Practices of influencing weather and protection from natural disasters with Komi of West Siberia
The paper presents field materials describing practices of influencing weather and natural disasters with different ethnoareal Komi groups. On the territory of North Transurals the Izhma Komi, whose main occupation was reindeer breeding, used methods of influencing wind and rain, as well as prevention of avalanches. Agricultural Komi groups, inhabiting southern districts in the basins of Tobol and Irtysh, used methods of fighting with drought and triggering rain, or stopping lingering precipitation, withdrawing thunderstorm and whirlwind. Ritual actions were mainly conducted individually, while in cases of natural disasters (fire or drought) all Komi groups used to practice a collective attack. Basic methods included as follows: spells, using sharp objects, watering graves of drowned men, wetting a grave cross, tabooing certain actions, as well as using thanksgiving services, cross processions, church attributes, and others. At present, a meteorololgical magic with the Komi is almost out of practice, and certain methods come to mind only as children's games, though they are still keeping practice to pray for preferable weather.