Introduction: the Ob-Ugric and Permian traditions have preserved elements of the ancient mythological consciousness, the study of which together with the available data of related sciences would shed light on the history of the formation of these ethnic cultures traditionally. The solution to such a complex problem is possible on the basis of a comparative analysis of the individual aspects of the perception of the worldview, including its basic values. The authors do not pretend to be unambiguous in their interpretation of limiting themselves for a start to the definition of a single worldview field with the existing of uniqueness, originality and individuality of the cultures of the communities under consideration. Objective: to examine the complexity of the general and specific ideas of the Khanty, Mansi and Udmurts about the components of the human spiritual essence (souls), its characteristic and exceptional properties, including reincarnation, family relations/ties and patronage of descendants under the perception of their traditional worldview of human life and its basic values. Research materials: the research materials are based on (a) the proceedings of the field study materials during interaction with the communities specified which are considered as the primary resources of the study undertaken by the researchers, (b) secondary materials are taken from the scientific articles, book chapters and literature etc. published so far, (c) similar research findings by the scholars in this area of study, and (d) archival resources of the nineteenth and twentieth century. Results and novelty of the research: the study of the ideas about the human soul among the examined ethnicities of the selected communities in this study have their own historical context; nevertheless, a comparative analysis of the findings lead to the novel reflections and conclusions those reveal both universal concepts for the ethnic groups and distinctive/specific characteristics peculiar to the Udmurts or the Ob-Ugrians. The Ugric and Permian people have a clear concept of the presence of two components in a human defined as two souls which are the necessary condition for a life. On the basis of this idea, certain judgments, norms of behavior, and ritual actions have been developed traditionally. The common ideas of these people are also based on the concepts about the role of the ‘mother goddess’ and the influence of the departed on the creation of the life and their ability to endow a newborn with a soul. A distinctive feature of the worldview of the Ob-Ugrians is the presence of a system of ideas about the reincarnation of the souls of the ancestors in descendants and about the connection between the soul and the flower(s) in the worldview of the Udmurts.

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All researchers have their own methods of conducting fieldwork and making available information on the culture they have studied. However, a researcher that is simultaneously a bearer of culture must follow at least three principal ethic rules: First, there is knowledge or information that could be available to anyone. Second, there is knowledge or information that the researcher is initiated into, but the researcher is not allowed by the informant to make it available to anyone. Third, there are prohibitions against sharing certain knowledge or information. My research object is a diaspora group and it therefore requires a special approach to fieldwork. *** Raziskovalci na številne načine in z različnimi metodami opravljajo terensko delo in omogočajo informacije o raziskovani kulturi. V vsakem primeru pa mora raziskovalec, ki je tudi sam nosilec kulture, slediti vsaj trem osnovnim etičnim pravilom: nekatere informacije so lahko dostopne komurkoli; določena znanja ali informacije lahko raziskovalec le selektivno objavi; nekaterih znanj ali informacij pa ni dovoljeno širiti. Avtorica raziskuje diasporo, ki zahteva poseben terenski pristop.

The article examines the poly-semantic concept of cleanliness in traditional Udmurt practices in respect to religious, ritualized and daily life, focusing on the defi nite object of a human body. The idea of cleanliness is directly connected with the notion of purity. The "unclean" or "dirty" body is a symbolic phenomenon, and its semantics can be revealed in context. Cleanliness is an important virtue, and maintaining the cleanliness of a body is not an individual but a controlled common social duty. In the tradition of the Udmurts, the sauna was and still is a very important part of daily and ritual life. It is understood that in the sauna one is cleaned physically and spiritually. The act of bathing in the sauna means also purifying morally. Special cleansing and purifying regulations are required before calendrical and commemorative rituals. The sauna also has a role in rituals connected to birth and death. The article gives a brief survey of several rituals around the notion of cleanliness and purity.

Ritual objects and belongings are still used today at Udmurt prayer rituals that have sacrifices. We would even go so far as to say that carrying out ceremonies without them is unthinkable. Depending on their function they can be defined in several groups: ritual utensils and dishes, ritual clothing, priestly attributes, sacrificial items, donation items/offerings. Currently, there is both the preservation of traditional items and the emergence of new ones to fulfil known ritual purposes. In some cases, when creating new items, one can discern the imitation of traditional forms and materials. The article examines the objects in connection with a definite ritual, looking at the essence of their utility and sacredness, their role in maintaining historical memory, and the composition and purpose of the ritual objects. The article then goes on to analyse the reasons for the modification of these objects.