Russia Indigenous Peoples

Ethnic groups in Russia

Indigenous peoples

Russia is also home of a particular category of minority peoples, i.e. small indigenous peoples of the North and Far East, who maintain very traditional lifestyles, often in a hazardous climatic environment, while adapting to the modern world. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia passed legislation to protect rights of small northern indigenous peoples. As the largest country in the world, has great ethnic diversity, and is a multinational state, home to over 193 ethnic groups nationwide. However, demographically, ethnic Russians dominate the country’s population. In the 2010 Census, roughly 81% of the population were ethnic Russians, and the remaining 19% of the population were ethnic minorities.

List of ethnic groups in Russia 

Indigenous peoples

Russia is also home of a particular category of minority peoples, i.e. small indigenous peoples of the North and Far East, who maintain very traditional lifestyles, often in a hazardous climatic environment, while adapting to the modern world. After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia passed legislation to protect rights of small northern indigenous peoples. There are more than 2,000 national minorities’ public associations and 560 national cultural autonomies. There is a lively minority language scene in most subjects of the country, with more than 1,350 newspapers and magazines, 300 TV channels and 250 radio stations in over 50 minority languages.

Ethnic Discrimination in Multi-ethnic Societies: Evidence from Russia 

Russia is a multilingual nation; approximately 100–150 minority languages are spoken across the country. According to the Russian Census of 2002, 142.6 million across the country spoke Russian, 5.3 million spoke Tatar, and 1.8 million spoke Ukrainian. The constitution gives the country’s individual republics the right to establish their own state languages in addition to Russian, as well as guarantee its citizens the right to preserve their native language and to create conditions for its study and development. However, various experts have claimed Russia’s linguistic diversity is rapidly declining.

Ethnic Groups in Russia

Minorities and indigenous peoples in

Russian Federation:

Evenk, also called Evenki, Evenki also spelled Evenky or Ewenki, formerly Tungus, the most numerous and widely scattered of the many small ethnic groups of northern Siberia (Asian Russia).

The Evenk numbered about 70,000 in the early 21st century. A few thousand live in Mongolia, and the remainder are almost equally divided between Russia and China. They are separable into two distinct cultures: hunters and reindeer breeders are scattered in the vast area of the taiga (boreal forest) from the Ob–Irtysh watershed eastward to the Sea of Okhotsk coast and Sakhalin, and from the Amur River basin in the south northward to the Arctic Ocean; horse and cattle pastoralists or sedentary farmers reside in Transbaikalia and northeastern China and Mongolia. Many of the Evenk are bilingual, and the Evenk language is not the native language of more than half of the ethnic Evenk.

Ethnicity in Russia

Russia is a diverse country with many ethnic groups. There are over 170 ethnic groups or nationalities in Russia. Native Russians and Tatars are some of the largest groups. There are millions of such people, as well as smaller groups throughout the country. Under the Russian Federation, there are 21 national republics that are home to various ethnic minorities. This is a major change from Soviet communism. During the Cold War, these ethnic groups had problems celebrating their traditions or religious heritage.

Today, Russia is more open and the government supports programs to help these groups. The country’s schools offer help in at least 38 minority languages, and other schools teach as many as 75 minority languages. These programs are part of Russia’s interest on behalf of the country’s various ethnic groups. While problems exist, these groups have a chance to succeed in ways that did not exist under Soviet communism.

Why do some Russians look Asian?

Indigenous people are only a tiny percentage of Russia’s population, around 0.2% to be precise, yet they inhabit over 60% of Russia’s territory. This illustrates just how vast Russia is, there are large regions with no infrastructure where only ethnic groups inhabit the land. 

Some of the ethnic groups have such small populations that they could be considered endangered. The smallest of the indigenous groups is the Enets, of which there are around only 350 people as members. There are several factors which are creating a decline in the number of members of ethnic groups. The primary reason is younger people are moving away to cities for education or employment and not returning. 

Indigenous Cultures 

The ethnic groups in Russia are incredibly diverse, with each group having their own individual beliefs, practices, language and culture. They all have unique traditional dress, which has evolved to meet their specific needs. Each group will also have a unique set up for their chum, much like we would decorate our homes to our own style. The groups also have unique traditions and rituals that they follow. Therefore, it’s very difficult to give a complete overview of the cultures, as they all differ.

