The brutal traditions of the Chukchi: why they kill frail old people and exchange spouses. Chukchi people: culture, traditions and customs

general information

Chukchi - indigenous people Russian Federation, one of the small peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. The self-name is lygyoravetlan (“real people”). Self-names based on place of residence or migration are common: uvelelyt - “Uelenians”, chaalyt - “nomadic along the Chaun River”, etc. According to their way of life, the Chukchi are divided into two large groups: tundra nomadic reindeer herders (self-name - chauchu, “reindeer man”) and coastal ones - sedentary hunters of sea animals (self-name - ankalyn, “coastal”). Among the Western Chukchi, the self-name Chugchit (probably from Chauchu) is common. Russian name"Chukchi" also comes from Chauchu.

They speak the Chukchi language, which has several very close dialects that are quite well preserved to this day. Writing was created in 1931 on a Latin graphic basis, which was later replaced by the Russian alphabet.

According to modern research, the ancestors of the Chukchi lived in the interior regions of Chukotka at least 6 thousand years ago. At the beginning of the 1st millennium AD. e. Due to the appearance of a surplus population in the Chukotka tundra and changes in climatic and natural conditions, some Chukotka tribes moved to the sea coast, into the area inhabited by the Eskimos, partially assimilating them, partially adopting many features of their culture. As a result of the interaction of land and sea hunting cultures, an economic division of labor occurred. The Yukaghirs also took part in the ethnogenesis of the Chukchi.

Territory of settlement and number

In 2002, 15,767 Chukchi lived in the Russian Federation, of which 12,622 people (about 70%) live in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.

At the beginning of the 17th century, the Chukchi lived mainly in the Chukotka, Providensky and Iultinsky regions. The intensive development of reindeer husbandry in the 18th century and the need for new pasture lands caused the Chukchi to move west and south. By the beginning of the 20th century, they occupied the entire modern territory of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, some of the Chukchi ended up in Kamchatka, another small group - beyond the Kolyma in Yakutia. They live here at the present time: in Kamchatka - in the Olyutorsky district (village Achai-Vayam, etc.) of the Koryak Autonomous Okrug (1,530 people), in Yakutia - in the Nizhne-Kolyma region (1,300).

Distribution of the Chukchi by district in last decades indicates their weak migration. Changes in numbers are mainly due to natural growth and changes in the boundaries of districts (Shmidtovsky, Anadyrsky). The Chukchi live in all settlements of the district together with Russians, Eskimos, Evens, Chuvans and other peoples. There are no purely Chukchi settlements, but in most villages the Chukchi predominate.

Lifestyle and support system

The main traditional occupation of the tundra (reindeer) Chukchi is nomadic reindeer herding. Reindeer herders spent most of the year on the move. Each group of Chukchi had permanent migration routes and their own grazing territory. In the forest zone, migrations occurred every 5-6 days, in the tundra - 3-4 times during the winter. Semi-free grazing of deer was practiced everywhere. In the summer, the herds were located on the ocean coast, where there were fewer mosquitoes and gadflies. About a quarter of the reindeer Chukchi spent the summer in the continental part of Chukotka on the northern slopes of the mountains, where snow remained. With the onset of autumn, all the reindeer herders moved inland to the forest border. The Chukchi did not know a shepherd dog, and the shepherds were with the herd all day long. Reindeer husbandry provided everything necessary for life: food, clothing, housing, means of transportation.

The basis economic activity The coastal Chukchi were engaged in sea hunting, the products of which (meat, fat for food and heating, clothing) also provided all the needs of life, and also served as an object of exchange with reindeer herders. Some of the Chukchi reindeer were also engaged in marine hunting during the stay of the herds on the coast. Fish was caught in case of emergency in free time from grazing. Fishing was somewhat more important in the basins of large rivers - Anadyr, Chaun, Kolyma. The development of trade relations stimulated the development of the fur trade, which had also not been of great importance before. IN Soviet time Reindeer husbandry in Chukotka developed successfully. Improved breeding of animals, a more rational structure of the herd, successes in the fight against necrobacteriosis (hoof bacilli) and other diseases, and anti-water treatment of animals contributed to a significant increase in the number of animals and the productivity of the industry as a whole. By the beginning of the 90s. in Chukotka there was one of the largest herds of domestic reindeer in the world - about 500 thousand. Reindeer husbandry formed the basis of the economy of state farms, covering the losses of other industries, was main area The employment of a significant part of the Chukchi ensured their economic prosperity.

In conditions of market reforms, intensive destruction of the industry is observed. The number of deer in the area has dropped by more than half. The reform of state farms, the transition to new forms of industry organization based on private and collective shared ownership, not supported by material and technical resources, led to a curtailment of production. Almost all livestock farms and a number of fur farms where Chukchi women worked were liquidated.

Ethno-social situation

The ethno-social situation in many areas of Chukotka is extremely difficult. Its main components are mass unemployment of the indigenous population, problems with providing villages with fuel, food, electricity, and an increase in the incidence and mortality of the aborigines. According to these and a number of other parameters, Chukotka, due to the peculiarities of its geographical location and climatic conditions, is in the most disastrous situation among other regions of the North. The incidence of tuberculosis among the Chukchi and other indigenous peoples of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug is 10 times higher than the corresponding indicators for the non-indigenous population. In 1996, per 100 thousand people with active tuberculosis among indigenous people there were 737.1, including 233 children. The socio-economic situation in Chukotka in some years became so aggravated that it required the intervention of the federal government and humanitarian assistance from the international communities. In September 1996, the Government of the Russian Federation adopted a decree “On urgent measures to stabilize the socio-economic situation in the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug.” IN last years, with the arrival of the new governor, the situation has changed for the better, but much remains to be done to overcome the crisis.

Ethno-cultural situation

According to the 2002 census, the Chukchi language was considered the native language by 27.6% of the Chukchi. The Chukchi language is taught in many villages. Since 1992 it has been studied as part of the program high school. Educational, artistic and socio-political literature is systematically published in the Chukchi language, and district radio and television broadcasts. Since 1953, the newspaper “Sovetken Chukotka” has been published (currently “Murgin Nuteneut”, a supplement to the district newspaper “Far North”). Teachers of the Chukchi language are trained by the Anadyr Pedagogical College, Russian State Pedagogical University named after. Herzen in St. Petersburg, Magadan Pedagogical Institute. Some of the Chukotka youth speak their native language, which is certainly a positive and stabilizing factor. The basic elements of traditional material and spiritual culture are preserved: means of transportation, housing (in the tundra among reindeer herders), holidays, rituals and customs, and religious beliefs.

