On the problem of studying shamanism in the Yakut and Korean culture

Abstract

The article is devoted to one of the discussed problems in religious studies, related to the question of whether shamanism is considered a world religion. This problem is closely related to the issues of ethnogenesis of both the Yakut and Korean peoples, which have not yet been completely resolved. Meanwhile, the realities are such that in the context of many studies, the word "shamanism" is used precisely in the meaning of religion. The relevance of the article is seen in the fact that comparative material on shamanism among different peoples will only contribute to the solution of many questions of shamanism. It is a fact that shamanism is still a cult of religion and a common link between the Yakuts and Koreans, who are in the same Altai linguistic environment, which had a huge impact on their culture and mentality. This closeness manifests itself in many areas of life, especially in the rich ancient folklore. Along with similar customs and traditions of shamanism in Yakutia and Korea, there are, of course, many differences caused mainly by the level of development of the structure of shamanism in both countries. The absence of any holistic concept of the history of the birth and evolution of shamanism significantly hinders the unified interpretation of its terms, up to discrepancy. The author hopes that the article will to some extent make up for the topic of Korean shamanism presented in the domestic literature.