The reflection of the tree cult in the traditional world outlook of the Turks of the Sayan-Altai

The diversity of natural conditions, geographical location of the Sayan-Altai at the crossroads of cultures influenced on a special attitude in the traditional culture to flora and fauna. Basing on the analysis and generalization of literature on the topic and the author's field materials the article specifically seeks to consider the place and role of the cult of the tree in the traditional world view of the Altai, Tuva and Khakass people. The study shows that currently the Turks of the Sayan-Altai possess fairly complete knowledge about the ancestral character of the veneration of trees as totems. We can say that ideas about the cult of the ancestors are strong. Apparently, the cult of trees took place in the era of the tribal system. Totemic conception, evolving and transforming under the influence of changes in religious beliefs of the population has survived in modern times. This is evidenced by a variety of modern knowledge on the totem trees. The same sacred importance is attached to wooden attributes in ritual practice: the birch-bark dishes, meadowsweet whip, prickly bushes and sharp wooden objects. There exist similar views about the world tree. Apparently, the same stories in the outlook of the Turks of the Sayan-Altai: the Altai, Tuva and Khakassia, are explained by a common ancient history that resulted in a preserved close cultural heritage. Worldview universals are determined by natural and historical experience of peoples, which allows them to experience, evaluate and comprehend the world the same way. There are also distinctive features in the conditions of transformation of the traditional culture through which each ethnic group forms its own image of the world, expressing the unique view of the world. Thus, the emergence and expansion of Burkhanism in the Altai influenced the picture of the world of the Altaians: a special attitude to the birch as "light" wood, a ban on the use of archyn (juniper) in the funeral and commemorative rites. It can be concluded that in modern times archaic animistic ideas have been preserved in the basis of the cult of trees. Along with the usual simple trees there were special, sacred ancestral trees, shamanic and Burkhanist ones. The considered material shows the influence of the cult of the tree on the wedding and funeral-land-commemorative ritualism. Its preservation in one of the most conservative spheres of the traditional culture as in the family ritualism of the people indicates the stability of the tree

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