Bear is most dangerous inhabitant of Uvat taiga and one of the largest terrestrial predators. It varies in size in different regions, but also there are species whose length of body is about 250 centimeters and weight exceeds 400 kilograms.
Brown bear’s coloration is also changeable, and not only in different parts of natural habitats, but within the limits of one district. Fur colour varies from light straw-coloured to dark bluish and almost black. The beast’s feet are strong with powerful claws 8 — 12 centimeters in length. Claws are not intended for hunting, bear uses them for digging roots, tubers, bulbs and other vegetation, which is included in its ration. It is an omnivorous animal: it can eat berries and nuts, oats and maize, insects and rodents. Bears also hunt for hoofed animals, sometimes take prey away from other predators, for example, from wolves. In the season when fish has spawning bears catch it on rivers.
Out of all inhabitants of taiga, the bear has the most pronounced similarity with humans. In animal world, only bears can walk straight leaning on hind limbs. The peculiar gait of that animal is mentioned in more than a dozen fairy tales. This is explained that when the bear is walking, it steps on both left paws, then on both right ones and has been the impression as if bear is wagging side to side.
The bear is the most respected animal of Northern people. In every taiga village they can tell their stories, how the beast came to a hunting hut or a hid and was putting its own order into there. There is a belief, that the bear always hears what anybody is talking about it, therefore Khanty in conversations endeavour to avoid explicit mentioned to its name.
In Khanty’s legends, once upon a time in its childhood, the bear lived in heaven, but the earth was irrepressibly attracting him. The God Father yielded to the son’s requests and set it free in the cradle, entrusted to observe the order and justice there and not to cause harm to people. However, the bear broke its word given to Father and was killed by hunters. Since then, as was prescribed by God, people have been organizing ‘bear holiday’ in honor of the heavenly beast. This is a train of rituals: from hunting beast to its butchering. The mystical meaning of this action is to propitiate the soul of the murdered bear, prevent its revenge on people and ensure a posterior rebirth on earth.
Brown bear’s coloration is also changeable, and not only in different parts of natural habitats, but within the limits of one district. Fur colour varies from light straw-coloured to dark bluish and almost black. The beast’s feet are strong with powerful claws 8 — 12 centimeters in length. Claws are not intended for hunting, bear uses them for digging roots, tubers, bulbs and other vegetation, which is included in its ration. It is an omnivorous animal: it can eat berries and nuts, oats and maize, insects and rodents. Bears also hunt for hoofed animals, sometimes take prey away from other predators, for example, from wolves. In the season when fish has spawning bears catch it on rivers.
Out of all inhabitants of taiga, the bear has the most pronounced similarity with humans. In animal world, only bears can walk straight leaning on hind limbs. The peculiar gait of that animal is mentioned in more than a dozen fairy tales. This is explained that when the bear is walking, it steps on both left paws, then on both right ones and has been the impression as if bear is wagging side to side.
The bear is the most respected animal of Northern people. In every taiga village they can tell their stories, how the beast came to a hunting hut or a hid and was putting its own order into there. There is a belief, that the bear always hears what anybody is talking about it, therefore Khanty in conversations endeavour to avoid explicit mentioned to its name.
In Khanty’s legends, once upon a time in its childhood, the bear lived in heaven, but the earth was irrepressibly attracting him. The God Father yielded to the son’s requests and set it free in the cradle, entrusted to observe the order and justice there and not to cause harm to people. However, the bear broke its word given to Father and was killed by hunters. Since then, as was prescribed by God, people have been organizing ‘bear holiday’ in honor of the heavenly beast. This is a train of rituals: from hunting beast to its butchering. The mystical meaning of this action is to propitiate the soul of the murdered bear, prevent its revenge on people and ensure a posterior rebirth on earth.
