Transformation of the Traditional Food Culture of Rural Residents in Yakutia: Reduction in Natural Food Consumption

Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences 4 (2018 11) 670-678 ~ ~ ~ УДК 304.3:338.439.2(571.56) Transformation of the Traditional Food Culture of Rural Residents in Yakutia: Reduction in Natural Food Consumption Dekabrina M. Vinokurova, Antonina A. Vinokurova and Izabella Z. Borisova* M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern Federal University 58 Belinsky Str., Yakutsk, 677000, Russia Received 12.01.2018, received in revised form 13.04.2018, accepted 16.04.2018 It is known that in rural areas people are closer to the land, nature, more and directly interacts with it, engaging in agriculture, cattle breeding, gathering, hunting and fishing. These activities are an additional help in natural food “procurement”. However, on the one hand, urbanized life styles are widespread, which cannot but affect rural residents. On the other hand, the intensity of the rhythm of life, the legal limitation of the timing and types of hunting and fishing, the increase in the diversity of hobbies, occupations, interests of the countrymen themselves cannot but affect the reduction in the number of those who cannot abandon the traditional occupation of their ancestors. All this affects the tastes of the rural residents who get involved in the consumption of food products, which are processed on an industrial scale. Keywords: cattle breeding, vegetable gardening, hunting, fishing, gathering, food, gifts, traditional occupations, subsidiary farms, healthy eating. The work was supported by the Russian Foundation for the Humanities, Application No. 17-21-08001 of the R&D on “The problem of valorization and popularization of the food culture of the peoples of the North in modern conditions (on the example of Yakutia)” (headed by I.Z. Borisova). DOI: 10.17516/1997-1370-0259. Research area: culturology. Introduction researchers are talking about food security, the The consumption of fresh natural food delivery of food products, food markets, etc. without various additives during their processing (Darbasov, Baisheva et al., 2017). on an industrial scale becomes a problem for All this cannot but affect the taste buds modern people, especially for the townspeople. It of people, and hence the habituation of their is clear that quality standards are being developed olfactory and taste buds to processed food. for long-term storage of food products, improving However, the countrymen directly “interact their taste and rendering them marketable. Today, with the land and nature” engaged in farming, © Siberian Federal University. All rights reserved * Corresponding author E-mail address: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected] – 670 – Dekabrina M. Vinokurova, Antonina A. Vinokurova,.. Transformation of the Traditional Food Culture of Rural Residents… cattle breeding, gathering, hunting and fishing. questionnaire concerned such a phenomenon Products of such types of activities are for them as the daily food culture of the whole family of an additional help in natural food “procurement”. respondents. At the same time, on the one hand, legal Although quota sampling is the most and tax regulation by the state of traditional common among non-random sampling types and types of countrymen’s occupations cannot but competes in accuracy with probabilistic types, affect the reduction in the number of those who interviewers select for interviewing those who do not abandon the traditional occupation of are most available to fill quotas. Accessibility their ancestors. On the other hand, the intensity also refers to the “coverage” of settlements, of the rhythm of life, the increase in the variety i.e. the possibilities of going to one or another of hobbies, the interests of the rural residents populated area (Table 1). Therefore, in the sample, themselves, as well as the influence of public proportions of only one indicated feature (places opinion and the media, replicating information of residence) were observed, but the quantitative about “harmful” and “useful” food, correct the characteristics of the remaining features may taste preferences of the countrymen. not coincide with the structure of the general We used a selective method to survey the population. percentage of natural products in the culture Apparently, the dominance of women in of everyday diet and the ideas about the proper the sample is justified by the fact that, in matters diet of the countrymen – a survey of residents of everyday nutrition, traditionally the northern of rural settlements in Mirninsky, Namsky, woman in the status of a hostess, a mother, a wife Oimyakonsky, Suntarsky, Tomponsky and or a daughter-in-law