Traditional folk knowledge of the kazakhs associated with the cult of the wolf

Abstract

The wolf is a predator that has a symbolic meaning in almost all Turkic peoples. Early Turkic people used the ephemeral name “bori” for wolves. Almost all Turkic peoples consider themselves as descendants of Kokbori. However, different Turkic peoples have various features in the concept of “wolf”. The system of knowledge and skills related to wolves for Kazakh people is associated with the recognition of the secrets of nature and animals from ancient times. There was formed ethno-folklore system (legends, fairy tales, proverbs) related to the cognition of man and wolf, as well as a system of names according to the types of wolves, age and color. The ephemeral name “Bori” used by the ancient Turks and the cult of bori had not lost their meaning from ancient times to the present day. Rock carvings and archeological finds determine the importance of the image of the wolf in the life and worldview of the ancient tribes inhabiting the Kazakh land. The skin was tanned and hung at home. The wolf coat (winter coat) and wolf cap (winter cap) were sewn from its skin. Heart, larynx, meat, fat, wolf soup, bile, genitals had been used in ethnomedicine for the traditional treatment of various diseases. The body parts such as skull, cheeks, teeth, haste, soles, skin were used for magical and ritual purposes. The traditional method of hunting wolves in the hunting industry was to set traps. The system of proverbs associated with the wolf reflects the peculiarities of the Kazakhs' knowledge of wolves. Field research works related to wolves were carried out in the regıon Syrdarya-Aral, the western part of the Kazakhstan, Ulytau.

Key words: Wolf, The ephemeral name “Bori”, Trap, Folk knowledge, Ritual magic.