The indigenous people use natural resources, there is no excessive waste and they will find a way to utilize every part of their provisions. For example, reindeer are incredibly important to many groups’ way of life, they use them for transport, they eat the meat, they will also use the skin for warmth – be that in clothes, shoes or their chums. The Enets even use the bones and skin for musical instruments which entertain them and are used in rituals. After gaining an understanding of how ethnic groups use their resources, I’ve come to see this as an incredibly sustainable way of life. They respect and look after their belongings and animals, as they are vital for their survival in such a harsh climate. 

Many of the groups practice animism which is evident in their folklore and legends. They believe that there are three worlds; one above us, earth and one below. There are shamans who perform rituals to connect their groups with the three worlds to allow their ancestors to guide them. I came to understand that these rituals are at risk of becoming endangered, as older shamans are passing away without their family members taking their place. This is also partially because only men can take on the role of Shaman for a group and it is seen as a large responsibility. 

It’s not only their homes and clothing that differs, each group gave an insight into their traditional pastimes. The Nganasans sang through a folk story with puppets and they had games they had sculpted from reindeer bones. The Dolgans showed how to use a jaw harp – it’s much more difficult to master than you would imagine! Finally, the Enets had several children from their group perform traditional music, it was incredible. It’s interesting to see that all the groups have a unique take on how best to entertain yourself out on the tundra.  

Undoubtedly, the indigenous people face many obstacles that threaten their traditional way of life and endanger their unique cultures. Currently only around 10% of Russia’s ethnic groups live a nomadic or semi nomadic lifestyle, compared to 30 years ago where 70% did. Today, members of indigenous cultures are assimilating into Russian culture, with more of the younger members settling in towns and cities away from their families where it is easier to find work. They agreed that they have witnessed a real change in the environment over the years. Living in the Taimyr peninsula guarantees extreme weather – they have winter for around nine months in a year! However, they said that they have observed changes in the climate that impact their livelihoods. When the seasons are evolving and becoming less predictable it makes it harder for them to care for their livestock and manage their resources.
There are numerous languages which belong to indigenous groups in Russia and yet over 100 of them are endangered. With the proliferation of Russian language throughout these groups, education and sparking an interest in indigenous languages in younger generations is the only way to preserve them. The indigenous people spoke about the idea of encouraging tourism to preserve their culture and generate a new source of income.

Ethnicities in Russia: the Tatars, Altai, Chukchi, and Yukaghir People

Tatars are a group of Turkic people living in central European Russia. 37% of all Tatars in Russia live in the Republic of Tatarstan and make up the majority (53%) of the republic’s population. The national language is Tatar (a part of the group of Altaic languages) and has several dialects. The majority of Tatars are Sunni Muslims, there are also orthodox, and those who do not identify themselves as belonging to any specific religious movements. One of the most significant pre-Islamic holidays is Sabantuy, a plough holiday held in spring and symbolizing the end of sowing.

The Altai people are an ethnic group that includes the following nationalities: Teleuts, Telengits or Teles, Kumandits, and Tubalars. They are generally divided into two groups – southerners and northerners. Southern Altaians speak the Southern Altai language which was called Oirat until 1948. The Altai people are very spiritual people, they believe that everything has a soul: from stones to water, wood, and other inanimate objects. Every Altai family has its own sacred mountain. There live their spiritual protectors, the ancestors of their family. It is strictly forbidden for women to visit this mountain, and it is also forbidden to stand barefoot at the foot of the shrine.

Published by ghwelker3

Glenn Welker is an author, researcher, and Website editor in the field of indigenous American studies. This noted and incredibly talented professor and webmaster offers his endless list of bookmarked links. You can click on anything here from American/Canadian and Latin American Indian languages, history and cultures to an abundance of information about computing information, the internet, and web development. Indigenous Peoples Literature Websites promote indigenous artwork, literature, and culture. Glenn Welker has also enjoyed a thirty year love of Music, particularly ethnomusicology, the music of many cultures.

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