Chukchi

Proven Enduring

“The name Chukotka is taken from the word `Chukchi' -- the name the Russians long ago gave one of the native peoples of the peninsula. The Chukchi's self-designation is l'ygoravetlan, which means "the real people." Today some Chukchi live in cities, working primarily as teachers, journalists, artisans, administration functionaries, wage laborers, and in museums and cultural centers. Most, however, live (as they did in the past) in small villages or in the tundra, tending herds of domestic reindeer, catching fish, and hunting. The Chukchi and roughly 30 other Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russia continue to engage in these traditional subsistence activities.”

*Taken from the website Cultural Survival

What are the beliefs and practices of my people regarding how a human being is meant to exist in relationship with a living earth?

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Proven Resilient

“The history of my people is still awaiting its researchers. However, some facts speak for their unique and complicated past. Chukchi resisted Cossacks who were attempting to collect yasak  (“tribute”) for the Tsar. Christianization of the Chukchi was unsuccessful, despite the great efforts of Russian Orthodox missionaries starting in the mid-19th century. Despite strong pressures for assimilation, including long suppression of the Chukchi language in favor of Russian, our people still manage to preserve our culture and native tongue, and to pass them on to the next generations. The Chukchi occupy a special place among the arctic peoples of the Russian Far East, and interest in their amazing and ancient culture continues to this day.”

*“Chukchi” by Vladimir Etylin

What are the beliefs and practices required to survive and thrive in the contemporary world?

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Additional Resources

Powerpoint

Download the entire Chukchi slide deck for educational purposes

Websites

Snowchange

Exchange for Local Observations and Knowledge of the Arctic

Meet The North

Books / Text

Life in the Cyclic World: A Compendium of Traditional Knowledge from the Eurasian North

Wisdom of Elders Better Than Science or the Internet

The Chukchi Bible

When the Whales Leave

Videos / Audio

Tundra Awakens in the Spring 

After the Ice Video Series

Pegtymel

Support Projects

Snowchange

Centre for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North / Russian Indigenous Training Centre