The work of the artists of the professional Chukchi-Eskimo choreographic ensemble “Ergyron” and the Chukchi poetess A. Kymytval is widely known in the country and abroad. The traditional art of engraving and bone carving has been preserved and developed. The Chukotka branch of the North-Eastern Complex Institute of the Far Eastern Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences has been established in Anadyr, which employs about 10 researchers from among the Chukchi and other peoples of the North. Various aspects are studied traditional culture Chukchi, their language, traditional methods treatment, problems of transformation of economic relations and forms of ownership and other problems relevant to the district. However, the difficult socio-economic situation in the district as a whole does not allow full development everyone traditional forms culture and art. People, especially in remote villages and in the tundra, are busy surviving in these difficult conditions. Today it is important to at least carefully preserve the surviving centers of culture.

Management and self-government bodies

The Chukchi are one of the few indigenous peoples of the North of the Russian Federation that formally have their own autonomous entity. Chukotka autonomous region is currently a subject of the Russian Federation. The creation of the district played an important role in the development of the economy and culture of the local indigenous population. However, as the mining industry developed in Chukotka and the number of newcomers grew, the district increasingly lost the features of a national-state formation, turning into an ordinary administrative-territorial unit. The only reminder of his former purpose was the position of Chairman of the district executive committee, which, according to established tradition, was occupied by a representative Chukchi people. In other government bodies, the Chukchi were represented purely symbolically. Suffice it to say that in the late 80s. Only 96 Chukchi worked in the sphere of state and economic management, most of them in minor positions. Unfortunately, this trend continues today. The functions of the self-government body are performed by the Association of Indigenous Minorities of the North of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, created in 1989. Its territorial branches operate in each district of the district.

Legal documents and laws

The legislative framework of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in relation to small peoples is represented by a number of documents. The Charter of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug (adopted by the Duma in 1997) contains articles that define the policy of government authorities to protect and ensure the rights of indigenous peoples, the development of education, culture, environmental protection, the organization of local self-government and other important for the indigenous population questions. A temporary regulation “On the procedure for transferring land plots for reindeer herding farms” has been developed. A temporary regulation “On the procedure for coordinating the allocation of land plots for the use of the subsoil of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug” was approved, which takes into account the interests of small peoples. The laws “On preferential taxation of enterprises participating in the development of social infrastructure of national villages”, “On the referendum of the Chukotka Autonomous Okrug”, “On the procedure and principles for providing tax benefits” were adopted. A number of vitally important provisions for the Chukchi and other indigenous peoples of the district are reflected in the Resolutions of the executive branch: “On measures to implement the program for the development of national villages (1996), “On measures to streamline the production and sale of biologically active reindeer raw materials” (1996), “ About the Chukotka District Scientific Advisory Council on Whaling" (1997), etc.

Contemporary environmental issues

The state of the natural environment in the district began to cause serious concern already in the late 80s. By this time, as a result of industrial development and mismanagement of land, the area of ​​reindeer pastures had decreased by 5 million hectares compared to 1970. Widespread deterioration of pasture areas and a decrease in feed supplies are still observed today. 8 specially protected areas with an area of ​​3 million hectares (4% of the entire territory of the district) have been created here. Attempts are being made to implement international projects in the district (Beringia Park, EKORA project).

Prospects for preserving the Chukchi as an ethnic group

The Chukchi are one of the few northern peoples of Russia that are not yet in danger of disappearing from the national map of Russia in the promising future. The degree of preservation of the traditional culture of the Chukchi, the level of their ethnic self-awareness and ethnic solidarity allows us to make positive forecasts and look to the future. However, if in the near future the state and regional authorities will not provide significant support to the indigenous ethnic group of Chukotka and will not raise the socio-economic status of the district, then the Chukchi, as the most vulnerable part of the population, will be thrown far back in their development and survival. It is also necessary to emphasize that the Chukchi organizations themselves and their leaders must play a huge role in preserving and consolidating the people.

Every nation living far from civilization has traditions and customs that seem at least strange to the uninitiated. Now, in the era of globalization, the originality of small nations is rapidly eroding, but some centuries-old foundations are still preserved. For example, the Chukchi have a very extravagant system of marriage and family relations.

The Chukchi - the indigenous people of the Far North - live according to the laws of the levirate. This is a marriage custom that does not allow families that have lost their breadwinner to be left without support and livelihood. To a brother or someone else close relative the deceased man is given the responsibility to marry the widow and adopt her children.


Obviously, the effect of levirate explains the popularity of the tradition of group marriage. Married men agree to unite families in order to provide each other with labor and material support. Of course, the poor Chukchi strive to enter into such an alliance with rich friends and neighbors.


Ethnographer Vladimir Bogoraz wrote: “When entering into a group marriage, men sleep without asking, interspersed with other people’s wives. The Chukchi wife exchange is usually limited to only one or two friends; however, examples are not uncommon when such close relationships are maintained with many.”


Children born into families in group marriage relationships are considered siblings. And all members of the extended family take care of them. So group marriage is a real salvation for childless couples: a friend will always help an infertile man to have children. And the birth of a baby for the Chukchi is always very happy event, no matter who his biological father is.

You, of course, have heard jokes about the Chukchi. This is not a question - it is a statement. And you've probably told similar jokes to others. The Chukchi themselves, having listened to you, might have laughed: they loved to make fun of themselves. But most likely you would have been killed. At the same time, most modern weapons would hardly help if you were against such a dangerous enemy.

In fact, it is difficult to find a more warlike and at the same time ineradicable people than the Chukchi. It is a great injustice that we do not know about this today, although Spartan education or Indian traditions are in many ways much softer and more “humane” than the approaches to educating future Chukchi warriors.

"Real People"

Luoravetlans are “real people,” as the Chukchi call themselves. Yes, they are chauvinists who consider others second-class. They joke about themselves, calling themselves "sweaty people" and the like (but only among themselves). At the same time, the Chukchi’s sense of smell is not particularly inferior to that of dogs, and genetically they are oh so different from us.

