The Alyutors. Spiritual Culture (Mythologies, Traditional Beliefs, Holidays and Rituals)

The traditional spiritual culture of the Alyutors is based on ancient animistic ideas. According to their beliefs, the universe consists of five worlds connected to each other and stacked vertically. The earth is inhabited by people is the middle world. Above it there are two more worlds, where clouds soar and the Supreme Deity resides. There are also two worlds underground, one for evil spirits and one for the dead. All worlds are interrelated with life and death representing only different stages of existence.

The hierarchy of people in the world of the living and the world of the dead is quite similar. Just like here on earth, the Alyutors live in the world of the dead in their own environment, separately from the other peoples.

The central figure of the mythology and folklore of the Koryaks, Itelmens, and Alyutors is the Great Raven Kutkinyaku (Kutkh, Kuikinyaku, Kutkhinyaku), a demiurge sent by the Supreme Being to earth to create people and help them settle in the world. Kutkh manifests himself both as a man and a raven, and is often perceived as the progenitor and protector of the peoples of Kamchatka. The myths about the creation of the world are universally associated with him. Having created the people of Kamchatka, Kutkh showed them how to fish, hunt sea animals, gave them reindeer and dogs, taught them to dance, invented and made the first tambourine, etc. The natives of Kamchatka felt the constant invisible presence of Kutkh in their lives, measuring their actions against a possible reaction of the demiurge and his relatives. The name Kutkh constantly appeared in rituals and magical ceremonies, shamanic spells, etc. The festive, ritual and laughter-related culture of the Kamchatka minorities is also associated with Kutkh.

Mythological tales about the Raven in the folklore of the Koryaks and Itelmens | Redkiye lyudi. Moya planeta. 2016

According to the traditional views of the indigenous inhabitants of Kamchatka, the universe is inhabited by countless good and evil spirits, all requiring special communicating etiquette. Shamans often acted as intermediaries between people and spirits. The shamanism of the peoples of Kamchatka is predominantly household-related (and usually performed by a female). The responsibilities of the older women in the family included protective and healing magic. The professional shamans could be men and women, and there were shamans of the “transformed gender”. The functions of the professional shamans included conducting special “shamanic” rituals, treating the sick, fighting evil spirits, fortune telling, endowing objects with magical properties, etc. The shamans’ attire was distinguished by a large number of ornaments and amulets yet they did not have special ritual clothing. The main shamanic attribute, the tambourine, was present in every family and, in addition to its ritual purpose, served as a musical instrument.

Some of the Alyutors, mainly the coastal ones, profess orthodoxy, brought to Kamchatka by Russian missionaries in the 18th – early 20th centuries. In the Alyutor village of Tymlat in 1999, the Church of the Transfiguration of Our Lord was built. The residents of the village celebrate orthodox holidays.