Patterns of Evenki Mobility in Eastern Siberia

in Sibirica
Author: Karl Mertens1
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  • 1 Boise State University
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3167/sib.2016.150101
Keywords:
environment; forager mobility; herding; hunting; reindeer herding; subsistence economy; technology; time allocation
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Abstract

Mobility is an aspect of human activity that is highly contextual but also in need of a framework for comparative analysis through time and space. This article examines Evenki mobility patterns and their relationship to economic practices of hunting, fishing, and reindeer herding, and utilizes a framework for considering mobility cross-culturally. The Evenkis are an indigenous minority living throughout central and eastern Siberia in the Russian Federation. In the fall and winter of 2011/2012, fieldwork among two groups of Evenkis documented patterns of mobility for reindeer pasturage, foraging and logistical purposes. Mobility related to these activities is connected to specific ecological, social, and economic factors.

Contributor Notes

Karl Mertens graduated from Boise State University in 2015 with an MA in Anthropology. His research interests focus on the dynamic relationships of human behavior, technology, and cognitive processes with economic and environmental factors.

Sibirica

Interdisciplinary Journal of Siberian Studies

Cover Sibirica
Article Category:
Research Article
Page Count:
40
Keywords:
environment; forager mobility; herding; hunting; reindeer herding; subsistence economy; technology; time allocation
Print Publication Date:
01 Mar 2016
Online Publication Date:
01 Mar 2016
Copyright:
© Berghahn Books 2016

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