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The NivkhsWhile the Nivkh people in general have become part of the Russian population, small villages along the Amur River and in northern Sakhalin, still offer an opportunity to learn more about their ancient lifestyle, traditions and culture. Because their villages, specifically alongside the Amur River are remote, they are more or less left alone and this has generated a more traditional lifestyle. In Sakhalin, around Nogliki, there are many Nivkh people, who are actively involved in the restoration of their cultural traditions. The local Nivkh museum is one that is extremely interesting and local Nivkh families offer opportunities to participate in a typical Nivkh meal and visit a typical Nivkh and Orok village alongside the Sakhalin coastline. Souvenirs are mostly based on traditions. However, wooden tableware with intricate design are still being made as well as clothing, such as mittens and wall hanging decorated with the typical Nivkh design. Origin Nivkh is the name the people living on the Amur River called themselves. On Sakhalin it is N'ivhgn-N'igvn, which means 'man'. In older literature, they are described as Gilyak, the name given them by their neighbors, the Manchus ((Gilyami-Gileke). Various Nivkh tribes have also named themselves according to the area they settled in, for example Chombing 'the people of the river Chom' and Mybing - 'the people of the river My'. However, Nivkh is the official name for these ethnic groups as adopted in Russia. The earliest historical data concerning the Nivkhs dates back to a 12th century Chinese chronicle. The people called Tszi-lya-mi on the Lower Amur River mentioned in the chronicle are evidently Nivkhs. They are also mentioned by the Russian Cossacks (Valery Poyarkov 1643-46 and Yerofey Khabarov, etc.) in their reports. Habitat The Nivkhs live in the Far East, on the Lower Amur, on the coast of the Ohotsk Sea on the river's estuary and on Sakhalin Island. In an administrative sense they belong to the Khabarovsk District (the districts of Takhalin and Lower Amur) and in the Sakhalin region (the districts of Rybinov, Kiorv, Alexandrov and Shirokopad). The number of Nivkhs has decreased significantly in recent years. They do not necessarily live together, bur have assimilated with Russians and Negidal people. Anthropologically the Nivkhs belong to the Sakhalin-Amur subgroup of the Mongoloid racial type. They are short, have broad faces, a snub nose and thick lips. Unlike other Mongoloid people, they have relatively dark skin and dark eyes and hair. They have remarkably dense beards, a supposed influence of the Ainu. Language The Nivkh language belongs to the Paleo-Asian languages as a separate unit, unconnected to any other group or sub group, The Amur and Sakhalin dialects contain notable differences in phonetics, grammar and vocabulary. They have even been presumed to be two different languages. In areas of life central to the Nivkhs existence (nature, the sea, weather, fishing, hunting) the language is remarkably rich in its native stock of words. However vocabulary connected with newer occupations (i.e. agriculture, cattle-breeding, horticulture) is pervaded with loans from the Russian language.
History The Nivkhs are considered to be the descendants of the oldest Neolithic population of the Lower Amur and Sakhalin island. They retained their independence from the State of China and Manchu, but, at the same time, retained fruitful trade and cultural relations. Through living within the theoretical sphere of influence of China, 17th and 18th century Russian expeditions did not result in the annexation of the Amur Region to Russia. The authority of the Russian Emperor only came to encompass the Nivkhs after the 1858 Aikhun and 1860 Peking treaties, when the entire Amur and Ussui regions fell to the Russians. The Nivkhs have always interacted and traded with all their neighboring peoples. An important Chinese and Manchu influence (e.g. in architecture, clothing, food) is manifest in Nivkh folk culture and, to a lesser degree, some Ainu and Japanese influence (mainly on Sakhalin island). In the 20th century the influence of Russian culture increased considerably. The Soviet regime brought substantial changes to the Nivkh way of life. The first major reshaping occurred with the introduction of forced mass collectivization (the first Kolkhoz, Chir-unvd 'New Life', was founded in 1940). The system of winter and summer residences, developed to maximize the benefits of local resources, was abandoned. By deliberate manipulation of the system of wages and salaries, the Nivkh were forced to leave the sea and become lumbermen or agricultural laborers. Nivkh fishermen believed that hurting the earth (e.g. ploughing) was a sin, and therefore they sought to resist collectivization and resettlement. When by 1938 the "kulaks and enemies of the people" had been eliminated, the kolkhoz consisted of 50 families. Next became the forcible uniting of the small settlements in large units. This took place during the 1950's and 1960's. The purely Nivkh settlements of Piltun, Chalvo and Vensk, etc. were "closed". In the 1960's and 1970's, the atmosphere specifically on Sakhalin was particularly oppressive. Nowadays the Nivkh live in villages and towns of mixed population, in Russian type dwellings, they wear ready-made clothes and food bought in shops and communicate in Russian. Only a handful of particularly anthropological factors have so far averted their total assimilation. Traditions Of the Nivkh traditions, the most enduring are fishing and hunting. Nivkh houses in winter were traditionally dug into the ground, while in summer; houses were built on piles near the salmon spawning rivers. The Nivkhs build their own boats usually hollowed out logs, decorated with intricate Nivkh artwork. They used a lot of wooden tableware - spoons, scoops and troughs for their favorite food mixtures (berries, fish and seal fat). For the coastal dwelling Nivkhs, an additional occupation was the hunting of sea mammals, especially seals. Dog breeding (for draught animals and for food) was also widespread. Nivkhs clothes differed from those of the Ainu. The usual garment has a wide wrap-over flap. Man's clothing of the 20th century combines velvet and dog fut. Hunting clothes were made of seal's fur. Women's robes are ornamented with embroidery in the spiral Amur style. Metal ornaments adorn the hem. Footwear was usually made of seal and sea lion furs, remarkable for its durability and water resistance. Also note: Islands Magazine February 1999 Text is taken from the following sources:
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