Cult of jayk in traditional representations of the Altaians

The cult of jayk takes a large place in the religious and ritual traditions of the altaians. It reflects the ancient animistic, totemic, shamanistic and burkhanistic representations. Conservation of jayk in the religious practices of the altaians to modern times has played a role of burkhanism. We believe that with the emergence of burkhanism value jayk date and time it was transformed into an independent family deity. Burkhanism followers, called their faith of ak jan, milk jan (white faith, dairy faith), they do not contact with the lower world. Since ak jayk is linked with the upper world, it preserved and developed further in the regions of the largest distribution of burkhanism - Ust-Kan, Ongudaisky. Today, during an illness jayk is set up when there is a disaster in the family - protector of the family, which protects places obstacles, it is a kind of protection. In comparison with the description of the early twentieth century, today we can see some simplification. Jayk is not attached to the birch trees, or hang on the ropes. Most of it is stuck for ail poles or attached with wooden sticks. It is not established a separate altar in front of it for kindling of archyn. If previously, ak jayk was dedicated white and blue ribbons, now sometimes there are yellow ribbons. Apparently, the latter is connected by the fact that yellow jayk is not represented in the current religious practice of the altains, and in fact blue and yellow ribbons were hung with him. Traditional culture in the field of family rituals has considerable resistance. Sacralization of jayk cult determined its place in the altains family rites. As the field materials show, many people do not establish jayk because they cannot master the practice of ritual, "this procedure is not difficult for many families, as it is necessary to carry out all right." Much attention is given to the "correctness" of worship. Worship to jayk includes different components: the symbolic rituals, magical nature of the sacrifice of food (kundu-kuree), verbal folklore (alkyshi). However, despite the multiplicity of parts rite is clearly regulated and is subjected to a strict set of rules, that is, there is a tendency to conservatism, stability. At the same time, the above material shows that the image of jayk has been transformed and changed the content of certain rituals. The study of representations of the cult jayk of the altaians provides rich material for the important ethnographic problems like stability and continuity of traditions in the spiritual life. The mechanisms of transmission of ethnic and cultural traditions, the degree of preservation and evolution of religion are appeared. The available field data allowed to reveal the sacredness of worship to jayk in understanding of the altai population.

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