Hungarian Primitive Religion and Shamanistic Epic

Abstract

The main elements of Hungarian primitive religion are based on Eurasian shamanism. Similarities are found in the shamanistic folk cultures of the Mansis and the Hantis, the closest relatives in the Ugric language family, and the Samoyeds in northeast Siberia. However, after the acceptance of Christianity, Hungarian shamanism gradually declined under the Christianization policy of the Hungarian national ideology. During this period, as a social class system was consolidated in Hungary, folk beliefs were practiced among the serfs and peasants, who made up the majority of the population. Shamanism continued in Hungarians’ lives as the Kumans and the Jassics, Turkic tribes with shamanistic cultures, later migrated from Central Asia to Hungary. This study analyzes Hungarian primitive religion in association with studies of shamans by investigating the role, function, and characteristics of the shaman as distinct from those of other beings with supernatural power, focusing on research on ancient Hungarian beliefs and folk beliefs after the Hungarian acceptance of Christianity, which bears close connections with research on shamans. Moreover, the shamanistic aspect of the Hungarian is examined regarding connections with primitive religion. Táltos, a figure in Hungarian folk beliefs, appeared not only in the people's daily lives but also in oral literature and folk rituals; as a valuable supernatural being. This study also examines the lyrics, content, rhythm, structure, meaning, ideology, and religious consciousness in táltos' shamanic songs. It is expected that the meaning of the structural archetypes of Hungarian primitive religion and shaman song analyzed in this study will contribute to opening a new horizon of comparative folklore and cross-cultural study in Korea.