V. D. Atlasov as a fixator of the Yakut heroic epic olonkho

Abstract

The study of folklore heritage, along with the analysis of the collecting activity of individual local history experts and enthusiasts, is of genuine interest in the folklore studies. One of such people was Vladimir Dmitrievich Atlasov, born in Ust-Aldansky District. The goal of this article consists in examination of some questions of collecting activity Of V. D. Atlasov based on the text structure of Olonkho, as well as in establishment of the record of Olonkho text “Kentestey Bege”. For achieving the set goal, the author applies descriptive, structural and comparative methods. Based on the published texts and archival materials, the article examines certain aspects of V. D. Atlasov's collecting activity for documentation of the Yakut heroic epic tales Olonkho. The novelty consists in the fact that this article is first to analyze the folkloristic work of V. D. Atlasov – enthusiast, collector of Olonkho, and textology of interpretation of the Yakut heroic epic tale “Kentestey Bege” by S. M. Neustroev. As a result of textological research of the manuscript, the author determines some peculiarities of the record of Olonkho. The presence of multiple revisions testifies that Neustroev was working hand to hand with the Olonkhosut (the storyteller, performer of Olonkho). The text was carefully vetted, and in some instances edited by the collector. The texts is written mostly in modern graphics, although the letters of the old Latin alphabet are used occasionally.