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REINDEER HUSBANDRY IN RUSSIA Nganasans boy from the Piasina River in Central Taimyr, Russia Photo © Konstantin Klokov Reindeer Husbandry in Russia Introduction total number of domesticated reindeer has decreased Russia has about two thirds of the world’s population from almost 2.5 millions to 1.2 million. The recession of domesticated reindeer. They are herded on a terri- of the reindeer husbandry is dramatic for a number of tory of more than three millions of square kilometers reindeer herding peoples, since the reindeer economy on the tundra, forest-tundra, taiga and mountain is the major factor of their ethnic consolidation. areas. The reindeer husbandry in Russia is the basis This chapter will focus on the present situation of the cultures of many northern indigenous peoples, and trends in the reindeer husbandry with connec- who have various traditions and wide experiences of tion to the life of the indigenous peoples, as well as reindeer herding in a diversity of landscapes. Domesti- the changes of economic priorities arising as a con- cated reindeer allows them to live in harmony with the sequence of the transition in the Russian economy. extremely severe natural conditions of the Far North. Since the situation in the reindeer husbandry all over Many herders say: “Our people will live as long as the the huge territory of Russia is very various, the analy- reindeer are here. If there are no reindeer –there will ses has been made according to the main zones and not be our people”. types of reindeer husbandry in Russia. Many concrete Today the reindeer husbandry in Russia is receding. examples from the regions of reindeer husbandry stud- In several districts it has completely disappeared. The ied during field works are given. 23 SUSTAINABLE REINDEER HUSBANDRY REINDEER HUSBANDRY IN RUSSIA Collected data Reindeer herding peoples This chapter is written on the base of three main Unlike Norway, Sweden and Finland there are many sources of data: different peoples engaged in reindeer husbandry in • four special reports written by Russian experts: Russia. Representatives of the 16 reindeer breeding Evgeni Syroechkovskii (Wild reindeer), Marina peoples are in the official list of indigenous small- Zen’ko (Legal status of reindeer husbandry), numbered peoples of the North. Besides them, sepa- Atriom Rybkin (National management of rate groups of Komi and Yakuts are also engaged in reindeer husbandry), and Aleksandr Komarov reindeer husbandry, but they are not included in the (Reinder Herder Union of Russia); list, because their number is over 50.000. There are no Russian reindeer herders now, but Russian often work • four reports on field works conducted by Kon- in reindeer enterprises as administrative officials and stantin Klokov and Johnny-Leo L. Jernsletten as specialists (veterinaries, zootechnicians, account- in four reindeer husbandry regions of Russia ants) or work with equipment (mechanics, drivers (Murmnsk Oblast’, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous of tractors, land-rovers, etc.). It should be noted, that Okrug, Yakutia and Chukotka); reindeer husbandry in Russia is not an exclusive right • statistic data, collected during fieldworks and for indigenous peoples. received from the Russian Ministry of Agriculture Nenets, Komi, Saami, Evens, Evenks, Chukchi, and the Reindeer Herder Union of Russia. Koriaks, Khants, and Dolgans have cultural tradi- tions closely connected with reindeer breeding, their • Maps are made by Olga Petina. mode of life and economy depend mostly on reindeer (see map this page). From a cultural point of view there are four types of reindeer husbandry in Russia: Map 1: Areas of Reindeer Husbandry, Indigenous Peoples in Russia 24 25 SUSTAINABLE REINDEER HUSBANDRY REINDEER HUSBANDRY IN RUSSIA Chukchi from the Basin of Belaya River in Central Chukotka, Russia Photo © Konstantin Klokov • Saami’s, Various reindeer transport (sledge-, saddle-, pack- reindeer) is in use among the Tungus-Yakuts’ reindeer • Nenets’ and Komi-Izhems’, herders. Fences are also wide-spread, as well as differ- • Tungus-Yakuts’, ent additional fodder. • Chukchi-Koriaks’. To let reindeer “loose” or “semi-loose” while herd- ing is a Saami tradition. This classification reflects the history of reindeer hus- The largest reindeer stock in Russia belongs to the bandry during the last centuries. Types of reindeer Nenets and the Komi-Izhems, then Chukchi-Koriaks, husbandry differs in the means of reindeer keeping, Tungus-Yakuts and Saami. making equipment (sledge, harness), nomad dwelling The traditions of different reindeer herding peo- (chum, yaranga, balok), clothing and shoes, means of ples are significant even today. Now, in the period of using animals for transport (different types of har- reforms, under sharp changes of economic and social nesses, using reindeer for pack and saddle), milking conditions of life, they influence greatly on their (or not) females, using (or not) dogs for reindeer pas- choice of economic strategy and ways of adaptation to turing, construction of fences, sheds and other means the market economy. Here