Panel: DIMENSIONS OF RELIGIOUS BIO-EQUALITY: EXPLORING ENVIRONMENTAL ETHICS IN RELIGIOUS CONTEXTS



215.1 - REUNION BETWEEN NATURE AND SOCIETY A CASE STUDY BASED ON MONGOLIAN NARRATIVES ON ANIMAL-SHAPED SPOUSE

AUTHORS:
Birtalan Á. (ELTE Institute of Mongolian and Inner Asian Studies ~ Budapest ~ Hungary)
Text:
It is crucial to continually reassess the relationship between human society and the natural environment at the levels of society, community, and individuals. We must establish how to restore the balance between nature and society, which has been disrupted by prevailing social and economic systems. It is vital to determine how nature can effectively intervene in the human world. The renewed "alliance" between humans and nature manifests as a union between a human and an animal-shaped spouse endowed with divine attributes. This paper will examine two narratives from Mongolian ethnic groups, focusing on the marriage between a man from the human world and an animal-shaped wife from a transcendental realm. Contemporary Mongolian peoples are descendants of Inner Asian nomads and Siberian hunters, and their culture has been influenced by various factors, the most significant of which is Buddhism. This analysis will trace the pre-Buddhist motifs that reflect a shared heritage among Inner Asian and Siberian populations. The two narratives analysed will reveal the strategies employed by divine nature to intervene in human society. The first recounts a myth of the swan wife, originating from Khori Buryat mythology, while the second details the she-wolf spouse from a Kalmyk folk tale, showcasing her marriage to both a hunter and a nomadic shepherd. The animal-shaped spouse, who can also take on human form, catalyses transformation within the human world. Through her union with the hero, existing structures undergo significant change, and pressing problems find resolution. The arrival of this spouse from a realm beyond humanity elevates the harmony between nature and society to an unprecedented level. In a previous study, I explored several plots involving animal spouse motifs and analysed the intricacies of human-animal marriages through kinship terminology and language use. In this paper, I will highlight the aspects of the renewed alliance between society and nature.