The first scientific expedition to the village of Khatystyr within the framework
of the project "Digitalization of the linguistic and cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic"
Preservation of the linguistic and cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic is one of the important priorities of the Russian Federation's chairmanship of the Arctic Council, including within the framework of the Decade of Native Languages of Indigenous Peoples, proclaimed by the UN General Assembly since 2022. By order of the Ministry for the Development of the Arctic and Northern Affairs of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), the North-Eastern Federal University is implementing the project "Digitalization of the linguistic and cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic", which became the main project from the Russian Federation in the Arctic Council during the chairmanship of the Russian Federation in the Arctic Council and received the status of an Arctic Council project. The project being implemented can become the basis for solving most of the issues within the framework of the key task of preserving and digitalizing the disappearing languages and cultures of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic, creating materials for their study, as well as studying the history and culture of indigenous peoples.
As part of the implementation of the State Contract, NEFU conducts scientific expeditions to the places of traditional residence of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of the Russian Federation to create a series of video materials on the linguistic and cultural heritage and traditional activities of the indigenous peoples of the North in real conditions. Expeditions are carried out in the following regions and districts: Republic of Sakha (Yakutia): Srednekolymsky Ulus (Srednekolymsk), Aldansky Ulus (Khatystyr village) and in Khabarovsk Krai. The work of the expedition groups involves conducting a survey of informants for further digital description of the language of the indigenous peoples on a linguistic platform, work in museums to digitalize unique objects of the cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the North. All collected information will be processed and presented in the relevant sections of the Arctic Multilingual Portal www.arctic-megapedia.com.
From October 29 to November 4, 2024, researchers from the North-Eastern Federal University, including senior lecturer of the Department of Northern Philology Nadezhda Prokopyevna Nikolaeva, 5th year student of the Institute of Modern Languages and International Studies of NEFU Lyarido Ignatenko and a fourth-year Institute of Mathematics and Information Science's student Yan Danilov conducted an ethnolinguistic expedition to the village of Khatystyr in the Aldan District of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The main goal of the expedition was to study the state of the Evenki language, as well as to collect ethnographic materials reflecting the rich cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. The expedition group conducted a comprehensive study, including surveys of local residents, interviews with native speakers and photo and video recording of ethnographic objects.
A preliminary analysis of the language situation in the village showed that the Evenki language is preserved only among elderly speakers, but educational institutions and the rural community center actively support the language and contribute to its revival. In the kindergarten, teachers develop original methods and games aimed at immersing children in the language, and the lessons themselves are taught by a native speaker, Svetlana Stepanovna Mikhailova from the village of Iyengra. At school, the native language is studied from the second grade, and the classes are taught by young specialists - language activists, graduates of the Department of Northern Philology of NEFU Valentina Struchkova and Sardana Stepanova.
The traditional way of life in the village of Khatystyr has been preserved: during the work, the scientists visited the reindeer herd of the nomadic clan community of the Indigenous Peoples of the North "Buta", where household items, traditional farm tools and vocabulary related to reindeer herding and hunting were recorded. Women continue to tan skins and sew, using traditional Evenki tools and methods, they are passed down from generation to generation.
The expedition took place in a warm and hospitable atmosphere. Local residents actively supported the researchers, shared their knowledge and treated them to traditional Evenki dishes.
Alina Petrovna Vasilieva,researcher at the International Research Laboratory ‘Linguistic Ecology of the Arctic’ of NEFU
