Surgut Khanty bear festival (Megion, June 2024)

This paper deals with the bear festival of the Eastern Khanty people which was held at the museum and ecological complex “Yugra” in 2024. It was organized by the Municipal Autonomous Institution “Ecocenter” (Megion, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, Yugra) on June 6–9, 2024 as part of the festival “Khatlye”. The recordings made at the festival include songs to awaken and lull bears, sacred mythological songs, and performances representing the profane, such as skits, fairy tales, and dances. The process of creating a counting stick, featuring the main episodes of the bear festival (55 scenes in this rite), was captured through photo and video recordings. A partial recording was made of the bloodless sacrifice rite pory, which took place in a sacred place on the territory of the Museum-stable of the Kazamkin family. The recording of the pronounced sacred texts was subject to a ban. Also, on certain days following the rite, fairy tales and other folklore pieces performed by festival participants were recorded. The paper provides a concise overview of the literature devoted to the Ob-Ugric traditions of bear veneration, detailing the historical development of the East Khanty bear festival and and describing previous festivals. A comprehensive account of the rite fixation procedure is provided, including a structural analysis: the arrangement of songs, dances, and skits, along with concise descriptions. The new video and audio recordings introduced into scientific circulation are to contribute to the preservation of mythological traditions and development of the rich cultural heritage of the Khanty people.