The Relation of the “White Mangur” to the Hunting Ballads

Abstract

The author's English summary from the article:

Key words: “White Mangur”, Georgian hunting epic.

Among the ballad-songs of the myth cycle devoted to the Goddess of hunting Dali, the “White Mangur” is distinct for thematic novelty and archaism, high artistry and com- plicated religious practices. It has established its unique place among Georgian as well as mythological characters in general. The White Mangur is the most outstanding monument of the Georgian hunting epic. An in-depth penetration into its complex thematic world implies an appropriate scientific-based comprehension not only of the Svan, but also the entire Georgian oral tradition, beliefs and practices, its relationship to other monuments. In order to establish specific features of the monument under discussion, it is necessary to take into consideration the entire material of the Dali cycle, both poetic and prosaic which is preserved with all its archaic diversity and artistic power only in the Svan folklore.

In the first place we should determine its relation to other ballads: Betkil, The Hunter Chorla, Kala, etc. The content of a given ballad makes ponder continuously, especially the intro- duction, which is completely devoted to the demonstration of Mangur’s personal dignity. It should be noted in advance that White Mangur is a qualitatively new folk hero of not only Georgian hunting epic, but mythology as a whole. Similar versatility is not observed in the deeds of any of the mythological characters; he is a hero of universal content. The introduction itself raises many questions. It has no analogue in the myths of the Dali cycle. “White Mangur renowned in Svanetia, White Mangur!

Your style of life was good for you: you used to winnow your grain in Tsvirmi; you had a drying-room for grain in Ipari; a threshing-floor in Kala you had, so it seems. Your ploughing lands are in Lakhamuli, the meadows in Shkhara are yours. The devs visit you to rake with their rakes, Dalis help to reap… Your marani is full of kvevris; it is filled with Imeretian wine. Your bread, Oh, is from Kirimi”. The question arises as for what deeds White Mangur became a legendary hero in the entire Svaneti. Of particular interest is also Mangur’s origin. We do not know what his surname is, what village and community he comes from. The narrator tells noth- ing about it.

To illustrate this and other peculiarities, it is necessary to consider its relation to other ballads. For instance, the ballad Betkil narrates about a legendary hunter called Betkil who is from the community of Mulakh-Muzhal. The story begins with a lament for a real hero: “ Bail, Betkil, wretched, unfortunate Betkil! Bail ilba, ilba bail, Bail, Mulakh- Muzhal assembled, Bail ilba, ilba bail, Bail, they started the round-dance in Lentekhi, Bail ilba, ilba bail”. Then it is narrated how a white ibex leaped into the circle of dancers and jumped between Betkil’s thighs. The hunter Betki chases a white ibex which lures him high up the crags. In pursuit of the white ibex, Betkil realizes that the white ibex is a rein- carnated Dali but the return is impossible.

Betkil dies a tragic death because he betrayed Dali. This ballad renders Betkil’s tragic end as a hunter. We have different situation in the “White Mangur”. Here the introductory part makes emphasis on the results of Mangur’s actions. It is noteworthy that in the above ballads, the emphasis is made on the paths and stages of the hunter’s physical and spiritual evolution. Ultimately, the fate of the hunter resonates with his actions, as it is in the case with Betkil’s tragic end. In this respect the ballad-song “The Hunter Chorla” deserves special attention. Here we are dealing with a monument of a complicated religious content. The narrator recounts how hunter Chorla goes through a difficult path of initiation full of challenges.

On this path, a person may per- ish if he is not spiritually prepared. The army of Dalis hang him on the rock but St. Giorgi the savior comes to rescue him. With the help of St. Giorgi, he reaches the highest level of spirituality being transformed into a new man at the top of the mountain. The work shows in detail the relation of Chorla to the Dalis and St. Giorgi. It is a fact that the behavior of Betkil and Chorla is associated with a purely hunting life, and they remain professional hunters. The same can be said about another ballad the “Hunter Kala” which narrates Kala’s hunting adventure. Kala is pictured in the same way as the legendary hunter Chorla.

Although the “White Mangur” is also a hunting ballad, we cannot say that Mangur re- mains a professional hunter, like Betkil and Chorla. Comparison of the “White Mangur” with other ballads has convinced us that each monument has its distinctive character. The restless and sometimes contradictory adventures of the hunters turned out to be unmistak- able proof that they will remain the real hunters, distinctive men in the community. The comparison has shown the diversity of thematic worlds, deep religiosity and high artistic professionalism.

Published in the journal Sjani, vol. 20/2 (2019), pp. 262–281. Open the paper