The Chukchi are a corruption of “Chauchi” – reindeer herders. It was the Chauchs that the Cossacks met in the tundra, before reaching their direct and recognized relatives - the Ankalyns, the coastal Luovertlans.

Childhood

Like the Indians, the Chukchi began the harsh upbringing of boys at the age of 5-6. From this time on, except for rare exceptions, sleeping was allowed only while standing, leaning on the canopy of the yaranga. At the same time, the young Chukchi warrior slept lightly: for this, adults sneaked up on him and burned him either with hot metal or with the smoldering end of a stick. The little warriors (somehow it’s hard to call them boys), as a result, began to react with lightning speed to any rustle...

They had to run behind reindeer sleds, rather than ride on sleighs, and jump with stones tied to their feet. The bow was an invariable attribute: the Chukchi generally have vision - unlike ours, the rangefinder is almost flawless. That is why the Chukchi were so willingly hired as snipers from World War II. The Chukchi also had their own game with a ball (made of reindeer hair), which was very reminiscent of modern football (only the Luoravetlans played this game long before the “foundation” of football by the British). They also loved to fight here. The fight was specific: on slippery walrus skin, additionally lubricated with fat, it was necessary not only to defeat the opponent, but to throw him onto sharp bones placed along the edges. It was dangerous, to put it mildly. However, it is precisely through this confrontation that grown-up boys will sort things out with their enemies, when in almost every case the loser faces death from much longer bones.

Path to adult life lay for the future warrior through trials. Because Dexterity was especially valued by these people, so during the “exam” they relied on it, and on attentiveness. The father sent his son on some mission, but it was not the main one. The father quietly tracked his son, and as soon as he sat down, lost his vigilance, or simply turned into a “convenient target,” an arrow was immediately shot at him. The Chukchi shot, as mentioned above, phenomenally. So it was not an easy task to react and get away from the “gift”. There was only one way to pass the exam - to survive after it.

Death? Why be afraid of her?

There are eyewitness accounts that describe shocking precedents from the life of the Chukchi even at the beginning of the last century. For example, one of them began to have severe stomach pain. By morning the pain only intensified, and the warrior asked his comrades to kill him. They immediately complied with the request, without even attaching much importance to what happened.

The Chukchi believed that each of them had 5-6 souls. And for each soul there can be its own place in heaven - the “Universe of the Ancestors.” But for this, certain conditions had to be met: to die with dignity in battle, to be killed at the hands of a friend or relative, or to die a natural death. The latter is too much of a luxury for harsh life, where you shouldn’t rely on the care of others. Voluntary death is a common thing for the Chukchi; you just need to ask your relatives about such “killing yourself.” The same was done for a number of serious illnesses.

The Chukchi who lost the battle could kill each other, but they didn’t think much about captivity: “If I became a deer for you, then why are you delaying?” - they said to the victorious enemy, expecting a finishing blow and not even thinking about asking for mercy.

War is an honor

The Chukchi are born saboteurs. Small in number and ferocious, they were a terror to all who lived within range. A well-known fact is that a detachment of Koryaks, neighbors of the Chukchi, who joined the Russian Empire, numbering fifty people, scattered if there were at least two dozen Chukchi. And don’t dare accuse the Koryaks of cowardice: their women always had a knife with them so that when attacked by the Chukchi, they could kill their children and themselves, just to avoid slavery.

“Real people” fought with the Koryaks in the same way: first there were auctions, where every incorrect and simply careless gesture could be understood as a signal for massacre. If the Chukchi died, then their comrades declared war on the offenders: they called them to a meeting at a designated place, laid out a walrus skin, greased it with fat... And, of course, drove in a lot of sharp bones around the edges. Everything is like in childhood.

If the Chukchi went on predatory raids, they simply slaughtered the men and captured the women. The prisoners were treated with dignity, but pride did not allow the Koryaks to surrender alive. The men also did not want to fall into the hands of the Chukchi alive: they took men captive only when it was necessary to extort information.

Torture

There were two types of torture: if information was required, then the enemy’s hands were tied behind his back and his hand was pressed over his nose and mouth until the person lost consciousness. After this, the prisoner was brought to his senses and the procedure was repeated. The demoralization was complete, even the “seasoned wolves” were splitting up.

But more often the Chukchi simply realized their hatred of the victim through torture. In such cases, the enemy was tied to a spit and methodically roasted over a fire.

Chukchi and the Russian Empire

Russian Cossacks in 1729 were sincerely asked “not to commit violence against the non-peace-loving peoples of the north.” Their neighbors, who joined the Russians, knew the hard way that it was better not to anger the Chukchi. However, the Cossacks, apparently, were filled with pride and envy at such glory of the “unbaptized savages”, so the Yakut Cossack leader Afanasy Shestakov and the captain of the Tobolsk Dragoon Regiment Dmitry Pavlutsky went to the lands of the “real people”, destroying everything they met on their way.

Several times Chukchi leaders and elders were invited to a meeting, where they were simply meanly killed. For the Cossacks, everything seemed simple... Until the Chukchi realized that they were not playing by the rules of honor to which they themselves were accustomed. A year later, Shestakov and Pavlutsky gave the Chukchi an open battle, where last chances there were not so many: arrows and spears are not the best weapons against gunpowder weapons. True, Shestakov himself died. The Luoravetlans began a real guerrilla war, in response to which the Senate in 1742 ordered the complete destruction of the Chukchi. The latter numbered less than 10,000 people with children, women and old people, the task seemed so simple.

Before mid-18th century centuries, the war was tough, but now Pavlutsky was killed, and his troops were defeated. When Russian officials figured out what losses they were suffering, they were horrified. In addition, the Cossacks’ agility decreased: as soon as they defeated the Chukchi with an unexpected raid, the surviving children and women killed each other, avoiding captivity. The Chukchi themselves were not afraid of death, they did not give mercy and could torture extremely cruelly. There was nothing to scare them.

A decree was urgently issued prohibiting angering the Chukchi in general and interfering with them “with malicious intent”: it was decided to introduce liability for this. The Chukchi soon also began to calm down: to capture Russian Empire It would have been too burdensome a task for several thousand warriors, and the Luoravetlans themselves did not see the point in it. This was the only nation that intimidated Russia militarily, despite its insignificant numbers.

