Geleneksel Hakas İnançlari Bağlaminda Izih
The Yzykh in the Context of Traditional KhakassIan Beliefs

Summary/Abstract: Throughout history in all societies, sacrifice has been one of the man’s preferred ways to get closer to God or to communicate with him. Even though the practices on the sacrifice vary from society to society, they have basically remained the same. The Turks’ sense and practice of sacrifice before being a Muslim correspond to ıdık/ızıh. In Siberia, this practice has been continued until recently by non-Muslim Siberian Turks who partly continuing old Turkish beliefs. Izıh sacrifice has individual aspects as well as social aspects. At the same time, the economic dimension of ızıh sacrifice is worth to be examined as it happens in every sacrifice. When considered from this point of view, the latest examples of the above-mentioned practices of sacrifice performed in the USSR have been one of the accelerating factors of complete disappearance. In the belief systems of specifically Khakass Turks and generally Siberian Turks, the disappearance of the sacrifice has greatly affected (in negative sense) their traditional belief systems. Because the practices and rituals about ızıh have included the different dimensions of belief, and its disappearance has caused the disappearance of the other elements that belong to this belief. This article focuses on Khakass beliefs about ızıhs which are dedicated animals to Khakass Turks’ gods and spirits, and religious ceremonies. This research is based on archived documents, field documents and published data. The author dwells on in what ways these beliefs and practices depend on the structures of family and tribe, semantics and their functions.

• Details
• Contents