Хаахиргаан дуун - "wolf songs" of the western Buryats

The article is devoted to the study of the Western Buryat lingering invocation chant хаахиргаан/зэргэйн дуун, also known in literature as ай дон дуун. The special tradition of performing, which existed in the culture of the Western Buryats, is considered. On the basis of the study of the published lyrics and their musical notations, the original melodic basis of the main element of those chants is reconstructed - ай-ээ-э which goes back to the imitation of the wokf s voice/howl conditioned by the totemic beliefs taken place in the past history and culture of the Buryats.