Table Of Content([_,r/V£V\r ~
.. · NCYiCLO ·· DIA
OF INmlGBNO . p·eaPLES
of the North, Siberfa and the Far East
of the Rus 1an Federation
Association of Indigenous Peoples Centre for Support
of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Indigenous Peoples
of the Russian Federation (RAIPON) of the North (CSIPN)
www.csipn.ru
www.raipon.info
Encyclopedia of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East
of the Russian Federation
Authors: Prof. Vadim Turaev, Rodion Sulyandziga,
Pavel Sulyandziga, Vladimir Bochamikov
Translated from Russian by Jennifer Castner
Edited by Nikita Vronski
Design: Mikhail Romanov, Natalia Myazgova
Layout: Natalia Myazgova
Maps: Sergey Krasnopeev, Tatiana Krasnopeeva
Photo: Archive of Centre for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North
Edition prepared with the financial support
of Indian Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
l+I
Printed with the financial support
oflnternational Work Group for Indigenous Affairs (IWGIA)
.D
IWGIA
© CSIPN, 2011 ISBN 978-~905728-01-3
Centre for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North (CSIPN)
ENCYCLOPEDIA
OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
OF THE NORTH, SIBERIA
AND THE FAR EAST
OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Prof. Vadim Turaev, Rodion Sulyandziga,
Pavel Sulyandziga, Vladimir Bocharnikov
Moscow
2011
Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia Centre for Support of Indigenous Peoples
aanndd tthhee FFaarr EEaasstt ooff tthhee RRuussssiiaann FFeeddeerraattiioonn ((RRAAIIPPOONN)) of the North (CSIPN)
wwwwww..rraaiippoonn..iinnffoo www.csipn.ru
Encyclopedia of Indigenous Peoples of the North, Siberia
and the Far East of the Russian Federation
Authors: Prof. Vadim Turaev, Rodion Sulyandziga,
Pavel Sulyandziga, Vladimir Bocharnikov
Translated from Russian by Jennifer Castner
Edited by Nikita Vronski
Design: Mikhail Romanov, Natalia Myazgova
Layout: Natalia Myazgova
Maps: Sergey Krasnopeev, Tatiana Krasnopeeva
Photo: Archive of Centre for Support of Indigenous Peoples of the North
The Edition prepared with the financial support of Indian Northern Affairs Canada (INAC)
© CSIPN, 2011
CONTENTS
ALEUT.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..7
ALYUTOR .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..19
CHELKAN .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..29
CHUKCHI .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..35
CHULYM.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..50
CHUVAN.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..56
DOLGAN.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..63
ENETS.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..73
EVEN.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..82
EVENK.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..99
ITEL’MEN .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..118
KAMCHADAL .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..133
KEREK.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..141
KET.... .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..150
KHANTY.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..167
KORYAK.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..180
KUMANDIN .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..196
MANSI.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..204
NANAI .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..216
NEGIDAL .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..233
NENETS.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..241
NGANASAN.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..255
NIVKH .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..268
OROCH .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..280
OROK .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..296
SAMI. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..308
SEL’KUP.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..319
SHOR .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..333
SIBERIAN YUPIK.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..343
SOYOT.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..357
TAZY. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..363
TELENGIT.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..372
TELEUT .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..378
TOFALAR .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..385
TUBALAR .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..394
TUVAN-TODZHIN.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..401
UDEGHE.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..410
UL’CHI.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..428
VEPS.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..445
YUKAGHIR .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..450
ANNEX 1. GLOSSARY.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..460
ANNEX 2. ETHNONYMS OF SIBERIA AND THE FAR EAST .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..465
ANNEX 3. INDIGENOUS MINORITY PEOPLES
OF SIBERIA AND THE FAR EAST, RUSSIAN FEDERATION
BY LOCATION OF THE MAJORITY OF POPULATION.. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..471
3
Dear Reader! Dear Friend!
Let me invite you to the World of ancient wisdom. Amusing
and unusual World. The World with eventful and rich history!
Plunge into this world of open and frank people, the world of
unique civilizations!
A wonderful book has fallen into your hands — the
Encyclopedia of indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and
the Far East of the Russian Federation. This book is dedicated
to the hard history of ordinary people whose life has always
been inseparably connected with the destiny of the country.
Whose life is different from lives of many others. This book
iiss aabboouutt tthhoossee ffoorr wwhhoomm eevveerryy ddaayy mmeeaannss rreessppeeccttffuull ttrreeaattmmeenntt ooff nnaattuurree,, ccllaasshh wwiitthh tthhee
eelleemmeennttss aanndd ppaassssiinngg tthhrroouugghh sseevveerree tteessttss.. II wwiisshh tthhiiss bbooookk wwoouulldd bbeeccoommee tthhee BBooookk ooff
FFrriieennddsshhiipp ffoorr eevveerryy hhuummaann!!
