Early burkhanism eschatology: experience in reconstruction of traditional ethnic identity

Eschatological storylines and sentiments are common for ethnicities at the state of not only social instability, but also at the state of ethnic transformations near the completion of ethnogenesis. Stipulated by the universal connection of Human, Society and Nature, the changing of one of these elements brings about the "renovation" of the whole triad. That is why at such periods of time people await cosmic and social disasters; refuse their values, common way of life and beliefs. Anxious expectations arise and sub-conscious fears come to life. Because of that the need to find some religious or mythic explanation for the upcoming changes becomes obvious. At the same time some dogmas of previously foreign religions may become the "building material" for a "new" religion, the main aim of which would be "to mark" not only the ethnic identity in the form of religion, but also the ability if not to prevent the "end of the world", but to overcome it as quickly as possible. So eschatological aspect was usually complemented by messianic ideas. Burkhanism is one of such called "new" religions: while being a religious expression of Altai-Kizhi's ethnic identity, it developed a system of world catastrophe's "acceleration" and suggested the ways of overcoming it. These ways in general are: to refuse everything "old" - shamanism, lifestyle and habitual values; to start collective prayers and wait for the whole-nation's messiah Oirot-khan; to change ethnonym and get new proper names; and finally to create a new calendar, that marked the completion of "transitional" period and emergence of a "new" ethnicity in Altai mountains, called Altai-Kizhi.

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