On Some Issues of the Oirat and Kalmyk Dance Comparative Studies

Abstract

The article is devoted to the topical issues of the comparative study of the dances of the Oirats and the Kalmyks - the genetically and culturally related ethnic groups. The dance culture of the Kalmyks is assumed to have been researched better than that of the Oirats, though on the whole many aspects remain insufficiently explored. The issues of the dance classification, the relationship of the dance culture and folk costume as well as the existence of the three “dialects” of Kalmyk dance corresponding to the three sub-ethnic groups of Kalmyks are discussed in the article. The necessity to involve the integrated approach considering resource chronology to determining the archaic layer and semantics of the Oirat and Kalmyk dances is highlighted. According to the author, the specific features of the sub-ethnic variation of the Kalmyk culture are associated with some ancient traditions, therefore the comparative study of the traditions of the Oirats of Mongolia (Derbets and Torguts) can provide some additional material for consideration. The Kalmyk ethnos development on the basis of the Oirat ethnic groups took place on the territory of the South of Russia in the multiethnic environment which determined the inclusion of some new elements into the culture. At the same time the Kalmyk culture preserves some archaic traditions originated in and connected with the Central Asian period of the ethnic history, so the problem of their possible influence on the traditional culture is open for discussion. Despite the differences in pace and movements, there are some semantic similarities and typological relationships in the dance traditions of the Oirats and the Kalmyks. Thus, on the one hand, it is important not to exaggerate the impact of the transformations occurred under the influence of the neighboring peoples’ cultures, and on the other hand, it is necessary to consider the influence made by the related Mongol culture on that of the Oirat taking into account that certain metamorphosis took place during the Qing Empire period. The comparative analysis of the Oirat and Kalmyk traditions and dance semantics appears to be challenging for research of the Kalmyk dance culture.