RRuussssiiaa iiss aa GGrreeaatt PPoowweerr,, mmuullttiieetthhnniicc,, ddiivveerrssee aanndd hhoossppiittaabbllee ccoouunnttrryy!! II aamm ssuurree tthhaatt wwiitthh
tthhiiss bbooookk yyoouu wwiillll ddiissccoovveerr nneeww uunnffaammiilliiaarr tteerrrriittoorriieess ooff oouurr MMootthheerrllaanndd aanndd yyeett uunnkknnoowwnn
ppaaggeess ooff tthhee hhiissttoorryy ooff tthhiiss ccoouunnttrryy..
BBeeiinngg tthhee rreepprreesseennttaattiivvee ooff oonnee ooff tthhee ffoorrttyy iinnddiiggeennoouuss ppeeoopplleess ooff tthhee NNoorrtthheerrnn
tteerrrriittoorriieess —— tthhee NNeenneettss —— II kknnooww fifirrsstthhaanndd tthhee hhiissttoorryy,, tthhee ccuullttuurree aanndd tthhee mmooddee ooff lliiffee
ooff mmyy ffeellllooww ccoouunnttrryymmeenn.. AAnndd bbeeiinngg tthhee hheeaadd ooff tthhee RRuussssiiaann AAssssoocciiaattiioonn ooff IInnddiiggeennoouuss
PPeeoopplleess ooff tthhee NNoorrtthh,, SSiibbeerriiaa aanndd tthhee FFaarr EEaasstt II hhaavvee lleeaarrnntt,, hhaavvee ppeerrcceeiivveedd tthhee ppoowweerr aanndd
ssppiirriitt ooff ootthheerr ppeeoopplleess,, hhaavvee ffeelltt aanndd ccoommee ttoo lloovvee eevveenn mmoorree tthhiiss bboouunnddlleessss,, rriiggoorroouuss aanndd
fair world.
MMaann hhaass ddiivviiddeedd tthhee EEaarrtthh iinnttoo tthhee tteerrrriittoorriieess aanndd ssttaatteess yyeett tthhee hhuummaann’’ss hheeaarrtt kknnoowwss
nnoo bbaarrrriieerrss aanndd bboorrddeerrss.. TThheerreeffoorree II wwiisshh yyoouu ttoo ddiissccoovveerr tthhiiss ““NNeeww PPllaanneett”” aanndd aasskk yyoouu ttoo
uunnddeerrssttaanndd tthhee iimmmmoorrttaall lliiffee pphhiilloossoopphhyy ooff mmyy ffeellllooww ccoouunnttrryymmeenn wwhhoo hhaavvee bbeeeenn lliivviinngg iinn
hhaarrmmoonnyy wwiitthh nnaattuurree aanndd eennvviirroonnmmeenntt ffoorr cceennttuurriieess..
WWeellccoommee ttoo YYaammaall,, ttoo tthhee NNoorrtthh,, ttoo SSiibbeerriiaa aanndd tthhee FFaarr EEaasstt —— iitt iiss oouurr hhoommee.. IItt iiss oouurr
Russia!
Yours faithfully,
President of the Russian Association
of Indigenous Peoples of the North,
Siberia and the Far East
S. N. Kharyuchi
4 Encyclopedia of Indigenous Peoples
Dear friends!
II aamm vveerryy ggllaadd tthhaatt yyoouu hhoolldd tthhiiss bbooookk iinn yyoouurr hhaannddss.. TThhiiss
iiss tthhee EEnnccyyccllooppeeddiiaa ooff ppeeoopplleess wwhhoossee lliiffee,, ccuullttuurree,, ttrraaddiittiioonnss
aanndd ccuussttoommss aarree iinnsseeppaarraabbllyy ccoonnnneecctteedd wwiitthh ssuurrrroouunnddiinngg
nnaattuurree.. TThheeiirr wwoorrlldd ttooddaayy hhaarrddllyy ddiiffffeerrss ffrroomm tthhee wwoorrlldd ooff tthheeiirr
aanncceessttoorrss —— aanndd tthhaatt iiss tthhee bbeeaauuttyy ooff tthhiiss wwoorrlldd,, tthhiiss cciivviilliizzaattiioonn..
