Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences / Traditional Healing Practices Among the Samoyedic Peoples

Full text (.pdf)
Issue
Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences. 2026 19 (7)
Authors
Kolesnik, Maria A.; Shpak, Anna A.; Koptseva, Maria S.
Contact information
Kolesnik, Maria A. : Siberian Federal University (Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation); ; ORCID: 0000-0001-8194-7869; Shpak, Anna A.: Siberian Federal University (Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation); ; ORCID: 0000-0002-2948-8762; Koptseva, Maria S. : Siberian Federal University (Krasnoyarsk, Russian Federation); ; ORCID: 0009-0004-9363-5749
Keywords
folk medicine; Samoyedic culture; healing practices; Samoyeds; traditional treatment
Abstract

The article provides an analysis of the traditional healing practices of the Samoyedic peoples, including the Selkups, Ents, Nenets, and Nganasans. The authors categorize diseases based on their etiological origin: infectious, parasitic, nutritional, mental, physical, sensory, skin, and sexually transmitted illnesses, as well as domestic medical procedures (obstetrics). The study revealed that the selection of treatment strategies in Samoyedic practice was influenced by the extent of perceived disruption of the cosmic order. Rational methods, such as bloodletting, cupping, herbal remedies, and animal-based medicines, were combined with rituals and shamanistic interventions. The role of the shaman in healing was to diagnose the root cause of illness, often attributed to an anthropomorphic or animalistic spirit, and to eliminate it. The authors conclude that the medical culture of these peoples has therapeutic and adaptive value in the harsh conditions of the far north

Pages
1411–1421
EDN
NMSTGN
Paper at repository of SibFU
https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/159261

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