Syncretism of myths in traditional Tuvan culture: a philosophical and anthropological analysis

Abstract

The subject of this article is a philosophical and anthropological analysis of the syncretism of myths in traditional Tuvan culture. The work reveals the essence of the Tuvan people’s mythological worldview, which, unlike the European rationalist tradition, is based on the inseparable unity of man and nature, the subject and object of knowledge, as well as the material and spiritual principles. The author examines how the local space of culture is constructed through myth and how a person’s existential guidelines are formed. Special attention is paid to the fact that Tuvan myths are not static texts but represent living activity, ritual, and a way of actualizing tradition. The article examines cosmological aspects, religious syncretism, and the unity of symbol and action, which makes it possible to overcome the narrow confines of verbal and textual analysis of culture. The study is based on a combination of cultural and anthropological methods. It has been established that the local cultural space is constructed through myth. The existential aspects of the syncretism of Tuvan myths have been identified; they are based on the essential unity of man with nature. The myths of Tuvan culture manifest themselves as a way of actualizing tradition and worldview through ritual and activity. Syncretism in cosmological narratives lies in the cyclical perception of time and the possibility of a person moving between worlds. Myths do not form a single rational system and may contradict each other, which attests to their immanent nature. The article argues that a full understanding of myths is impossible through textual fixation; they are revealed only through activity and ritual. The work emphasizes that the anthropology of Tuvan culture holds significant potential for developing ideas about the harmonious coexistence of humans and nature in the context of modern civilizational challenges.