A couple of decades later, the empire returned to the lands of warlike reindeer herders, fearing that the French and British would “make a dangerous peace” with them. The Chukchi were taken by bribery, persuasion and appeasement. The Chukchi paid tribute “in the amount they themselves chose,” that is, they did not pay it at all, and they brought “help to the sovereign” so actively that it was easy to understand who was actually paying tribute to whom. With the beginning of cooperation in the Chukchi vocabulary appeared new term- “Chuvan disease”, i.e. “Russian disease”: with civilization, syphilis came to “real people”.

The French and British were feared in vain...

The trends of Europe were like a stop sign for the Chukchi. They traded with many people, but they showed the greatest mutual respect in trade... with the Japanese. It was from the Japanese that the Chukchi purchased their metal armor, which was exactly like that of the samurai. And the samurai were delighted with the courage and dexterity of the Chukchi: the latter are the only warriors who, according to numerous testimonies of contemporaries and eyewitnesses, were able not only to dodge arrows, but also to catch them with their hands on the fly, managing to throw them (with their hands!) back at their enemies.

The Chukchi respected the Americans for fair trade, but they also liked to give the latter a little push in their pirate raids. This also happened to Canadians: there is a well-known story when the Chukchi captured black slaves on the Canadian coast. Having realized that these were still women, and not evil spirits, the Chukchi took them as concubines. Chukotka women do not know what jealousy is and therefore took such a trophy from their husbands normally. Well, black women were forbidden to give birth, because... they were “defective people”, kept as concubines until old age. According to eyewitnesses, his slave new destiny They were happy and only regretted that they had not been stolen earlier.

Jokes

The Soviet government, having decided to carry the fire of communist ideology and civilization to distant Chukchi yarangas, did not receive a warm welcome. An attempt to put pressure on the Chukchi by force turned out to be a difficult task: at first, all the “Reds” from nearby territories flatly refused to fight the Chukchi, and then the daredevils who arrived here from afar began to disappear in detachments, groups, and camps. For the most part, the missing were not found. In rare cases, it was possible to find the remains of slaughtered failed colonists. As a result, the “Reds” decided to follow the well-worn path of bribery under the Tsar. And so that the Chukchi did not become a symbol of independence, they were simply turned into folklore. This is what they did with Chapaev, relying on jokes about “Vasily Ivanovich and Petka,” remaking the image of an educated and worthy person into a funny and amusing one. Fear and admiration for the Chukchi were replaced by the image of a kind of idiot savage.

They are the same today...

What has changed today? By and large - nothing. Christianity seriously undermined the Chukchi foundations, but not so much that this people became different. Chukchi are Warriors.

And let some laugh at yet another joke about the Chukchi, while others admire their prowess - a true Warrior is always infinitely superior to both. A warrior walks through time, ignoring death and not deviating from his path. Through centuries and difficulties, they move on - the Great Warriors of the North, about whom we know so little.

Everyone has heard the expression “naive Chukchi girl” and jokes about the Chukchi. In our understanding, this is a person far from the achievements of civilization. A symbol of naivety, which borders on feeble-mindedness, starting any sentence with “however” and preferring vodka to their wives. We perceive the Chukchi as distant northern people, who is exclusively interested in deer and walrus meat. Who are the Chukchi really?

They know how to stand up for themselves

Valdis Kristovskis, a Latvian politician and leader of the Unity party, in an interview with the Latvian newspaper Delfi carelessly defended the phrase “Latvians are not Chukchi.” In response to this insult, the Diena newspaper published a response from Ooi Milger, a representative of the Louravetlan people (otherwise known as “Chukchi”). He wrote: “In your opinion, it turns out that the Chukchi are not people. This really offended me. The Louravetlans are a people of warriors. Many books have been written about this. I have my father's carbine. Latvians are also a small people who had to fight for survival. Where does such arrogance come from? Here are the “naive” and stupid Chukchi for you.

Chukchi and all the “rest”

The small Chukchi people are settled over a vast territory - from the Bering Sea to the Indigirka River, from the Arctic Ocean to the Anadyr River. This territory can be compared with Kazakhstan, and just over 15 thousand people live on it! (Russian census data in 2010)

The name Chukchi is the name of the people “Louratvelans” adapted for Russian people. Chukchi means “rich in deer” (chauchu) – this is how northern reindeer herders introduced themselves to Russian pioneers in the 17th century. “Loutwerans” is translated as “real people,” since in the mythology of the Far North the Chukchi are the “superior race” chosen by the gods. Chukchi mythology explains that the gods created the Evenks, Yakuts, Koryaks and Eskimos exclusively as Russian slaves, so that they would help the Chukchi trade with the Russians.

Ethnic history of the Chukchi. Briefly

The ancestors of the Chukchi settled in Chukotka at the turn of the 4th-3rd millennium BC. In such a natural-geographical environment, customs, traditions, mythology, language and racial characteristics were formed. The Chukchi have increased thermoregulation, high level hemoglobin in the blood, rapid metabolism, therefore the formation of this Arctic race took place in the conditions of the Far North, otherwise they would not have survived.

Mythology of the Chukchi. world creation

In Chukchi mythology, the raven appears - the creator, the main benefactor. Creator of the earth, sun, rivers, seas, mountains, deer. It was the raven who taught people to live in difficult natural conditions. Since, according to the Chukchi, Arctic animals participated in the creation of space and stars, the names of constellations and individual stars are associated with deer and ravens. The Capella star is a reindeer bull with a human sleigh. Two stars near the constellation Aquila - “A female deer with a fawn.” Milky Way- a river with sandy waters, with islands - pastures for deer.

The names of the months of the Chukchi calendar reflect the life of wild deer, its biological rhythms and migration patterns.

Raising children among the Chukchi

In the upbringing of Chukchi children, one can trace a parallel with Indian customs. At the age of 6, the Chukchi begin the harsh education of boy warriors. From this age, boys sleep standing up, with the exception of sleeping supported by a yaranga. At the same time, adult Chukchi were raised even in their sleep - they sneaked up with a hot metal tip or a smoldering stick, so that the boy would develop a lightning-fast reaction to any sounds.

