Oral Tradition and Language Contact: Tuvans as perceived by the Mongolian speaking Altai Uriankhais
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| Year of publication | 2021 |
| Type | Appeared in Conference without Proceedings |
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| Description | The oral tradition (as source of history, Vansina 1985) of Altai Uriankhais (Western Mongolia: Bayan-Ölgii and Khovd provinces of Mongolia, Xinjiang Uyghur AR of PRC) reflects mostly the local identities formed since the second half of the 18th century (after the Qing conquest). Local (banner) identities are superior to the common Altai Uriankhai identity. Although the Seven Banners of Altai Uriankhais were formed by Turkic (Tuvan) and Mongolian (Oirat) speaking groups, these groups were quite clearly divided into separate banners, which limited mutual relations. However, following the needs of the local nobility (specialized servants like hunters) and relocations of convicts) led to an occasional blending of ethnic boundaries. The oral tradition mentions several genealogies of lineages with Tuvan (Kök Mončag) origin among the Mongolian speaking Altai Uriankhais. This presentation highlighted an oral narrative (recorded in Činggel, Xinjiang) about the origin of the Huular clan. The localy shared narrative depicted Huulars as odd characters on the margins of the society, whose strangeness is further emphasized by the sound imitation of the Tuvan language. This presentation was one part of three individual presentations on language contacts as reflected in the local oral tradition (together entitled: Oral Tradition and Language Contact) in various parts of the larger Mongolian (and Mongolo-Tungusic) cultural area: Hulun Buir (Kateřina Zikmundová), Ili/Chabchal (Veronika Zikmundová) and Mongolian Altai (Ondřej Srba). |
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