Ulchanka - Photographed by Aleksandr Frolenok
In traditional Ulchi (who refer to themselves as Nani) cosmology, the natural world has been understood to be inhabited by spirits and other sentient supernatural beings. Animals, plants, places, and aspects of the landscape could possess spiritual significance, and these beings were understood to perceive and respond to human behaviour. Relations between people and the spirit world were for this reason governed by offerings, expressions of respect, and various taboos. Failure to observe these obligations could be understood as provoking spiritual displeasure, which potentially could result in misfortune, illness, and even death.
Because the environment was believed to be heavily populated by these invisible powers, the Ulchi traditionally utilized shamanic practices to interact with them. While everyday individuals maintained their own basic spiritual relationship, a designated sama (aka shaman; a word originating from fellow Tungustic people of Siberia) was called upon to act as an intermediary to heal the sick, secure safe hunting, or venture into the spirit world.
One of the most sacred forms of worship of the Ulchi was a cult centered around the veneration of the Bear. Bear cubs were captured and and placed in special log cages to be raised around a certain clan or family, where they were even occasionally nursed or hand-fed by women as if they were children. The practice culminated in a multi-day ritual festival known as буюмба хупи, during which the bear was ceremonially sacrificed by a skilled archer. The bear's soul was believed to return to the realm of the the masters of the Taiga (spirits governing this mountain-forest region), carrying with it the hopes and prayers of humanity.
Following the sacrifice, the bear's sacred meat was consumed in a festive banquet, binding the clan to both animal and spirit world. The Ulchi shaman played an important role in overseeing the ritual's cosmic and spiritual boundaries, making sure that the bear's soul passed peacefully into the spirit world without resentment toward the hunter or community. Through drums, chants, and invocations, the shaman guided the bear's spirit back to the taiga deities, seeking to secure health, successful hunting, good fortune, and harmony for the entire community.
