Nganasan people
Encyclopedia
The Nganasans are one of the indigenous peoples of Siberia
. They are the northernmost of the Samoyed
ic peoples, living on the Taymyr Peninsula
by the Arctic Ocean
. Their territory is part of Krasnoyarsk Krai
. Their "capital" is the settlement of Ust-Avam. They speak Nganasan language
.
The Avam Nganasans live in the western part of the Taymyr Peninsula, in the valleys of the rivers Pyasina, Dudypta, and Boganida. The speakers of the Vadeyev dialect live in the tundra
and in the eastern parts of Taymyr, in Khatangsky District by the Kheta River
, Lake Taymyr
, and the Khatanga Bay.
The Nganasans are few in number - 834 (2002 Census
). Throughout most of their history they have been nomadic hunters, fishers, and herders of reindeer
. They successfully resisted attempts at conversion to foreign religions until the Soviets. The biggest change in their history occurred in the 1940s, when the Soviet authorities decided to end their shamanist
beliefs. Shamans were imprisoned and their holy artifacts confiscated. Since the 1960s, the nomadic life of the Nganasans has ended and they have been settled in villages, where they live alongside Russians
and Dolgans
. These sudden changes caused depression for many Nganasans and alcoholism
is a big problem among them.
as a living phenomenon among them even by the beginning of 20th century; the last notable Nganasan shaman's seances could be recorded on film in the 1970s.
One of the occasions in which the shaman partook was the clean tent rite held after the polar night
, including sacrifice
. The Nganasan name for clean tent rite was “maδuśa”.
Siberia
Siberia is an extensive region constituting almost all of Northern Asia. Comprising the central and eastern portion of the Russian Federation, it was part of the Soviet Union from its beginning, as its predecessor states, the Tsardom of Russia and the Russian Empire, conquered it during the 16th...
. They are the northernmost of the Samoyed
Samoyed
Samoyed may refer to:* the Samoyedic peoples in Siberia who speak the Samoyedic languages: the Enets, the Nenets, the Nganasans, and the Selkups* the Samoyedic languages they speak* Samoyed , a dog breed...
ic peoples, living on the Taymyr Peninsula
Taymyr Peninsula
The Taymyr Peninsula is a peninsula in the Far North of Russia, in the Siberian Federal District, that forms the northernmost part of mainland Eurasia and Asia...
by the Arctic Ocean
Arctic Ocean
The Arctic Ocean, located in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Arctic north polar region, is the smallest and shallowest of the world's five major oceanic divisions...
. Their territory is part of Krasnoyarsk Krai
Krasnoyarsk Krai
Krasnoyarsk Krai is a federal subject of Russia . It is the second largest federal subject after the Sakha Republic, and Russia's largest krai, occupying an area of , which is 13% of the country's total territory. The administrative center of the krai is the city of Krasnoyarsk...
. Their "capital" is the settlement of Ust-Avam. They speak Nganasan language
Nganasan language
Nganasan language is a language of the Nganasan people...
.
The Avam Nganasans live in the western part of the Taymyr Peninsula, in the valleys of the rivers Pyasina, Dudypta, and Boganida. The speakers of the Vadeyev dialect live in the tundra
Tundra
In physical geography, tundra is a biome where the tree growth is hindered by low temperatures and short growing seasons. The term tundra comes through Russian тундра from the Kildin Sami word tūndâr "uplands," "treeless mountain tract." There are three types of tundra: Arctic tundra, alpine...
and in the eastern parts of Taymyr, in Khatangsky District by the Kheta River
Kheta River
Kheta River is a river in Krasnoyarsk Krai in Russia, left composite of the Khatanga River. The length of the river is 604 km. The area of its drainage basin is 100,000 km². The Kheta is formed by the confluence of the Ayan and Ayakli Rivers, both of which originate in the Putoran plateau...
, Lake Taymyr
Lake Taymyr
Lake Taymyr is a lake of the central regions of the Taymyr Peninsula in Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russian Federation. It is located south of the Byrranga Mountains....
, and the Khatanga Bay.
The Nganasans are few in number - 834 (2002 Census
Russian Census (2002)
Russian Census of 2002 was the first census of the Russian Federation carried out on October 9 through October 16, 2002. It was carried out by the Russian Federal Service of State Statistics .-Resident population:...
). Throughout most of their history they have been nomadic hunters, fishers, and herders of reindeer
Reindeer
The reindeer , also known as the caribou in North America, is a deer from the Arctic and Subarctic, including both resident and migratory populations. While overall widespread and numerous, some of its subspecies are rare and one has already gone extinct.Reindeer vary considerably in color and size...
. They successfully resisted attempts at conversion to foreign religions until the Soviets. The biggest change in their history occurred in the 1940s, when the Soviet authorities decided to end their shamanist
Shamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
beliefs. Shamans were imprisoned and their holy artifacts confiscated. Since the 1960s, the nomadic life of the Nganasans has ended and they have been settled in villages, where they live alongside Russians
Russians
The Russian people are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Russia, speaking the Russian language and primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries....
and Dolgans
Dolgans
Dolgans are a Turkic-speaking people, who mostly inhabit Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia. The 2002 Census counted 7,261 Dolgans. This number includes 5,517 in former Taymyr Autonomous Okrug. There are 26 Dolgans in Ukraine, four of whom speak Dolgan .Dolgans speak Dolgan language. Some believe that it is...
. These sudden changes caused depression for many Nganasans and alcoholism
Alcoholism
Alcoholism is a broad term for problems with alcohol, and is generally used to mean compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages, usually to the detriment of the drinker's health, personal relationships, and social standing...
is a big problem among them.
Shamanism
The isolated location of Nganasan people enabled shamanismShamanism
Shamanism is an anthropological term referencing a range of beliefs and practices regarding communication with the spiritual world. To quote Eliade: "A first definition of this complex phenomenon, and perhaps the least hazardous, will be: shamanism = technique of ecstasy." Shamanism encompasses the...
as a living phenomenon among them even by the beginning of 20th century; the last notable Nganasan shaman's seances could be recorded on film in the 1970s.
One of the occasions in which the shaman partook was the clean tent rite held after the polar night
Polar night
The polar night occurs when the night lasts for more than 24 hours. This occurs only inside the polar circles. The opposite phenomenon, the polar day, or midnight sun, occurs when the sun stays above the horizon for more than 24 hours.-Description:...
, including sacrifice
Sacrifice
Sacrifice is the offering of food, objects or the lives of animals or people to God or the gods as an act of propitiation or worship.While sacrifice often implies ritual killing, the term offering can be used for bloodless sacrifices of cereal food or artifacts...
. The Nganasan name for clean tent rite was “maδuśa”.