An Evaluation of the Beliefs of the Izhorians/Ingrians, an Uralic Community

Mehmet Mustafa Erkal

Article Details

An Evaluation of the Beliefs of the Izhorians/Ingrians, an Uralic Community

Authors:

Mehmet Mustafa Erkal

Publisher:

Cukurova University

Main Topics:

Dinler Tarihi

Journal:

Çukurova Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi (ÇÜİFD) Vol.25 Issue 1, pp.192-205

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352268

pISSN:

2564-6427

Keywords:

Abstract:

 The traditional beliefs of the Ingrian people living in northwestern Russia have formed a unique structure due to the strategic location of the region and the cultural intersection of neighboring civilizations such as Sweden, Russia and Finland. This belief system, which bears the traces of animism and shamanism-based spiritual practices and deep respect for nature, has been preserved through myths, legends and folk tales and has survived to the present day through oral narrative tradition. An examination of the Izhor people reveals that the respect for nature spirits, guardian entities haltiaz and ancestors is similar to the wider religious and cultural heritage of Eurasia. This study aims to analyze how animistic and shamanistic elements are synthesized with Christianity in the traditional beliefs of the Izhor. Drawing upon historical sources, ethnographic data and comparative analysis, this study establishes that that the Izhorian religious structure is based on a nature-centered worldview. In particular, the respect for nature spirits and the belief in protective beings exhibit remarkable parallels with traditional Turkish beliefs. In both cultures, the strong bond established with nature manifests itself through rituals and mythological narratives. In this context, the evaluation of Izhor beliefs within the Eurasian cultural continuum reveals how the religious structures of local peoples have changed over time and how they have been shaped by external influences.

 The traditional beliefs of the Ingrian people living in northwestern Russia have formed a unique structure due to the strategic location of the region and the cultural intersection of neighboring civilizations such as Sweden, Russia and Finland. This belief system, which bears the traces of animism and shamanism-based spiritual practices and deep respect for nature, has been preserved through myths, legends and folk tales and has survived to the present day through oral narrative tradition. An examination of the Izhor people reveals that the respect for nature spirits, guardian entities haltiaz and ancestors is similar to the wider religious and cultural heritage of Eurasia. This study aims to analyze how animistic and shamanistic elements are synthesized with Christianity in the traditional beliefs of the Izhor. Drawing upon historical sources, ethnographic data and comparative analysis, this study establishes that that the Izhorian religious structure is based on a nature-centered worldview. In particular, the respect for nature spirits and the belief in protective beings exhibit remarkable parallels with traditional Turkish beliefs. In both cultures, the strong bond established with nature manifests itself through rituals and mythological narratives. In this context, the evaluation of Izhor beliefs within the Eurasian cultural continuum reveals how the religious structures of local peoples have changed over time and how they have been shaped by external influences.

 The traditional beliefs of the Ingrian people living in northwestern Russia have formed a unique structure due to the strategic location of the region and the cultural intersection of neighboring civilizations such as Sweden, Russia and Finland. This belief system, which bears the traces of animism and shamanism-based spiritual practices and deep respect for nature, has been preserved through myths, legends and folk tales and has survived to the present day through oral narrative tradition. An examination of the Izhor people reveals that the respect for nature spirits, guardian entities haltiaz and ancestors is similar to the wider religious and cultural heritage of Eurasia. This study aims to analyze how animistic and shamanistic elements are synthesized with Christianity in the traditional beliefs of the Izhor. Drawing upon historical sources, ethnographic data and comparative analysis, this study establishes that that the Izhorian religious structure is based on a nature-centered worldview. In particular, the respect for nature spirits and the belief in protective beings exhibit remarkable parallels with traditional Turkish beliefs. In both cultures, the strong bond established with nature manifests itself through rituals and mythological narratives. In this context, the evaluation of Izhor beliefs within the Eurasian cultural continuum reveals how the religious structures of local peoples have changed over time and how they have been shaped by external influences.

 Rusyanın kuzeybatısında yaşayan İngria halkının geleneksel inançları, bölgenin stratejik konumu ve İsveç, Rusya, Finlandiya gibi komşu medeniyetlerin kültürel kesişim noktasında bulunması nedeniyle kendine özgü bir yapı oluşturmuştur. Animizm ve şamanizm temelli ruhani uygulamalar ile doğaya duyulan derin saygının izlerini taşıyan bu inanç sistemi, mitler, efsaneler ve halk masalları aracılığıyla korunmuş ve sözlü anlatı geleneğiyle günümüze kadar ulaşmıştır. İzhor halkı özelinde incelendiğinde, doğa ruhları, koruyucu varlıklar haltiaz ve atalara duyulan saygının, Avrasyanın geniş dinî ve kültürel mirasıyla benzerlik gösterdiği görülmektedir. Bu çalışma, İzhorların geleneksel inanışlarını ele alarak animist ve şamanistik unsurların Hıristiyanlık ile nasıl sentezlendiğini analiz etmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Araştırmada, tarihsel kaynaklar, etnografik veriler ve karşılaştırmalı analiz yöntemi kullanılarak İzhorların dinî yapısının doğa merkezli bir anlayış üzerine kurulu olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Özellikle doğa ruhlarına duyulan saygı ve koruyucu varlık inancı, geleneksel Türk inanışlarıyla dikkat çekici paralellikler sergilemektedir. Her iki kültürde de doğayla kurulan güçlü bağ, ritüeller ve mitolojik anlatılar üzerinden kendini göstermektedir. Bu bağlamda, İzhor inanışlarının Avrasya kültürel sürekliliği içerisinde değerlendirilmesi, yerel halkların dinî yapılarının zaman içinde nasıl değiştiğini ve dış etkilerle nasıl şekillendiğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Article Details

An Evaluation of the Beliefs of the Izhorians/Ingrians, an Uralic Community

Authors:

Mehmet Mustafa Erkal

Publisher:

Cukurova University

Main Topics:

Dinler Tarihi

Journal:

Çukurova Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi (ÇÜİFD) Vol.25 Issue 1, pp.192-205

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352268

pISSN:

2564-6427

History of Religions

İngrians

İzhorians

Uralic Communities

Haltiaz.Dinler Tarihi

İngrianlar

İzhorlar

Ural Toplulukları

Haltiaz.

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Mehmet Mustafa Erkal

Publisher: Cukurova University

Main Topics: Dinler Tarihi

Journal: Çukurova Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi (ÇÜİFD) Vol.25 Issue 1, pp.192-205

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 6/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001352268

pISSN: 2564-6427

Issues

Authors:

Mehmet Mustafa Erkal

Publisher:

Cukurova University

Main Topics:

Dinler Tarihi

Journal:

Çukurova Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi Dergisi (ÇÜİFD) Vol.25 Issue 1, pp.192-205

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

6/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001352268

pISSN:

2564-6427