Scientific study of arctic indigenous peoples in Yakutia in the 1980s

The article is devoted to the analysis of the history of the scientific study of the indigenous peoples of the North living in the Arctic regions of Yakutia. The basis for the development of the topic was, first of all, archival materials (Manuscript Fund of the Scientific Archive of the Yakutsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Archive of the Russian Academy of Sciences; Scientific Archive of the N.N. Miklukho-Maklai Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology), including first introduced by the author into scientific circulation, as well as scientific literature. It is noted that in the indicated period there was a significant intensification of the process of scientific study of indigenous ethnic groups. Particularly in 1950s, the study began to be systematic and has not been interrupted to this day. This was due to a complex of objective and subjective factors, which included: increasing transport accessibility of areas of residence of representatives of indigenous peoples of the North, their compact concentration in settlements created during collectivization and settling, increased interest of the authorities in conducting research, development of a network of scientific institutions in Yakutia, as well as studies by talented scientists. In this regard, the main research carried out was identified and characterized: socio-ethnographic research under the direction of I.S. Gurvich 1951-1954, covering 11 out of 13 modern Arctic regions of Yakutia, field studies of the Even language by L.D. Rishes, K.A. Novikova and V.D. Lebedev, as well as the largest Yukaghir complex expedition of 1959. It is shown that, as a result of the work conducted, the first complete ethnographic study of the indigenous peoples of the North was carried out, an objective and adequate assessment of their current socio-economic situation was presented, the Yukaghir people, one of the most ancient indigenous ethnic groups of the Russian Arctic, were comprehensively studied. The research in the field of the Even language was also characterized by significant achievements. The main result of the research carried out in the 1950s was the documentation of an array of unique information that characterized the original traditional cultures of the North, which quickly dissolved in the course of unification processes. It is shown that the research process in the considered period was a symbiosis of the old and the new. Scientists moved both on traditional vehicles for the North (dogs, deer, branches, etc.), and newly introduced vehicles (aircraft, boats, etc.). It should be noted that I.S. Gurvich, the most prominent researcher of the period, was actually the last encyclopedic scientist in the history of scientific knowledge of the indigenous peoples of the North in Yakutia - he combined ethnographic, linguistic, folklore, sociological, economic and archaeological studies. At the same time, a new systematic practice started - representatives of indigenous ethnic groups in Yakutia began to study their ethnic groups and became full-fledged actors in research activity. The author declares no conflicts of interests.

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