Yugra - Modern History

Modern History

The christening of the Mansi en masse started at the beginning of the 18th century - in his book Novitsky describes the christening of the Pelym Mansi in 1714 and the Konda Mansi in 1715. The words of the village elder and the caretaker of the sanctuary Nahratch Yeplayev have been recorded:

"We all know why you have come here -- you want to pervert us from our ancient beliefs with your smooth-tongued flattery and damage and destroy our revered helper, but it is all in vain for you may take our heads but this we will not let you do." (Novitsky: 92-93)

Novitsky describes the above mentioned idol as follows:

"The idol was carved of wood, attired in green clothes, the evil looking face was covered with white iron, a black fox skin was placed on its head; the whole sanctuary, especially his site which was higher than anywhere else, was decorated with purple broadcloth. Other smaller idols nearby which were placed lower were called the servants of the real idol. I think there were many other things in front of him - caftans, squirrel skins, etc…" (Ibid.: 93)

It seems that a compromise was reached whereby the idols would be saved - for now at least - and at last Nahratsh who had consulted the elders of the village proposesd a compromise:

"We will now obey the ruler's regulations and ukase. So we will not discard your teaching, we only beg you not to reject the idol so revered by our fathers and grandfathers, and if you wish to christen us, honour also our idol, christen it in a more honourable manner - with a golden cross. Then we will decorate and build a church with all the icons ourselves, as a custom goes, and we will place ours also among these." (Ibid.: 94-95)

This arrangement seems to have lasted for a while, but later it is recorded that this agreement was broken and the totems and idols so sacred to the Mansi and Khanty were burned by Russian Christian zealots. Many of these totems were not destroyed, but were hidden, their locations kept secret over the generations. Even during repression in the 1930s many of these sacred sites remained undiscovered by the authorities and some can be found today.