Duration of the project: 1998-2000

A theoretical background for the project

In the beginning of the 20^th century, based on A. Kroeber's conception of cultural circles, V. N. Chernetsov, Russian archaeologist and ethnologist has written about "the Arctic Cultural Circle" that comprised similar cultures in the Arctic and subarctic zones of Eurasia, extending from present Scandinavia to Western Siberia and Taimyr Peninsula.

The applicants of this project do not aim at automatically implementing Kroeber's or Chernetsov's ideas. Nowadays the conception of anthropological cultural identity based on the similarity of climatic conditions, e.g. "culture of North-Russian zone", cannot be uncritically relied upon. However, there are some common features between the cultures of this region.

The cultures at issue in this project (e.g. the Khantys, Mansi, Nenets, Komi) can be related to one another through the contacts between them. For example, an area settled by the Nenets spreads from Western Siberia to the Northern European areas of Russia, whereas the Komi settlements spread from Western Siberia to the Kola Peninsula.

This project can be considered as a sequel to research done within the previous grant by Estonian Science Foundation held by this applicant ("Examining Cultural Changes in Western Siberia"). Also, outside the project, the research done by these applicants has been related to the peoples living in Western Siberia (e.g. the Khantys, Mansi, Nenets, Komi), and in Northern European parts of Russia (e.g. the Nenets, Komi).

Thus, the present project, together with the previous grant, would extend to the peoples that so far have been examined quite accidentally (e.g. the Komi). Also, more attention will be paid to the Russians living in relevant areas, as they have had close cultural contacts with all these peoples.

Main purposes of the project

The main purpose of the project is a comparative study of the indigenous cultures living in Western Siberia and Northern European parts of Russia (e.g. the Khantys, Mansi, Nenets, Komi). Beliefs and worldviews of these peoples, as well as their ability to deal with the rapid changes taking place in society will be among the main issues addressed in this project.

Another important concern would be making fieldwork trips, so as to gather material for research. Within this project, fieldwork trips will be made to all these peoples. A wide field of research has been chosen for to get information about the peoples that so far have been visited by researchers of the Estonian National Museum only sporadically (e.g. the Komi, Nenets).

Also, this project makes an attempt to synthesize the data collected from these regions by ethnologists and folklorists according to different cultures.

Important concerns of the project will be to communicate these cultures to a wider audience through articles, exhibitions and television broadcasts, as well as informing people in Estonia and elsewhere about threats to the native cultures of Western Siberia and Northern and North-Eastern European areas of Russia.

Working hypotheses

One of the hypotheses proposed for completing this project is that differences in identities of these peoples are caused by the variety of cultural contacts and consequently different processes of cultural changes in different peoples. Also, there have been different processes of cultural change within one ethnic group. Through time the peoples at issue have been influenced by various social and cultural factors. Or else they have taken on new qualities from outside. The influences are also different in traditionally nomadic (the Nenets, and the Komi) and more settled societies (e.g. the Khantys, and Mansi). Accordingly, there are considerable differences in their cultural identities.

Another hypothesis is that view of life of the Nenets (as being the most active reindeer herders of the peoples at issue) is largely based on close contacts between humans and reindeer: as being nomadic people, the Nenets are economically and psychologically dependent on their herds, and reindeer are the main source of food, clothing, transport, and mental security for them. However, for the Komi reindeer herding does not involve close contacts between humans and reindeer, and thus their food, transport and mental security are not directly dependent on their animals.

Institutions and persons participating in the project

The project "Cultural Identity of Arctic Peoples" will be carried out under the Estonian National Museum.

Participants: