Pásztor Emília (szerk.): Sámánizmus és természethit régen és ma - Bajai dolgozatok 23. (Baja, 2019)
Kerezsi Ágnes: Az állatáldozat jellegzetességei az oroszországi finnugor népeknél
The characteristics of animal sacrifice of the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia the deities should be Fig. 10. somewhat elaborated by man. The food sacrifice can be, for example, cooked meat, blood, porridge, egg, butter, bread, depending on the economic activity of the peoples. The drink sacrifice can be homemade beer, spirits or tea. I saw cashmere shawls, cloth or bank notes but also nicely elaborated fur among the object offerings. The performers of the ritual know exactly what to sacrifice to which god or spirit, and what is unsuitable for them. The colour of the sacrificial animal or object is mostly white for celestial beings, black for those of the underworld, red for fire deities, dark for the spirit of diseases and any colour for others. Male animals are usually offered to male deities or spirits and female to female ones. The Volga-Kama peoples test sacrificial animals in all cases to make sure they are adequate. The skin and the skull of the sacrificial animal in this region are usually hooked up to a tree in the sacred grove. Beyond the Ural mountains only the skull is hung onto the tree. The bones are carefully collected everywhere and placed or buried under the tree. Smaller items such as object, food, or drink sacrifices can be placed in the holy corner, the economic building, on the tree, and also in the fire. The latter play a mediator role between heaven and earth. The sacrifice ceremony ends in most places with a common feast. Animal sacrifices presented during a funeral at the grave of the deceased were of a different nature. The Obi-Ugrians used to sacrifice horses, and later reindeer in honor of their dead. The animals were believed to serve the deceased in the afterlife as domestic animals. Thus, people cared for the wellbeing of their beloved in the afterlife through these kind of sacrifice. At the same time, the animals sacrificed during the funeral were not only animals for the afterlife, but also served as atoning sacrifices for the dead. It was believed the deceased could harm the living if they were angered because for example, they were offered an inadequate animal (KANNISTO 1958: 30). The Obi-Ugrians and Finno-Ugrians along the Volga-Kama rivers believe that they must deliver the soul of the sacrificial animal to spirits in an intact form. This could be the reason behind special ways of killing and dismembering the sacrificial animals. A few centuries ago, the Hanty and Mansi people strangled the animal, Fig.2. Prayer and food sacrifice for bee reproduction in front of the hive. Made in Udmurtia, Kyivsky District, Karamas Pelga village, in July 2,1994. Photo: Ágnes Kerezsi. 2. kép. Ima és ételáldozat a méhek szaporulatáért a kaptár előtt. Készült: Udmurtia, Kijászoví körzet, Karamasz Pelga falu, 1994. július 2. Készítette: Kerezsi Ágnes 236 /////////////////////////////Щ^
