The Concept of Human Soul in Traditional Worldview of the Mordovians

Introduction. Currently, there is a growing relevance in the study of animism within the traditional cultures of Finno-Ugric ethnic groups in the academic sphere. In this regard, a number of scientific gaps concerning the Mordovian people have been identified, necessitating further scholarly attention. The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive description of the concept of the “human soul” in the traditional worldview of the Mordva. Based on this, the authors propose their own model of the “human soul” within traditional Mordovian culture. Materials and Methods. The study was conducted based on published folklore-ethnographic materials, the authors’ field materials, and their own observations. The following research methods were employed in the work: the descriptive method, which allowed for the generalization of folklore and field materials; the systemic method, applied for the comprehensive analysis of folklore materials in their interconnection with ethnographic facts and cultural-historical processes; and the structural-typological method, which helped construct a comprehensive model of the concept of the “human soul” in the traditional culture of the Mordovians. Results and Discussion. A comprehensive model of the concept of the “human soul” in the traditional culture of the Mordovians has been proposed, integrating structural, functional, and substantive components. For the first time, the soul of a living person was examined: its acquisition, location within the body, and external appearance. Additionally, information was supplemented regarding the transition of the soul to the afterlife, its existence there, and its interaction with the world of the living. A hypothesis was put forward about the possible belief among the Mordovians in the reincarnation of the soul among relatives. The authors concluded that in modern Mordovian culture, the rituals of commemorating the deceased’s soul have undergone significant transformation and exhibit similarities with those of Orthodox Finno-Ugric peoples and Russians. Conclusion. The conclusions drawn by the authors contribute to the development of research on the traditional worldview of the Mordovian people. The proposed comprehensive model of the concept of the “human soul” can be applied to the study of animistic beliefs in the traditional cultures of other Finno-Ugric ethnic groups.