The Abaasy (Abaahy or Abasy,[1] Yakut: Aбаасы, Abaası [abaːsɯ]; Dolgan: Абааһы, Abaahı; Bulgarian: Абааси, Abaasi; Russian: Абасы, Abasy; cognate of the Turkic word Abası; also Chebeldei) are demons in the mythology of the Sakha (also known as the Yakuts).[2] Yakut shamanism divides the universe into upper and lower layers, with the earth being "a kind of indeterminate space or matter" in between.[1] The abaasy occupy the lower level, referred to as the underworld or "kingdom of darkness."[1]
The abaasy are alleged to be the spirits of the long deceased, who dwell near graves or in deserted places, or who otherwise travel about causing destruction.[3] They serve Arson-Duolai, the ruler of the dead, who also swallows people's souls and gives the living diseases. The abaasy can be appeased by blood sacrifices.[3]
The abaasy have been depicted as causing sexual manifestations and madness.[4][5]
Description
editThe abbasy are described as "one-eyed, one-armed, one-legged" monsters mounted on "two-headed, eight-legged, two-tailed dragons as steeds."[6] In olonkho they are ugly and horrible man-eating beings. Their chief Alyp Khara Aat Mogoidoon is a three-headed, six-armed and six-legged giant with a body made of iron.
Cultural significance
editThe concept of the abaasy is so ingrained into Sakha thought that the verb абааһы көр- (to see abaasy) is the everyday term for "to hate" or "to dislike".
References
edit- ^ a b c A handbook of Siberia and Arctic Russia. London: H. M. Stationery off. 1920. pp. 221–222. hdl:2027/mdp.39015008581483.
- ^ Coulter, Charles Russell; Turner, Patricia (4 July 2013). Encyclopedia of Ancient Deities. Routledge. p. 6. ISBN 978-1-135-96397-2.
Abaasy, Abasy (Yakut People, Siberia). Also known as: Chebeldei. The Abaasy are wicked spirits from the lower regions.
- ^ a b Jones, Gertrude (1962). Dictionary of Mythology Folklore and Symbols. New York: The Scarecrow Press, Inc.
- ^ Meletinsky, Eleazar M. (2000). The Poetics of Myth (1st pbk. ed.). New York [u.a.]: Routledge. ISBN 0-415-92898-2.
- ^ Bradby, M. K. (1920). The Logic of the Unconscious Mind. London: Oxford University Press. pp. 257–258. hdl:2027/uc2.ark:/13960/t4wh2m442.
- ^ Hatto, A.T. (2011). Essays on Medieval German and Other Poetry. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521221481.
External links
edit- Sibirya Türklerinde Mitoloji, Naciye Yıldız (in Turkish)
- Abaası. Якутская мифология (фольклор якутов) (in Russian)
- Siberian-Mythology Archived 2013-09-21 at the Wayback Machine
- Агарес и Абасы (in Russian)
See also
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