Life Science Journal 2014;11(6s) http://www.lifesciencesite.com Interaction of the Yakut ethnicity and biological systems in the territory of the Sakha Republic (Hordogoy settlement, Suntarsky District) and Krasnoyarsk Krai (Essey settlement, Evenks District) Natalia M. Libakova 1, Alexandra A. Sitnikova 1, Ekaterina A. Sertakova 1, Maria A. Kolesnik 1, Maria I. Ilbeykina 1 1. Department of Cultural Studies, Siberian Federal University, 79 Svobodny, Krasnoyarsk 660041, Russia [email protected] Abstract: In the context of global transformations the man-nature interaction is undergoing considerable changes. This process is of great importance for peoples engaged in traditional activities: fishing, hunting, gathering wild plants, breeding cattle and horses. On the one hand, objective changes mean development of civilization, while on the other hand, they cause modification of traditional involvement of people into the biological system. The article presents the analysis of “man – biological system” relations on the material, obtained by the scientists, post-graduate (master) students and students of Siberian Federal University during the expedition to the selo (village) of Hordogoy (Suntarsky District, the Sakha Republic, the Russian Federation) and to the posyolok (settlement) of Essey ( Evenks District, Krasnoyarsk Krai, the Russian Federation). The result of the paper is the comparative analysis of the changes in the lifestyle of Yakuts that resulted from the industrial development of natural resources in the region. [Libakova NM, Sitnikova AA, Sertakova EA, Kolesnik MA, Ilbeykina MI. Interaction of the Yakut ethnicity and biological systems in the territory of the Sakha Republic (Hordogoy settlement, Suntarsky District) and Krasnoyarsk Krai (Essey settlement, Evenks District). Life Sci J 2014;11(6s):585-592] (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 122 Keywords: Arctic, North, Russia, biological system, “man – nature” relation, traditional culture, civilization, Yakuts, Esseyns Yakuts, Sakha, indigenous peoples of the North 1. Introduction km), it is part of the Far Eastern Federal District, and The problem of inclusion of man into biosystem it occupies the second place in the rating of Russian and changing the “man – nature” relationship can be regions according to the economic potential of solved in the course of a natural science research, as natural resources (Expert RA, 2011). well as by means of socio-cultural analysis, because Indigenous people, living in the Sakha (Yakutia) natural and cultural components coexist in man. The Republic, are Yakuts (who call themselves “Sakha”). concept of “biological system” implies unity of According to the Russian Census 2010, their number anthropogenic and natural components (Zagustin, is 466 492 people. Traditional occupation for them is 2012; Buzmakov 2012). cattle and horse breeding – special breeds of these Of course, in every part of the world human animals were bred for survival in harsh climatic activity is somehow connected with the surrounding conditions. Due to the socio-economic changes, this nature, however understanding of this interaction in type of activity is the main only for residents of the context of northern territories seems most remote settlements, such as the selo (village) of important. This is due to the fact that the northern Hordogoy. areas constitute 70% of the entire territory of the The selo (village) of Hordogoy, founded in Russian Federation; they are a “treasure trove” of 1890, is the center Vilyuchansky Nasleg (settlement) minerals and are of strategic importance for the of Suntarsky Ulus (district). It is located on the high country (Koptseva and Kirko, 2014; Koptseva and picturesque riverside of the river Vilyuy, which Reznikova, 2009, Kirko et al, 2013, Meghova et al, determined its name. Such settlements are the most 2013). striking examples of influence of civilization Active development of the northern territories processes on traditional Yakut culture; they also of the Russian Federation, including industrial demonstrate the peculiarities of interaction of man development, results in the inhabitants’ of these and biological system. areas, who are mostly carriers of traditional cultures, Krasnoyarsk Krai, which borders with the Sakha experiencing a significant impact of “major cultures” (Yakutia) Republic, is the second largest subject of (Berry, Dasen, Purtinga, Segal, 2007; Slezkin, 2008), the Russian Federation (its area is 2,366,797 km²) which causes drastic changes in all spheres of life of and the first in the ranking of Russian regions in the these peoples. economic potential of natural-resources (Expert RA, The Sakha (Yakutia) Republic is the largest 2011). The Krai is part of Siberian Federal District; it