To the Problem of Ethnic Identity. Deer and Beaver in the Mythology of the Khanty and Mansi

This article explores the role of deer and beavers in the mythology and worldview of the indigenous peoples of the Urals, the Khanty and Mansi. In the traditional culture of these peoples, animal images hold more than just practical significance. Deer serve not only as a source of food and transportation, but also as sacred intermediaries between humans and the spiritual realm. The beaver symbolizes creation, wisdom, and spatial order, linking natural cycles to the moral and ethical norms of the community. Based on the concept of philosophical structuralism, these images can be viewed as codes of the cultural dichotomy of movement and stability, heaven and earth, and the sacred and the everyday. Through myths, rituals, and stories, the continuity of traditions is maintained, and the value core of collective memory and the symbolic space of the ethnic group is created. In the face of the threat of globalization and cultural assimilation, these totemic symbols are becoming increasingly important. This is owing to the fact that totems serve as a bulwark against cultural assimilation, preserving the stability of ethnic identity. Moreover, they act as manifestations of collective resistance, allowing the community to assert its right to maintain its unique worldview, rather than being absorbed into the mainstream culture.