Small peoples of Russia - the list. The smallest people of Russia

The territory inhabited by indigenous small peoples of Russia, runs along 28 subjects of the Russian Federation. It stretches from the Far Eastern regions right up to the Kola Peninsula.

According to the official list from 2006, representatives of 45 indigenous peoples live in the North, Siberia, the Far East and other regions of the Russian Federation, which gives a total population of close to 250 thousand people.

The most numerous people are Nenets, with a total number of 44,000. To small peoples, entsi are considered, who identify themselves under the name of an echo. Their number does not exceed 200 people. To the disappearing peoples also belong Izhorians - 450 people, and the nationality of the water, the number of which according to recent data was less than 100 people. What are the other small peoples of Russia called ? The list can be seen below.

List of the small peoples of Russia

• The Chukchi.
• The Eskimos.
• The Chuvans.
• The Kamchadals.
• The Koryaks.
• Alutortsy.
• The Aleuts.
• The Nivkhi.
• Oroki.
• Orochi.
• Udegeitsy.
• The Negidalists.
• Ulchi.
• Evenki.
• Evens.
• The Yukaghirs.
• Dolgan.
• Abazins.
• The chum.
• The Veps.
• Izhors.
• The Nenets.
• The Igelmen.
• The Saami.
• Chulymtsy.
• The Shors.
• The Khanty.
• Besermyan.
• The Koreks.
• Mansi.
• Sepulum.
• The Soyots.
• Tazy.
• Teleuts.
• Tofalars.
• The Tuvinians are Todzhans.
• Kumandy.
• The Nanais.
• Nagaibaki.
• The Naganasans.
• Tubalars.
• The Nganasans.
• The Chelkans.
• Karelians.
• The water.

The traditional world view of the indigenous peoples of the North

Traditionally, the Evens, like other indigenous small peoples of Russia, deify the sky with all the main stars, as well as the basic elements of the surrounding flora and fauna - mountain ranges, rivers, taiga forests and various animals inhabiting them. So, for example, the Sun in the traditional consciousness of Evene is represented by a kind person who is completely interested in the interests and protection of the local population. The God of the Sun can be persuaded to interact by sacrificing sacrifices, as well as faith and prayers. The deity is able to fulfill the will of believers, endow them with healthy and strong offspring, multiply herds of deer, bring luck to hunters and foster a fish catch.

Many indigenous peoples of Siberia have a pagan and polytheistic religion, with a rather special attribute of affection, both soul and body, namely to native nature and phenomena, but not to nature as a whole. That is, it is the land on which this or that people dwell that is for him a divine and animated entity capable of influencing events both in nature and in society. Her power is recognized as superior and her power is being tamed by various spiritual practices, such as prayers, spells, etc.

In turn, animals, like plants, are taken for more intimate entities. So, for example, in the village of Sebyan-Kel, located in Kobiai ulus, a sacred tree grows, whose spirit protects people. In honor of the tree sacrifices are made, various things are presented to him. In addition, there are cults of the sacred deer, swan, eagle and other totems of childbirth.

The modern Christian current in Yakutia

Member of the Institute of Problems of Small Peoples of the North Zakharova N.Ye. In his study notes that the current Orthodox indigenous northerners tend to discriminate their pagan roots, seeing in them only degradation, idolatry, as well as "the burning of national consciousness." Thus, in the eyes of modern Christian figures, the shaman often appears as an object of national shame, because he prefers the worship of the objects of nature to the worship of the one God.

In connection with this, an irreconcilable struggle is waged with shamanism. So, according to Zakharova N.Ye., the government of the Sakha Republic and the Yakut eparchy set themselves the task of completely eradicating paganism in the territory inhabited by the small peoples of the north of Russia.

It should be noted that such a struggle with shamans has been going on for about three centuries, since the days of tsarist Russia. However, the northern pagans remained so even after the formal baptism. As a result, shamanism gradually began to penetrate into the Russian cultural environment. It is possible to explain this phenomenon by the fact that the modern cultural heritage appears as a successor to the pagan worldview. This finds some confirmation in the case of the Renaissance - the revival of secular pagan society from the ashes of the darkness of the Middle Ages.