performed the main role in Ust-Aldansky districts, with the exception of the issues of nutrition, cooking, foodstuffs, its Mirny town, where students who came from distribution among members of the family, etc. rural settlements were interviewed. The survey Regarding the distribution of age categories was conducted in July-August 2017 on a quota in the sample, a cohort of students was interviewed sample (n = 870), based on the structure of the in Mirny who come mainly from rural areas to population by the remoteness of the respondents’ continue their education at Mirny Polytechnic living quarters from the district centres. It should Institute, NEFU’s branch (see Table 2). be noted that the other features may not coincide As we can see from Table 2, in the age with the structure of the general population. structure of the sample from Mirninsky district Taking into account such features as sex and in general, as it was noted above, the 18-24 years age was not expected, since the questions of the old students are predominating. Table 1. Distribution of respondents by sex in the sample by districts, in % District (ulus) Total Sex Mirninsky Namsky Oimyakonsky Suntarsky Tomponsky Ust-Aldansky 870 216 people 200 people 98 people 258 people 54 people 44 people Male 33.3 63.4 14.5 40.8 17.1 50.0 29.5 Female 65.4 34.7 84.5 57.1 81.8 50.0 70.5 No answer 1.3 1.9 1.0 2.0 1.2 - - – 671 – Dekabrina M. Vinokurova, Antonina A. Vinokurova,.. Transformation of the Traditional Food Culture of Rural Residents… Table 2. Distribution of respondents by age in the sample by districts, in % Age, District (ulus) Total years old Mirninsky Namsky Oimyakonsky Suntarsky Tomponsky Ust-Aldansky 18-19 17.1 58.3 1.5 12.2 0.4 13.0 - 20-24 14.3 34.7 8.5 8.2 7.8 5.6 2.3 25-29 9.4 2.8 7.5 18.4 11.6 13.0 13.6 30-34 10.9 0.9 19.0 8.2 14.7 9.3 9.1 35-39 11.3 0.5 15.5 13.3 15.5 13.0 13.6 40-44 9.8 0.5 15.5 10.2 13.6 9.3 6.8 45-49 7.5 0.9 15.0 6.1 6.2 9.3 13.6 50-55 8.3 0.5 10.5 7.1 12.0 7.4 18.2 56-59 5.1 - 2.5 6.1 8.5 9.3 13.6 60-64 3.3 0.9 2.5 5.1 4.7 7.4 2.3 65-70 1.4 - 1.5 2.0 1.9 - 4.5 70 and more 1.1 - 0.5 2.0 1.6 3.7 2.3 No answer 0.6 - - 1.0 1.6 - - In terms of nationalities, sakha (82.5 %) are T.G. Evdokimova considers, that “high income predominating in the sample; Russians (3.8 %); is not always a consequence of private farming, small-numbered peoples of the North (10.6 %); while low-income groups of population have very representatives of other nationalities (1.1 %); no limited options of improving their income this answer (2.0 %). way” (Smysly sel’skoi zhizni…, 2016: 66). Detailed large-scale survey of rural residents As can be seen from the data given above, on the determined problem was held in the region most rural residents have private farms, though for the first time. official statistics determines that there is an overall tendency to their reduction (see Table 3). Assessment of the level Judging by the respondents’ answers, of natural food “procurement” most of their families breed livestock in the by the respondents Namsky and Ust-Aldansky districts, almost It is known that the family can get natural every third respondent selected this option. products from their farm, hunting, fishing and It is understandable, given that these districts gathering. To identify the extent to which the “specialize” in agriculture. In general, the respondents are still involved in these types of data obtained reflect the objective division of occupations, the relevant questions were asked. the traditional occupations of the population, Through the analysis of the data from depending on the natural and climatic conditions various sources T.G. Evdokimova has determined in the regions. Therefore, in the Tomponsky and that two thirds of the countrymen are involved Oimyakonsky districts reindeer breeding is more in private farming. At the same time, the low- common, and in the rest the residents are engaged income group of the countrymen who have in breeding of cattle and droving horse breeding private farms was smaller, then the groups of (Fig. 1). Although, in the Oimyakonsky Ulus, countrymen with medium- and high-income as the respondents admit, they breed cattle and (63.6 %, 67.9 % and 76.6 % correspondingly). horses in their subsidiary private farms. In 2001, – 672 – Dekabrina M. Vinokurova, Antonina A. Vinokurova,.. Transformation of the Traditional Food Culture of Rural Residents… Table 3. Private farms owned by the respondents, in % District (ulus) Total Option Mirninsky Namsky Oimyakonsky Suntarsky Tomponsky Ust-Aldansky 870 216 people 200 people 98 people 258 people 54 people 44 people Yes 71.3 68.1 79.5 59.2 77.1 48.1 70.5 No 28.7 31.9 20.5 40.8 22.9 51.9 29.5 Fig.

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