Ethnocultural Features of Traditional Reindeer Herding in the Far North-East

The author traces the specifics of the reindeer husbandry of the Chukchi and Evens in the pre-Soviet period, reveals the features of their economic and social structure. The study was carried out within the framework of a landscape approach to the economy of traditional northern communities. The author examines two qualitatively different systems of traditional environmental management in the field of reindeer husbandry, determined by the ethnic factor - Paleo-Asian and Tungusic. The cultural landscape of traditional Paleo-Asian reindeer herding is characterized by large herds. Farms practiced extensive movements from the depths of the tundra to the sea, adhering to traditional routes from year to year. A characteristic feature of Chukchi reindeer herding was a social hierarchy, but the composition of specific camps was constantly changing. Tungusic type of reindeer husbandry was determined by the small herd nature of reindeer herding and the complexity of the household economy. The Evens were more mobile and flexible in using the natural resources of the landscapes they developed. The routes of movement were uncertain. The reindeer herding culture of the Evens is characterized by high individuality. Due to their small size, the Even camps were more stable in their composition, but much more mobile than the Chukchi ones. The hunting and reindeer herding groups of the Evens, with a certain degree of convention, can be considered egalitarian, while the camp associations of the Chukchi were based on social and property inequality.