are some examples. of the traditional economy. The Nenets who are the most numerous indige- For example, some distinctive features of the nous people engaged in large herd reindeer husbandry Nenets’ and Komi-Izhems’ reindeer herding are: - have very close connections with their animals. Pri- herd preserving and directing during the whole day; vate reindeer are the main source for their survival, size reindeer herding with aid of dogs and reindeer teams; of the herd indicates social status. The growth of ones using sledges all over the year; lack of saddle- and own reindeer herd is the main task for each Nenets’ pack-reindeer. Reindeer herders live in conic chums. reindeer herder. Reforms of the last years stimulating The Chukchi-Koriaks use sledges of very differ- development of private business are good for Nenets’ ent construction than Nenets’ ones only in winter. reindeer breeding development. During the warm seasons herders move on foot, with- The Chukchi, who traditionally also have large out harnessing reindeer even when they migrate from herds, do not have the same close connection with one place to the other. The traditional dwelling of the their reindeer as the Nenets. One can find as explana- reindeer herders is the yaranga. tion to this in the history of the people, which has 24 25 SUSTAINABLE REINDEER HUSBANDRY REINDEER HUSBANDRY IN RUSSIA Dolgans from Ust’ Avam settlement in Central Taimyr, Russia Photo © Konstantin Klokov been divided into two groups - reindeer breeders and reindeer again. Now such traditions are not favourable sea hunters. In different periods of history most part of for the development of large herds of reindeer for meat the Chukchi changed reindeer herding for sea hunting production. and then back again, according to changes of natural The number of people involved in reindeer herd- and economic conditions. Now, the number of Chuk- ing shortens in Russia. Kets, Nganasans, Karels and chi engaged in reindeer herding notably shortens and separate groups of the Russian population (Pomors in the number of hunters on sea mammals grows. Murmanskaya oblast’, Symski old-believers in Krasno- The Evenks, among other small-numbered indig- yarski krai, etc.) kept reindeer several decades ago, but enous peoples inhabiting the Siberian taiga (Mansi, have lost reindeer husbandry now. Khants, Selkups, Evens, separate groups of Yakuts, Yukagirs, Tuvinians-Todgins, Tofalars, Oroks, etc.) have been mainly connected with transport-using reindeer herding. Their reindeer are rather domes- Main types of reindeer hus- ticated (much more than reindeer of other peoples) bandry and not afraid of people. Traditionally they were very careful about thier reindeer, which were not slaugh- On the large territory of the Russian North there is tered except in special cases. They had no tendency considerable variety of forms of reindeer husbandry to make the herd large, because such a herd would (see map opposite page). This fact is important take too much time and prevent them from hunt- because different types of husbandry requires differ- ing. At the same time they have never been afraid of ent approaches in management. In general one can loosing them, because even an absolute lack of rein- divide the diversity in reindeer husbandry forms into deer wouldn’t deprive them of means of subsistence. two main types. We will name them “tundra type” and Reindeer losses were verycommon for taiga hunters “taiga type” of reindeer husbandry. recently. Under favorable circumstances they bought 26 27 SUSTAINABLE REINDEER HUSBANDRY REINDEER HUSBANDRY IN RUSSIA Map 2: Different Types of Reindeer Husbandry Tundra Reindeer Husbandry antlers, blood, endocrine glands, etc. The structure of The first type covers almost all the tundra and forest- the herds depend on the type of husbandry: enterprises tundra in Russia (except Taymyr wich is occupied by a try to enlarge female number for meat production, or large wild reindeer population) and also mountainous male number for production of soft antlers. taiga areas situated mainly in the North-Eastern part According to D. I. Syrovatski’s data (2000) under of the country. modern conditions, if the husbandry is organized in The reindeer herds have long migration routes, a rational manner, meat should cover about 2/3 of usually several hundreds kilometres. During summer the total income from the production. Today reindeer the reindeer graze the shores of the northern seas enterprises get their profits almost only from meat and during winter in the forest-tundra and northern production. taiga. In forest-tundra and mountainous landscapes For herders engaged in the tundra type of reindeer herds graze the whole year round in the same area husbandry, reindeer are the main (and sometimes the including both forests and tundra territories providing only) means of subsistence. The territory occupied by good grazing in different seasons. Migration routes are this type of reindeer husbandry can be divided into much shorter than on the tundra – not more than one two zones - North-Western (from western border of hundred kilometres.
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