Whatever it was, the combination and close intertwining of the cultures of traditional Christianity and shamanism give bizarre and interesting pictures, the study of which the small peoples of Russia provide their own existence.

The peoples of the north-western part of Russia

In this list, the small peoples of Russia stand in descending order of population:

• Karelians (92 thousand people).
• Veps (8 thousand people).
• Saami (2 thousand people).
• Izhora (450 people).
• Water (82 people).

Karelians

The place of residence of Karelians can be guessed by the name of this people. He is the titular and indigenous people of the Karelian Republic. Some Karelians densely settled in the Leningrad and Vyborg regions. Karelian ethnos began to form approximately from the 13th century on the territory that covered the Karelian Isthmus and a part of modern Finland where there are still separate settlements of Karelians.

Mass baptism, conducted on the orders of the Novgorod prince, did not greatly influence the national culture of the Karelians. It was almost formal, because at that time very few people understood the Russian language on which religious propaganda was conducted. However, the moral and spiritual principles of the Karelians were reflected in folklore songs, dances, runic poems and spells. Languages of the people are Finnish and Russian. In the northern regions, the main occupation of Karelians is reindeer herding and other livestock, in others - fishing and forestry. Now in Karelia there is a well developed tree-producing and manufacturing industry, in which part of this ethnic minority is employed.

Izhora

Izhora is the self-name of the Finno-Ugric people, which in the past, along with a small number of people, was the main population of the Izhora land. The name of this people is rooted in the Swedish name of Ingermanland province (Ingermanland). In addition, some Izhorians call themselves plural "karyalasht". This is in accordance with the fact that the representatives of the people voz mean the Izhorians only as "Karelians".

In 1897, the number of this people reached 14,000 people, but today their number is close to 400. In 1920, even its own writing was developed, but it had to go to oblivion by the end of the 1930s.

His first mention as "Ingres" Izhora got back in 1223. In the XV century, this people is part of the Russian state. He gradually underwent assimilation with the rest of the population due to the Orthodox faith. In the XVII century, part of the lands of Prioneva (Ingermanland) becomes a Swedish province, and the Izhorians assimilate with the Finns, and in 1943 the population is exported by German troops to Finland. Subsequently, until the mid-1950s, the process of settling the Izhorians in the previous places underwent some restrictions on the part of the authorities.

The economy of Izhora is similar to the Russian and assumes the basis of agriculture: the cultivation of vegetable and grain crops, followed by the collection, drying and threshing of chains and upholstery on the bench, as well as livestock and specific fishing, including winter fishing, for which the Izhorians left as Rule, by the whole population, spending nights in boardwalks.

Accommodation izhortsev occurred in the villages, usually small families. Regardless of Orthodoxy, the people had their own authentic funeral rites. Burial occurred in holy places-groves. Together with the deceased, a stock of food and woolen reins, as well as a knife, were placed in the coffin.

A huge cultural value is the runic legacy of the Izhora in the form of a large number of epic works. So, the Finnish folklorist Elias Lennoroth used the runes of the Izhora when composing the text of "Kalevala".

Water

The smallest people in Russia today number only 82 people and live mainly in the southwestern part of the Leningrad Region. Vod belongs to the Finno-Ugric peoples. The languages that the people of the people own, three are Vodsky, Izhora and Russian. The language closest to the Vodec adverb is Estonian. The main and traditional occupation of this small people was agriculture, as well as forestry, fishing and small handicrafts. The products received in the farm were usually sold to large centers, such as St. Petersburg.

The smallest people of Russia could not retain their original language. This was prevented not only by the coming Orthodoxy (sermons were conducted in Russian), but also the lack of normality of the language, the absence of schools in which the written vodka language was taught, a small number of people and a multitude of mixed marriages. Thus, the Vodian language is practically lost, and the culture of the nationality vod strongly succumbed to Russification.