always the Master of the Forest with a leading role in managing life in the taiga. This lecture explores the impact of twentieth century changes on the Khanty and Mansi peoples of western Siberia, for whom the ritual killing of a designated Bear, who is understood to offer himself to men for just this purpose, is followed by an elaborate ‘sending home’ ceremony. In this bear ceremony, the bear as the honored guest is celebrated for one or more days with songs, dances, folk drama, before being sent back to his sky-home.

PROF. ANDREW WIGET is professor in the Ethnology Faculty of Moscow State University and Emeritus Professor at New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, USA). With his wife and colleague, Dr. Olga Balalaeva, he has been working among the Khanty of Western Siberia since 1992. In addition to many scholarly articles, they have published a book-length ethnography, Khanty: People of the Taiga (University of Alaska Press, 2011).

Welcome!

Contact: Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen, Indigenous Studies, pirjo.virtanen@helsinki.fi.

*****

Buorre ođđajagi!
Happy New Year!

INVITATION
Indigenous Studies Guest lecture
Prof. Andrew Wiget (Moscow State University):
THE KHANTY OF SIBERIA AND CIRCUMPOLAR BEAR CEREMONIALISM
Friday January 18th, 2019 at 16–18 o’clock.
Lecture room 6, Metsätalo (Unioninkatu 40), 3rd fl.
Throughout the forested zones of the northern hemisphere, the relationship between bears and humans is at the core of what are arguably some of the oldest forms of cultural activity. The Bear is the principal other-than-human person, sometimes an ancestor, always the Master of the Forest with a leading role in managing life in the taiga. This lecture explores the impact of twentieth century changes on the Khanty and Mansi peoples of western Siberia, for whom the ritual killing of a designated Bear, who is understood to offer himself to men for just this purpose, is followed by an elaborate ‘sending home’ ceremony. In this bear ceremony, the bear as the honored guest is celebrated for one or more days with songs, dances, folk drama, before being sent back to his sky-home.
PROF. ANDREW WIGET is professor in the Ethnology Faculty of Moscow State University and Emeritus Professor at New Mexico State University (Las Cruces, USA). With his wife and colleague, Dr. Olga Balalaeva, he has been working among the Khanty of Western Siberia since 1992. In addition to many scholarly articles, they have published a book-length ethnography, Khanty: People of the Taiga (University of Alaska Press, 2011).
Welcome!
Contact: Pirjo Kristiina Virtanen, Indigenous Studies, pirjo.virtanen@helsinki.fi.
*****
Buorre ođđajagi!
Happy New Year!