Abstract
SATAN IN THE EPICS OF ALTAI TURKISH
Satan (or Devil, Evil) is as an across-cultural myth in World religions and beliefs from ancient times to present. Satan, as the most prominent element among the features represented by Satan, which appears in common in all myths throughout the World. With this very characteristic, He occupies an important role as a mythical motif to present evil in both oral and written cultural texts. Satan though devil is not an archetype himself, he is the representation of the shadow archetype in the supernatural realm. Standing in opposition to the almighty in monotheistic religions, Satan looms around in polytheistic religions as character personifying evil in different names and bodies, as well. In this paper, the roles and qualities attributed to Satan [tr. Erlik] by Altai Turks based on epics of Altaies has been discussed. Identifying these properties of Satan [Erlik], we have also aimed to reveal cultural borrowings adapted from divine religions that had been active in the area. The source of these barrowings should be sought especially in activities of missionaries who represent the Judeo-Christian tradition in Altay region. Missioners must have adapted shamanistic themes and motifs into Judeo-Christian narratives while narrating divine narratives to Altai Turks. The missionaries must have adapted the Judaic-Christian themes and motifs of their celestial narrative traditions to Shamanism and told them on the field. That is why it is almost impossible to find local and authentic motifs in Altai Turks’ Epics, except their main actors, God [Tengri] and Satan [Erlik]. Although Erlik is personified with his all elements including his appearance and his character in detail, God [Tengri] has been envisioned the almighty and not personified in Altai Turks’ epics as well.
Keywords
Folklore, Religion, Myth, Epic, Altai Turkish, Satan
