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The native people of Zabaikalye and their way of life
Zabaikalye is a special and a unique place, where Siberian taiga meets with Mongolian steppe. Because of this, two very different ways of life were developed here.
The main inhabitants of the region are the Evenki and the Buryats. Though they live in one region, they are adapted for slightly different conditions and they have created their cultural heritage.
Climate in Zabaikalye was sharply continental, but different landforms required different ways of survival.
The Evenki traditionally lived in taiga forests. Their life was connected with forests and extreme cold. The main way of the adaptation was mobility. In such conditions they were building chum - a cone-shaped structure made of poles, covered with birch bark in summer and with animals skins in winter. It gave them opportunity to change their places of living/homes together with reindeers very fast
The Buryats were trying to adapt with steppe and forest-steppe. They were liking yurt - rounded and comforted for the heavy wind, which was saving the warm very good. The main difference between the yurt and the chum is that the yurt is more difficult to make, but its more stable structure, which mirrored the life in an opened steppe.
The culture of both were connected with animals, which were main part of their existence.
The Evenki (also called as the lords of Taiga) put the reindeer in the center. The reindeer was their dry-land boat. For them, reindeer herding was not just some type of getting food, it was the part of their identity. Reindeer was giving them transport, food, clothes and shoes. The culture of the Evenki is the culture of hunters, where endurance and ability to understand the nature are appreciated
The Buryats were building their way of life on a nomadic livestock breeding. Their are 5 types of holy animals in their farm – a camel, a horse, a cow, a sheep and a goat. The one of the most important ones here is a horse – it is called the wings of the human. The life of the Buryats is more structured, which is seen by their yurt, which is divided into sections for men, women and guests.
Both the Evenkies and Buryats both spiritual life is based on the respect to the nature and its balance.
The Evenks still have the old form of shamanism. They believe that there is a soul in every tree, rock and lake. A human for them is a guest in taiga, which could not take more than he needs from nature. Over hunting has been a great sin for them
The Buryats have moved from shamanism to the merge with Buddhism. The Buddism has given them literacy, philosophy, medicine and books. The datsans monasteries became the centers of the knowledge. Though the Buryats preserved worship to the spirits and holy places. They know how to mix Buddism with shamanic traditions by visiting datsans and making offerings to the spirits in the hills.
The traditions of both are regulated by the contact of the human with the society and the nature.
The main cultural values of The Evenks have always been connected with the survival in Taiga. The most important of which were the mutual help and hospitality. Their warm fur clothes were so good, that the Russian pioneers were inspired by it. Before every important deal, they make a ritual.
The Buryats traditions were rich of symbolism. The yurt is oriented to the south, so it helped them to use the sun light as clock. Division into zones in their yurt reflects their respect to elders and their hospitality. A popular tradition called zalaa is tying ribbons in holy places for confessing the power of nature.
The shared landscape of Zabaikalye is mirrored in the people of the Guran - the children of mixed marriages between the Russian, the Buryats and the Evenks. They shared many of the traditions to from a diverse. For example, they have shared herding skills, selection skills and nice attitude to the nature and healing springs called arshans.
At the end I can say, that the Evenki and the Buryats have created their own system of cultural values, having built a life in harmony with nature. The Evenks gifted the reigion experience of the hardy forest hunters, and the Buryats a deep philosophy of the steppe and Buddism traditions. Their tolerance and help to each other have become a very important heritage of the Zabaikalye, which helps people to live in the peace and overcome harsh conditions of the Siberian nature.