Arçura/Şüräle: Mythical Spirits of the Volga-Ural Forests

Folk beliefs, which have their source in history, culture and geography, are among the most significant factors determining the identity and characteristic features of a people. In Tatar and Chuvash folk literature myths about mythological beings are often stories written in prose, describing supernatural creatures and spirits. These stories describe “encounters” between humans on the one hand and various mythological creatures, on the other. Among these Arçura/Şüräle is a Forest Spirit which has a very significant role in folk narratives of not only the Tatars and the Chuvash, but widely in the folk culture of other Volga-Ural peoples. These mythological beliefs help people of the Volga-Ural region perceive themselves as a part of the universe. In this paper, the etymology of the word Arçura/Şüräle is investigated; then its characteristics and its comparison with some other neighbouring Volga-Ural Finno-Ugrian and shamanic Turkic-Mongol spirits are examined