Contribution of A. Kannisto and V.N. Chernetsov to Mansi Ethnography

The objective of the research are description and analysis of the activities of the Finnish scientist A. Kannisto and the Russian scientist V.N. Chernetsov in studying the language and culture of one of the peoples of the North - the Mansi (Voguls). The sources are the works of the scientists, articles by different authors in Russian and German languages, as well as materials from the archive of Cher-netsov. The first section of the article summarizes the biographies of the scientists and the main stages of their scientific ways. The second section gives information about their field work among the Mansi people. Kannisto had a five-year expedition trip (1901-1906), Chernetsov had 8 expeditions (19251948). Both scientists collected their materials in basins of the rivers Lozva, Konda, Severnaya Sosva. Also Kannisto collected his materials in basins of the rivers Pelym, Vagilsk, Tavda, and Chernetsov in Yukonda, Tap, Tagil and Ivdel. Further, the article gives a general description of the works of both researchers devoted directly to the traditional culture of the Mansi or the works containing ethnographic information about the people. The most significant of them are the six-volume collection of folk poetry of the Voguls (Kannisto), Vogul fairytales and articles about the social organization of the Mansi and their representations about the soul (Chernetsov), the articles about the Bear's Holiday and the origin of the Mansi (Kannisto, Chernetsov). The last section of our work reveals the possibilities of using the materials of Kannisto and Chernetsov for the analysis of a particular aspect of Mansi culture in the folklore and ritual context. For an example, we chose such an important object in the Mansi culture as a cradle. We consider the device and functions of its two types - children's and bear's. The utilitarian function is the purpose of a cradle as a mini home for a child and a receptacle for a killed bear in the bear rite. The magic function is realized thanks to an image of a "bird of dream" (the female black grouse) on a back of a child's cradle. The sacral function is the most versatile, and it can be considered in the aspect of the connection between the upper, middle, and lower levels of the world. A baby cradle "participates" in rites associated with the birth of children and changes in their social status. Arrangement of a baby cradle also demonstrates elements of the funeral rite. A bear cradle in Mansi mythology originates from the heaven, and its earth version participates in many real actions of the "bear" rite - kill of an animal, the Bear's Holiday and the post-holiday fate. Conclusions. Kannisto and Chernetsov had conducted the longest field work among the Mansi/Voguls. The main focus of their ethnographic research was on folklore, beliefs and rituals, as well as the origin of the Mansi and the Ob Ugric peoples in general. Solving the latter problem, Kannisto relied on linguistic data, while Chernetsov relied on materials of archaeology and petroglyphic drawings. Subject Chernetsov's works is more diverse, his contribution to the study of social organization is particularly significant. Kannisto and Chernetsov's materials provide an opportunity to solve new problems in the study of traditional Mansi culture. An example of this is the author's appeal to the folklore and ritual aspect of a cradle as one of the significant images of things of Mansi culture. Russian translations of Kannisto's folklore texts and recorded by him melodies made it possible to restore lost songs and scenes of the Bear's Holiday, thus contributing to the revitalization of the traditional Mansi rites.

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