Menqw

According to legend, the Menkwa is the first and unsuccessful attempt of the heavenly god Numi Torum to create people. He created Menchwas from larch trunks. However, after creation, they fled to the forest, where they still live ^{[1] [2] [3]} . Their epoch was called menkeng-torum ("Menkva epoch"). According to another version, menkva are the spirits of people who died in the forest ^[2] .

Menkwa are generally similar to humans, but have thick eyebrows, sometimes a sharp head or many heads - heads from one to seven ^{[1] [2]} , an iron body and long nails. They are tall and very strong, but stupid, they are easy to fool ^{[2] [3]} . It is almost impossible for them to inflict damage, there is only one weak point , however, where it is located can only be found with the help of magic. More often they are defeated by cunning. When they die, islands, hills, rivers arise from their organs ^[1] .

Menkva live in the forest, they have families, they go hunting. They always move on foot. The Sosvinsky Mansi believed that the Menkva live in settlements, they have elders and they pay to submit Mir-susne-khuma , who is their "prince". The “foreman” of Chokhryn-oyka ^{[2] [3]} collects tribute. Menkva own living water . ^[1] . On Sosva, the Menkwa were considered the ancestors of the Mish / Mis forest people. ^[2]

In Mansi, the menkwas were closely connected with the totem of Por’s phratry , the bear, and played an important role in the phratrial ceremony ^{[2] [3]} . The sculptures of the Menkwas (usually seven) were often placed near the shrines that they supposedly guarded. I.N. Gemuev believed that the wittyness of these idols symbolizes the wearing of helmets. Sculptures were replaced every seven years, since it was believed that their strength was gradually falling ^[3] . At the Mencu bear festival, screaming and laughing people in high masks from horse tails depict ^{[2] [3]} .