Young Chukchi ran behind reindeer teams with stones on their feet. From the age of 6, they constantly held a bow and arrow in their hands. Thanks to this eye training, the Chukchi's vision is long years remained sharp. By the way, this is why the Chukchi were excellent snipers during the Great Patriotic War. Favorite games are “football” with a ball made of reindeer hair and wrestling. We fought in special places - sometimes on walrus skin (very slippery), sometimes on ice.

The rite of passage into adulthood is a test for those who are viable. The “exam” relied on dexterity and attentiveness. For example, a father sent his son on a mission. But the task was not the main thing. The father tracked his son while he walked to carry out his task, and waited until his son lost his vigilance - then he released an arrow. The young man’s task is to instantly concentrate, react and dodge. Therefore, passing the exam means surviving. But the arrows were not coated with poison, so there was a chance of survival after being wounded.

War as a way of life

The Chukchi have a simple attitude towards death - they are not afraid of it. If one Chukchi asks another to kill him, then the request is carried out easily, without a doubt. The Chukchi believe that each of them has 5-6 souls, and there is a whole “universe of ancestors”. But in order to get there, you must either die with dignity in battle, or die at the hands of a relative or friend. Your own death or death from old age is a luxury. Therefore, the Chukchi are excellent warriors. They are not afraid of death, they are fierce, they have a sensitive sense of smell, lightning-fast reactions, and a sharp eye. If in our culture a medal is awarded for military merits, then the Chukchi back side right palm got a dot tattoo. The more dots, the more experienced and fearless the warrior.

Chukchi women correspond to the harsh Chukchi men. They carry a knife with them so that in case of serious danger they can stab their children, parents, and then themselves.

"Home Shamanism"

The Chukchi have what is called “domestic shamanism.” These are echoes of the ancient religion of the Louravetlans, because now almost all Chukchi go to church and belong to the Russian Orthodox Church. But they are still doing shamanism.

During the autumn slaughter of livestock, the entire Chukotka family, including children, beats a tambourine. This ritual protects deer from disease and early death. But this is more like a game, like, for example, Sabantui - the holiday of the end of plowing among the Turkic peoples.

Writer Vladimir Bogoraz, ethnographer and researcher of the peoples of the Far North, writes that in real shamanic rituals people are cured of terrible diseases and mortal wounds are healed. Real shamans can grind a stone into crumbs in their hands and “sew up” a lacerated wound with their bare hands. The main task of shamans is to heal the sick. To do this, they fall into a trance in order to “travel between worlds.” In Chukotka, people become shamans if a Chukchi is saved in a moment of danger by a walrus, deer or wolf - thereby “transferring” ancient magic to the sorcerer.

A remarkable feature of the Chukchi shaman is that he can “gender me” at will. Men, at the behest of the spirits, become women, even get married. Bogoraz suggested that these were echoes of matriarchy.

Chukchi and humor

The Chukchi came up with the saying “laughter makes a man strong.” This phrase is considered the life credo of every Chukchi. They are not afraid of death, they kill easily, without feeling the burden. It is incomprehensible to other people how one can first cry over death loved one and then laugh? But despondency and melancholy for the Chukchi are a sign that a person has been “captured” by the evil spirit of Kele, and this was condemned. Therefore, the Chukchi constantly joke, make fun of each other, laugh. From childhood, Chukchi are taught to be cheerful. It is believed that if a child cries for a long time, then his parents raised him poorly. Girls for marriage are also chosen according to their liking. If a girl is cheerful and has a sense of humor, she has a better chance of getting married than one who is always sad, since it is believed that a sad girl is sick and therefore dissatisfied, because she thinks about illnesses.

Chukchi and jokes

Not only the Chukchi laugh, but they also like to make fun of the Chukchi. The topic of the Chukchi in Russian jokes is one of the most extensive. People have been making jokes about the Chukchi since the times of the USSR. Alexandra Arkhipova, Associate Professor at the Center for Typology and Semiotics of the Russian State University for the Humanities, connects the beginning of the appearance of jokes with the 60s film “Chief of Chukotka.” There, the familiar Chukchi “however” sounded for the first time. The image of the Chukchi in jokes is that of someone who doesn’t know Russian well, a wild, gullible person who constantly reflects. There is also an opinion that we read the measure of our national superiority from the Chukchi. Like, the Chukchi are stupid and naive, but we are not like that. Today, the main topic of jokes has shifted towards the former Chukotka governor Roman Abramovich.

sabeltiger 14-01-2010 10:29

Life and survival of the Chukchi.
They live in camps of 2-3 houses, which are removed as the reindeer food depletes. In the summer, some go down to the sea. Despite the need for migration, their dwelling is quite cumbersome and can be easily transported only due to the abundance of reindeer (the camp's trainload reaches up to 100 sleighs). The Chukchi dwelling consists of a large tent of irregular polygonal shape, covered with panels of reindeer skins, with the fur facing out. Resistance against wind pressure is provided by stones tied to the pillars and cover of the hut. The fireplace is in the middle of the hut and surrounded by sleighs with household supplies. The actual living space, where the Chukchi eat, drink and sleep, consists of a small rectangular fur tent-canopy, fixed at the back wall of the tent and sealed tightly from the floor. The temperature in this cramped room, heated by the animal warmth of its inhabitants and partly by a fat lamp, is so high that the Chukchi strip naked in it. Chukchi winter clothing is of the usual polar type. It is sewn from the fur of fawns (grown up autumn calf) and for men consists of a double fur shirt (the lower one with the fur towards the body and the upper one with the fur outward), the same double pants, short fur stockings with the same boots and a hat in the form of a woman's bonnet. Women's clothing is completely unique, also double, consisting of seamlessly sewn trousers together with a low-cut bodice, cinched at the waist, with a slit on the chest and extremely wide sleeves, thanks to which Chukchi women can easily free their hands while working. Summer outerwear includes robes made of reindeer suede or colorful purchased fabrics, as well as kamleikas made of fine-haired deer skin with various ritual stripes. Costume infant consists of a reindeer bag with blind branches for arms and legs. Instead of diapers, a layer of moss with reindeer hair is placed, which absorbs feces, which are removed daily through a special valve attached to the opening of the bag.