subject of the Russian Federation and the world’s includes Taymyr Dolgan-Nenets and Evenks largest administrative unit (its area is 3,083,523 sq. Districts. http://www.lifesciencesite.com 585 [email protected] Life Science Journal 2014;11(6s) http://www.lifesciencesite.com The population of Krasnoyarsk Krai is greatly This article is based on the material collected varied. According to the latest census of the during the expeditions conducted in 2010 in the population, the Krai is home by 42 ethnic groups. posyolok (settlement) of Essey, in 2012 – in the selo Among them are representatives of 10 indigenous (village) of Hordogoy. Siberian ethnic groups, 8 of which belong to the category of indigenous small-numbered peoples 3. Results (peoples living on the lands of traditional settlement The study focused on the analysis of indicators of their ancestors, preserving their way of life, having of standard of living of Yakut ethnic group which are not more than 50,000 people and identifying the following: the area of residence, the main themselves as separate ethnic communities). Essey methods of economic activity, the general state of Yakuts, living in the posyolok of Essey, located in health care, education, preservation of language and Ilimpiyskaya group of settlements of Evenks District traditional culture, attitude to modern civilization belong to the group of small-numbered peoples. The processes. population of Essey is 631 people, 10 of them are To begin with, we will consider the average Evenks. statistical analytical data, and then we will present the Essey Yakuts position themselves as the ethnic data obtained through the in-depth interviews. group, distinct from the Yakuts of the Sakha Peculiarities of the ecology of living in the (Yakutia) Republic. This is an isolated ethnic group, territory and basic methods of traditional economies which has a special language that is different from will be examined among the first indicators of the classical and colloquial Yakut language (Sakha). standard of living. The posyolok (settlement) of Essey lies beyond the Hordogoy village is located in the zone of Arctic Circle and is on the western shore of Lake middle taiga, which is characterized by abundance of Essey in tundra zone. Originally the traditional coniferous forests and meadows, extending along the occupations of its residents were reindeer herding and rivers. Climatic conditions here are rather harsh. fishing; today only fishing is preserved. Winter is cold and long, in summer heat or freezing Disappearance of reindeer herding resulted from weather are possible. Summer daytime temperature is several factors: on the one hand, increase in 17-19°C, in winter the temperature drops to -40 ° C population of wild reindeer, on the other hand, the and below. Due to these factors, agriculture is influence of civilization - industrial development of represented by the traditional economies of Yakuts: the area, geological prospecting. horse breeding, animal husbandry, fishing, and According to the latest data, population of hunting. They are the main area of work and the main Hordogoy is about 670 people, most of whom are source of livelihood of the villagers. Also horticulture indigenous people, Yakuts. Despite the high birth is quite common in the village: the people grow rate, the population of the selo is decreasing. It is potatoes, beetroots, carrots (Myglan and Vaganov, connected with migration of people to the cities 2008). (Mirny, Yakutsk), as well as high mortality, the main Traditional crafts are developed in Hordogoy, causes of which are accidents (in the woods or on the which are strictly divided by gender. Women are river), illness, etc. engaged in weaving of horsehair (workshop of Sakha Sargyt), sewing, beading, while men are engaged in 2. Materials and methods processing of wood and metal, manufacturing The main method applied was the method of household utensils. field research carried out under the supervision of However, today most of the villagers are Professor Natalia Koptseva in 2010-2013 by the engaged in education, administration and services, scientists, PhD students, post-graduate (masters) rather than in agriculture. students and students of Siberian Federal University. Employment in the posyolok of Essey is The main scientific methods applied in the field currently mainly associated with traditional types of research were observation, in-depth and expert occupations. In Soviet times, there was a fur farm in interviews, questionnaires and statistical analysis; in the posyolok where silver fox was bred. The farm is this article we use the method of comparative now abandoned, it is beyond restoration. This analysis (Pimenova N.N., 2014; Seredkina N.N., situation has existed since 1992, and