Ornithomorphic Code of Northern Epic Traditions

This article examines some cultural codes in the epic tradition of the Evens and Sakha based on the Even epic nimkan “Emcheni” [Өмчэни] and the Sakha heroic epic olonkho “Djuluruyar Nyurgun Bootur” (Nurgun Botur the Swift) by Platon Alekseevich Oyunskii. The zoomorphic—in particular, ornithomorphic—cultural code inherent in the Even epic nimkan and the Sakha heroic epic olonkho are revealed. In the course of the study, some concepts encoded in the images of animals were identified; mythological parallels inherent in these cultural traditions were established, and differences in ornithomorphic codes were determined. It was established that epic symbolism in the mythology of the Evens and Sakha is associated with relics of magic and developed shamanic ideas, with various rituals and cult beliefs.