Most of the Chukchi jewelry - pendants, headbands, necklaces (in the form of straps with beads and figurines, etc.) - have religious significance; but there are also real decorations in the form of metal bracelets, earrings, etc. The embroidery of the Reindeer Chukchi is very rough. Painting the face with the blood of the murdered victim, with the image of a hereditary-tribal sign - a totem, also has ritual significance. The most favorite pattern, according to Mr. Bogoraz, is a row of small holes sewn along the edges (English embroidery). Often the design consists of black and white squares of smooth deerskin, cut and sewn together. The original pattern on the quivers and clothes of the coastal Chukchi is of Eskimo origin; from the Chukchi it passed to many polar peoples of Asia. Hair styling is different for men and women. The latter braid two braids on both sides of the head, decorating them with beads and buttons, sometimes releasing the front strands onto the forehead (married women). Men cut their hair very smoothly, leaving a wide fringe in front and two tufts of hair in the form of animal ears on the crown. The utensils, tools and weapons currently used are mainly European (metal cauldrons, teapots, iron knives, guns, etc.), but even today in the life of the Chukchi there are many remnants of recent primitive culture: bone shovels, hoes, drills, bone and stone arrows, spearheads, etc., a complex bow of the American type, slings made of knuckles, armor made of leather and iron plates, stone hammers, scrapers, knives, a primitive projectile for making fire by friction, primitive lamps in the form of a round flat a vessel made of soft stone filled with seal fat, etc. Their light sleds, with arched supports instead of hoofs, adapted only for sitting astride them, have been preserved in primitive times. The sled is harnessed to either a pair of reindeer (among the reindeer Chukchi), or dogs, according to the American model (among the coastal Chukchi). The Chukchi food is predominantly meat, boiled and raw (brain, kidney, liver, eyes, tendons). They also readily consume wild roots, stems, and leaves, which are boiled with blood and fat. A unique dish is the so-called monyalo - half-digested moss extracted from a large deer stomach; Various canned foods are prepared from monyal and fresh dishes. Semi-liquid stew made from monyal, blood, fat and finely chopped meat until very recently was the most common type of hot food. The Chukchi are very partial to tobacco, vodka and fly agarics. The Chukchi clan is agnatic, united by a commonality of fire, consanguinity in the male line, common totem sign, ancestral revenge and religious rites. Marriage is predominantly endogamous, individual, often polygamous (2-3 wives); among a certain circle of relatives and brothers-in-arms, mutual use of wives is allowed, by agreement; levirate is also common. Kalym does not exist. Chastity does not matter for a girl. According to their beliefs, the Chukchi are animists; they personify and idolize certain areas and natural phenomena (masters of the forest, water, fire, sun, deer, etc.), many animals (bear, crow), stars, sun and moon, believe in hosts of evil spirits that cause all earthly disasters, including illness and death, have a number of regular holidays (autumn festival of deer slaughter, spring festival of antlers, winter sacrifice to the star Altair, the ancestor of the Chukchi, etc.) and many irregular ones (feeding the fire, sacrifices after each hunt, funerals of the dead , votive ministries, etc.). Each family, in addition, has its own family shrines: hereditary projectiles for producing sacred fire through friction for famous festivals, one for each family member (the lower plank of the projectile represents a figure with the head of the owner of the fire), then bundles of wooden knots “removing misfortunes”, wooden images of ancestors and, finally, a family tambourine, since the Chukchi ritual with a tambourine is not the property of only specialist shamans. The latter, having sensed their calling, experience a preliminary period of a kind of involuntary temptation, fall into deep thought, wander without food or sleep for whole days until they receive real inspiration. Some die from this crisis; some receive a suggestion to change their gender, that is, a man should turn into a woman, and vice versa. Those transformed take on the clothes and lifestyle of their new sex, even get married, get married, etc. The dead are either burned or wrapped in layers of raw deer meat and left in the field, after first cutting the throat and chest of the deceased and pulling out part of the heart and liver. First, the deceased is dressed, fed and told fortunes, forcing him to answer questions. Old people often kill themselves in advance or, at their request, are killed by close relatives.
With coming Soviet power, the Chukchi, with the exception of nomadic reindeer herders, moved to modern houses European type. IN populated areas schools, hospitals, and cultural institutions appeared. A written language was created. The Chukchi literacy level (ability to write and read) does not differ from the national average.
Religiously, most of the Chukchi by the beginning of the 20th century were baptized in the Russian Orthodox Church, however, among the nomads there are remnants of traditional beliefs (shamanism).
Chukotka carved bone - view folk art, has long been common among the Chukchi and Eskimos of the northeastern coast of the Chukotka Peninsula and the Diomede Islands; plastically expressive figures of animals, people, sculptural groups made of walrus tusk; engraved and relief images on walrus tusks and household items.
Bone carving in Chukotka has a long history. The Old Bering Sea culture is characterized by animalistic sculpture and household objects made of bone and decorated with relief carvings and curvilinear designs. In the next, Punuk period, which lasted approximately until the beginning of the second millennium, the sculpture acquired a geometrized character, the curvilinear ornament was replaced by a strict rectilinear one. In the 19th century, plot engraving on bone appeared, taking its origins from Pegtymel petroglyphs and ritual drawings on wood.
IN late XIX- the beginning of the 20th century, as a result of the development of trade with American and European merchants and whalers, souvenir items decorated with carvings appeared, intended for sale. The beginning of the 20th century was characterized by the appearance of walrus tusks with images engraved on them.
In the 1930s, fishing gradually concentrated in Uelen, Naukan and Dezhnev. In 1931, a stationary bone-carving workshop was created in Uelen. Its first leader was Vukvutagin (1898-1968), one of the leading craftsmen. In 1932, the Chukotka Integral Union created five bone-carving artels in the villages of Chaplino, Sireniki, Naukan, Dezhnev and Uelen.
The figures of walruses, seals, and polar bears created in 1920 - 1930 are static in form, but expressive. But already in the 1930s, sculptures appeared in which carvers strive to convey characteristic poses, deviating from the symbolic, static image. This trend expands in subsequent years. In the 1960-1980s, sculptural groups dominated in Chukotka carvings.

Bahadur_Singh 14-01-2010 12:31

Where does the material come from?

This thing touched me about the Chukchi, “incendiary” the guys lived in post #36, and there my colleagues gave links to the book.

sabeltiger 14-01-2010 13:09

quote: Where does the material come from?

