Siberian Federal University

Issue

Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences. 2016 9 (10)

Authors

Varavina, Galina N.

Contact information

Varavina, Galina N.:Institute for Humanities Research and Indigenous Studies of the North SB RAS 1 Petrovskogo Str., Yakutsk, Russia, Sakha Republic (Yakutia), 677027, Yakutsk; E-mail:

Keywords

indigenous peoples of the Arctic; Northern nomads; Evens; Evenki; traditional world outlook; cultural heritage; traditional ornament; symbolical language of culture; ornament semantics

Abstract

The present research studies the ornamental traditions of the indigenous peoples of the Arctic. It suggests a general typological characteristic of the traditional ornament of the Northern Tungus, Evens and Evenki. Since the dawn of time, they have been unique representatives of the Northern nomadic peoples, representing the Northeast division of the Tungus, belonging to Siberian-Manchurian ethnogenetic branch. In the course of long historical development, the Northern peoples created a number of works of decorative art, forming a unique cultural heritage of the circumpolar region, and making a cumulative contribution into the world culture treasury. Circumpolar culture of the nomads has developed a complicated system for harmonious existence of nature and man. This knowledge of the Northern nomads has been passed on from father to son, transmitted through the works of culture and art, being unique models of arts and crafts of the ethnos. The figurative “language” of the ornament of the Northern peoples is rich and multi-faceted, incorporating experience of interaction between nature and man. The Tungus ornament is one of the phenomena of the Even and Evenki national culture, reflecting its originality and peculiar features. The Tungus ornament is specific for expressing the nomadic culture, traditional way of life and peculiar picture of the world. It is distinguished with artistic and stylistic features along with the sacral and semantic content. The ornamental motives have been considered sacral, as they serve as a protective amulet. It should be noted that the ornament art is one of the most original elements of ethnic culture, vulnerable to changes much less than the routine objects they decorate. However, the Tungus ornament, and that of the Evens and Evenki in particular, remains an understudied area which has not undergone a comprehensive and deep analysis, especially on the semiotic and linguistic levels. For this reason, the present research drives a really acute problem. Besides, with the currently growing interest to the culture of autochthonic ethnicities, their stories and values, the traditional ornament may be classified as “raw material of the future”. Today, the scope of using forms, compositions, and elements of the traditional ornament in various areas of culture is extending such as to the design of trademark, decoration etc. So, Buryat Institute of Natural Science is working on a computer database of the traditional ornaments of the Mongol speaking peoples, which becomes a peculiar encyclopaedia of symbols, which may be used for creating new patterns based on the existing prototypes. For this reason, at the present stage the traditional ornament continues its development today. It is important to note that the traditional ornamental culture of the small-numbered indigenous peoples of the North and Siberia, based on mythological thinking, the fundamentals of their philosophy and nomadic world outlook, will always remain a hot topic

Pages

2525-2530

Paper at repository of SibFU

https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/26384

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC 4.0).