Andrei Golovnev. Talking cultures: Samoyed and Ugrian Traditions

 

The book is devoted to the ethnographic description of aboriginal cultures of Northwest Siberia – Nenets, Sel`kup, Khants, Mansi. It is founded on the author’s field work materials researched from long-term expeditions to remote parts of a taiga and tundra. It is written in a such manner, that cultures “talk about themselves” with the help of author–interpreter.
Subjects of conversation are wars and chiefs, a thing and space, nature and tactile time, ceremonies and pantheon. The center of exposition is person with its archetypal philosophy. The book is intended especially for ethnographers, culturologists, archeologists, historians and all interested at the mode of life and world outlook traditions of North people.

The editor-in-chief:

Member of the Russian Academy of Science Sergei A. Arutyunov 

CONTENTS

Preface

Language of Culture

Understanding Culture

Window to the Culture

Sounding Culture

Why so, not Another

Acknowledgments

Chapter1. Ethnocultural Panorama

Ecology and Economy

            Economic Activity

            Economic Systems

            Economic Units

Peoples and Languages

            Outlines of Archeological Areas

            Territorial-Linguistic Communities

            Ethnic Groups

            Historical stages

Chapter 2. Wars and Chiefs

Seats of War

            Ugrian-samoyed Conflicts

            Conquest of the Tundra (Nenets)

            Princes Intestine Wars (Ob-Ugrian)

            Defeat Turning into the Victory (Sel`kup)

Military norms and Tempers

     Nenets

            Warriors

            Motifs of the Conflicts

            Tactics of the Raids

            Victors and Vanguished

     Sel`kup

            Tactics of Survival

            Lessons of sly Icha

            Eradication of the Enemies

    Ob-Ugrian

            Defense of the Towns

            Tactics of Attacs

            Fighting Spirit

            Hostile Magic and Peaceful Oath

Epoch of the Revolts

            Rebelletion of Vauli

            Kazym Uprising

            Sedition on Tol`ka River

            Mandalada on Yamal Peninsula

Chapter 3. Space of the Things

     Nenets

            RoundLand

            Tent in the Middle of the Tundra

            By the Home Fire

            There, Behind the Back of the Earth

     Sel`kup

            Scull on the Post

             Around the Kettle

     Ob-Ugrian

            Earth with Skin and Hair

            Return to the Hearth

            Under the Badge of the Kiss

Chapter 4. Calendar

     Nenets

            Nara (Spring of the Crust of Ice Over Snow)

            Yunui (Spring of the High Water)

            Epdya (Summer of the Heat)

            Sel`venyangy (Summer of the Rain)

            Ngearei (Autumn)

            Syrei (Winter of the Snow)

            Syv (Winter of the Cold Sun)

     Sel`kup

            Tachety (Year-Summer)

            Katae (Year-Winter)

      Ob-Ugrian

            Tavy (Spring)

            Thum (Summer)

            Sus (Autumn)

            Tal` (Winter)

Chapter 5. Pantheon

     Nenets

            “This is My Face”

            “Every Two Thousand Years”

            “You Always Forget Your Name”

            Under Seven Layers of the Permafrost

            Ridge of the Sky

            From the Sea to the Sea

            Nomadic Man

            Along the Bear Track

            Ashy Woman

            Womb of the Earth

     Sel`kup

            Devil’s Lake

            Cold, but Hot Country

            What to Kill Cuckoo for?

     Ob-Ugrian (or from One to Seven)

            Everything Appears from Nothing

            Who among the Firsts was the First (from Two to Three)

            Between Earth and Sky (from Four to Five)

            Eagle’s Seven flights (Everything = Seven)

Not the last Word (Instead of the Afterword)

Bibliography

Abbreviations

 

It is available only in Russian!