Vorkutinets 14-01-2010 13:17

ONEMEN (San Tolich) will confirm, and a little later from the scene of events he will tell EVERYTHING AS IS today.

Ustas1978 16-01-2010 23:06

up, so as not to lose!)))
We are waiting "from the scene"!

Papa Karla 17-01-2010 01:56

The way of life and way of life of the Chukchi, Evens, and Yakuts of the 20-30s of the twentieth century is very well described in the book by S.V. Obruchev “Into Unknown Lands.” http://podorozhnik.nn.ru/literatura/ObrucVNK.zip

kiowa 17-01-2010 16:33

Origin of material:
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chukchi_carving

Off-top. Well, at least look at the current You in your avatar...

avkie 17-01-2010 19:29

uh, I've been there on business trips...
Probably, unfortunately, now everything is not quite like that.
Northern peoples (Yakuts, Evenks) are losing their culture.
old people die, and many young people move to cities. the ability to make tents is being lost (now they are made from plastic film, cardboard boxes and roofing felt, some have switched to army-style canvas tents with an iron stove)
These peoples more often eke out a miserable existence in poverty.
I have no idea how they survive

Challenger 17-01-2010 22:21

They survive because survival is in their blood, no matter how trite it may sound. They just know how to survive. But just until civilization woke them up.

Kapasev 19-01-2010 23:54

They don't even survive at all. You can drive a brigade tractor driver into an artel to earn money on a bulldozer. I only know a couple of examples, but after finishing the season they returned to the bosom of reindeer herding.
By the way, we started producing venison stew
toKiowa I don’t look like that, this beard was grown on a hill in the winter especially for the photo and was subsequently shaved off.

Yuripupolos 20-01-2010 15:13

Oh, venison stew...
Has anyone seen anything like this in Novosibirsk?

sabeltiger 20-01-2010 15:28

A Chukchi lives with his family in a tent, the hearth is in the center, there is a hole in the roof, the frost outside is -50. And they sleep there and somehow survive... There are no hospitals, no telephones.

Challenger 20-01-2010 18:17

Yes, they don’t need hospitals and telephones. They are their own doctors. Without us, everyone knows how to survive, what to take for diseases... They have their own civilization. What's good for us is death. And vice versa.

Kapasev 20-01-2010 20:27

From birth, the Chukchi did not live in tents; they lived in yarangas and still do, but now they mostly live in fur tents or a combination of a tent and a yaranga.
A telephone is a necessary thing in the sense of listening to music, but for communication it is a radio station

Werewolf_Zarin 21-01-2010 17:54

But what about bul bul agly.....
and the Chukchi in the tent are waiting for the blossoming, the blossoming will come in the summer
next chorus

avkie 21-01-2010 22:05

quote: Originally posted by Kapasiev:

The Chukchi did not live in tents when they were born; they were and still are in yarangas

You’re right, but at the time of writing my message I completely forgot this word, it’s spinning in my head, I can’t remember
Thank you for reminding me. Chukchan chum is yaranga.

Udavilov 21-01-2010 22:35

Previously, the Chukchi lived little. 30-40 years old.

Challenger 21-01-2010 23:19

and now, what, have they become bigger?..-)

Papa Karla 22-01-2010 01:27

quote: But what about bul bul agly.....

Kapasev 23-01-2010 20:25

quote: Originally posted by Contender:
and now, what, have they become bigger?..-)

Kapasev 23-01-2010 20:32

Can you feed that many dogs with red fish?

Challenger 23-01-2010 21:54

And what will a Chukka do with a laptop? I'm very interested.

Kapasev 25-01-2010 12:44

Same as everyone else. Thank Abramovich, there are computer classes in every village.
The brigades have generators.

onemen 25-01-2010 17:04

I just saw the thread, I’ll be more free and hang up some photos.

Kapasev 25-01-2010 23:29

"Survivors of Enurmino" photo sketch
(poorly dressed Muscovites)

Challenger 25-01-2010 23:46

How does a laptop help the Chukchi survive? For that matter?...

Kapasev 26-01-2010 02:12

That is, how is this “how”? There is a lot of leisure!
Thanks for the topic. I’ll download it and be in the brigades to drain it for dried meat.
By the end of the summer, the first question over communications will be: “Well, did you survive?”
Please send me a photo of a Chukotka migrant worker from the capital!

Challenger 26-01-2010 12:49

krysoboj 26-01-2010 21:16

It seems that in the Russian museum in St. Petersburg it is mentioned that in the 16-19 centuries the Chukchi were like the Genghis Khans of the Siberian flood - it took 3 years for the Chukchi to get to China or Rus', buy steel armor, and the same amount back - and in this form of a Stone Age robocop he enslaved all the local tribes. not at all anecdotal, stupid, cunning

Kapasev 27-01-2010 12:11

And in Enurmino the elders decided that drinking was the joy of Rus'
Photo "Nutepelmen - poor, rickety wrecks, unhappy people, hungry dogs..."

Kapasev 27-01-2010 12:16

In fact, jokes arose when an agreement on visa-free travel for indigenous residents was signed. Perhaps, directly in the then kilometer-long queue at Am. embassies

Vorkutinets 27-01-2010 09:38

We are waiting for more photos from Onemen and Kapasev.
San Tolich, start teaching your teams a little order - get the dog out of the yaranga, shake out the bed in the morning and fold it in the corner...)))
For clarity, here is the European yaranga (North Komi). Show them.)))

Bahadur_Singh 27-01-2010 22:14

In the 4th photo I was impressed by the herd of deer; it’s interesting how many heads there are in the frame.

onemen 27-01-2010 22:19

quote: It’s interesting how many heads there are in the frame.

Bahadur_Singh 27-01-2010 22:32

quote: Originally posted by onemen:

onemen 27-01-2010 22:38

No, they roam once every 1-1.5 months. A lot depends on the place, the time of year, and much more.

Vorkutinets 28-01-2010 12:40

quote: To be honest, I don’t remember, but there seemed to be about 5-7 thousand in the brigade.

Kapasev 28-01-2010 04:22
The “special vessel” is called “achulkhen”. The classic one with a handle is hammered out of wood to create something like a large ladle. It copes with needs, large and small, in the evening, and empties in the morning.
Yuzhak ends, I'll take a photo

onemen 28-01-2010 09:53

quote: The special vessel is called "achulkhen".

Absolutely, thank you.

quote:

Yuripupolos 28-01-2010 19:28

Is Yuzhak a blizzard? O_o

zhurnalist 29-01-2010 22:22

The Chukchi lived for 1000 years without us and will live for many more, unless they get drunk, of course.

onemen 30-01-2010 16:12

quote: Is it hard for you to spend the winter at -70 and even with the wind?

Who are you asking?

Vorkutinets 30-01-2010 20:42

quote: Is it hard for you to spend the winter at -70 and even with the wind?

Lat.(izvinite) strelok 30-01-2010 22:55

quote: Originally posted by Vorkutinets:

And there have never been such low temperatures in Russia.

Bahadur_Singh 30-01-2010 23:14

quote: Originally posted by zhurnalist:
Is it hard for you to spend the winter at -70 and even with the wind?
The Chukchi lived without us for 1000 years and will live for many more, unless they get drunk, of course.

om_babai 01-02-2010 13:59

quote: But in this photo it will be somewhere around 1500-1700.

I can’t open the photo properly, but from what I see, I would give more. At least two times... One and a half thousand, this was the average size of the brigades on our state farm before the collapse. In a dense heap they will occupy an area... well, somewhere around 100x50, even less.

quote: Is it hard for you to spend the winter at -70 and even with the wind?
The Chukchi lived without us for 1000 years and will live for many more, unless they get drunk, of course.

Forgive me. Weak.
I simply won’t find such conditions anywhere in our hemisphere. You will decide - either the wind, or minus seventy.
By the way, we've already drunk ourselves a long time ago.

onemen 02-02-2010 19:47

quote: By the way, we've already drunk ourselves a long time ago.

dukat 03-02-2010 10:38

I haven’t been to Chukotka, but I’ve visited all of Yamal and Gydan. I had the opportunity to work on drilling exploration expeditions. I saw what civilization did to virgin nature. Abandoned drilling rigs with piles of rusting metal, ruts from lugs, which over time turn into deep ditches. Because the top layer of moss and soil has been removed, and underneath is permafrost. And this process is already irreversible. The Khanty have already learned how to cook mash. We really loved (I don’t know how it is now) cologne. As they told me, it smells delicious. The youth have already served in the army and have also seen.... The workers are mainly old people, and schoolchildren, who were caught every year by helicopter to study in boarding schools. And their parents hide them. I lived with them in the tent (not for long, though) and wore their shoes (ichigi). A very good thing. Light, warm and very comfortable. Prada takes some getting used to. You walk in from the fresh air... wow!!! The smell of rotten skins. sweat, fish. The eyes begin to water. And then it seemed like nothing!!! The food was very meager. Deer meat, fish, goose eggs in the spring...... and that's it. They lose teeth very early. Lack of vitamins affects. For flour, cartridges and other provisions they go to trading posts, where they are fleeced like crazy. The people are very kind and welcoming. They will always help. They will give you something to drink, feed and give you lodging for the night, but they do not tolerate lies and deception. Yes, and naive!! Somehow we came to the same camp. Let's look at the plague wooden cross. The eldest's name was Petya. Sing, we say, what kind of cross do you have? He tells us, “But you geologists don’t understand anything... it’s an antenna!!! We almost died laughing. So... do you watch TV in the evenings? No, he says the TV is broken. And the antenna, purely wooden. But in general they don’t need civilization. That’s right, it was said. We will only harm with our intervention. And what kind of hunting and fishing is there? The purest water and air. The climate is really very harsh and their life is not easy. How many years have passed, but I still want to go there. I’m unlikely to see such nature untouched by man ever again. I worked there from 85 to 90.

Kapasev 04-02-2010 23:53

It’s not like Dukat in Chukotka: in August you’ll tear up the tundra in droves moving from Ryveem to Yakan so that you want to write a denunciation against yourself in ZelenyPis, but the next year you think you’re lost. Only on the clay in the stream were GTT prints preserved.
“And the Russian leader in computerization of the population has become Chukotka, where 88 families out of a hundred use computers.”
See http://www.itartass-sib.ru/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=16341-301.html

dukat 05-02-2010 08:29

I’ve never been to Chukotka, but on Mar-Sala, near the Gulf of Ob, everything is so scarred that you want to cry. At the time when I was there, people in Moscow only dreamed about computers. So, I don’t dare to argue..... Granted, I haven’t been to those parts and I think little has changed.

krysoboj 11-02-2010 23:43

uv. numb, why is there ice without snow? I'm from Murmansk - I've never seen such beauty.

onemen 12-02-2010 12:10

quote: why ice without snow?

Vorkutinets 12-02-2010 09:39

The ice photo is amazing! Who was the bicycle brought to in the yaranga?)))

om_babai 12-02-2010 14:34

quote: bike to whom

I liked the top photo and where it is on the ice (good light would be there, and approach with imagination... wow)

ATS... A friend of mine drives his own from us in the winter to Bilibino, through the village. Omolon. In the first version, he cut it in half and welded another piece of the boat, so there were 7 rollers on board. Well, diesel, of course, is not native. Several years passed... And this year he has a new product - 8 skating rinks!!! A 20-foot container is placed on the platform. Chukotka will precipitate when it sees it (if it gets there)

Sleds.. We called them “karyats”. One to one.

Tents with two poles on the sides. In our forest area, one was always enough. The annex - vestibule in front of the entrance was called "dyukan", something like a summer kitchen. The Chukchi have more serious ones, made from skins...

onemen 12-02-2010 14:59

quote: I liked the top photo and where it is on the ice (good light would be there, and approach with imagination... wow)

zhurnalist 27-03-2010 13:49

It really is a snowy dawn!
A harsh land, and harsh beauty.

kotowsk 27-03-2010 18:33

If we talk about survival, then the Chukchi model of survival was the strictest. survival of the species at the expense of individuals.
and as for the military affairs of the Chukchi, there is a book about it
http://mirknig.com/2007/10/29/voennoe_delo_chukchejj_seredina_xvii__nachalo_xx_v.html
or from deposit file
http://depositfiles.com/ru/files/2173269
Even Suvorov fought with them.