OOnn tthhee ootthheerr hhaanndd,, iinn oouurr gglloobbaalliizziinngg,, qquuiicckkllyy cchhaannggiinngg wwoorrlldd,,
tthhee wwoorrlldd ooff iinnddiiggeennoouuss ppeeoopplleess bbeeccoommeess mmoorree aanndd mmoorree
vvuullnneerraabbllee,, iitt ssuuffffeerrss pprreessssuurree ffrroomm,, ssoo ttoo ssaayy,, mmoorree ““mmaarrkkeett--
oorriieenntteedd”” cciivviilliizzaattiioonnss tthhaatt kkeeeepp oonn ccoonnssuummiinngg ssppaaccee ffoorr tthheeiirr
own development.
II wwiisshh ppeeooppllee iinnvvoollvveedd iinnttoo ddeecciissiioonn--mmaakkiinngg pprroocceessss bbootthh aatt iinntteerrnnaattiioonnaall,, nnaattiioonnaall
aanndd llooccaall lleevveellss wwoouulldd hhaavvee aann ooppppoorrttuunniittyy ttoo lleeaarrnn aabboouutt tthhee ppeeoopplleess wwhhoossee lliivveess ccaann bbee
aaffffeecctteedd bbyy tthheeiirr ddeecciissiioonnss.. II aallssoo wwoouulldd lliikkee ttoo rreemmiinndd yyoouu tthhaatt oouutt ooff 4400 ppeeoopplleess ddeessccrriibbeedd
iinn tthhiiss bbooookk 77 ppeeoopplleess hhaavvee ppooppuullaattiioonn ssiizzee lleessss tthhaann 11 tthhoouussaanndd,, aanndd 1122 ppeeoopplleess —— lleessss
than 2 thousands.
LLeett tthhiiss bbooookk bbeeccoommee aa kkeeyy ffoorr aallll tthhee rreeaaddeerrss ttoo uunnddeerrssttaannddiinngg tthhaatt oouurr hhuummaann
cciivviilliizzaattiioonn iiss tthhee ddiivveerrssiittyy nnoott oonnllyy ooff cciivviilliizzaattiioonnss aanndd ssttaatteess,, bbuutt aallssoo tthhee ddiivveerrssiittyy ooff ppeeoopplleess
wwhhoo lliivvee oonn tthhiiss ppllaanneett,, tthhee ddiivveerrssiittyy ooff cciivviilliizzaattiioonnss iinnssiiddee eeaacchh hhuummaann..
Sincerely yours,
Pavel Sulyandziga,
MMeemmbbeerr ooff tthhee PPuubblliicc CChhaammbbeerr ooff tthhee RRuussssiiaann FFeeddeerraattiioonn,,
PPrreessiiddeenntt ooff tthhee ““BBaattaannii”” IInntteerrnnaattiioonnaall DDeevveellooppmmeenntt FFuunndd ffoorr IInnddiiggeennoouuss PPeeoopplleess
ooff tthhee NNoorrtthh,, SSiibbeerriiaa aanndd tthhee FFaarr EEaasstt ooff tthhee RRuussssiiaann FFeeddeerraattiioonn
5
ALEUT
The Aleut people live both in the northeast corner of Russia as
well as in the United States (on the Aleutian Islands, the Pribyloff Islands,
and the southwestern tip of the Alaskan Peninsula). They are also native
to the Commander Islands, which are governed as part of Kamchatka
Oblast. The overall number of Aleut in the world is around 6,000 indi-
viduals, including some 5,000 who live in the United States. The Aleut
call themselves not only Aleut, but also Unangan or Anangin. The Aleut
who lived on Mednyy Island called themselves Sasignan. The Siberian
Yupik, the Aleut’s closest neighbors, call them Alakshak. The word Aleut
is of Russian derivation. It was coined after the first exploration of the
Aleutian Islands and was first found in written documents in 1747. The
etymology of this ethnonym is subject to debate. G. A. Menovshchikov
derives it from the Aleut word allitkhukh (group or obshchina). I. S. Vdovin
suggests that this ethnonym is from the Chukchi-Koryak language, from
their word alyav-vyte (someone whose head is rimmed with headwear).
One of the distinguishing historical features of the Aleut has,
in fact, been their unusual wooden headdress.
By heritage the Aleut belong to the Arctic (Eskimo)
race, which is part of the larger Mongoloid group. Their lan-
guage is called Aleut and is related to the Yupik-Aleut group
of Paleo-Asiatic languages. There are three separate dialects
for Aleut: Unalashkin (eastern), Atkin (central), and Attuan
(western). In present-day Russia two dialects are spoken.
Here they are known as the Bering (western) and Mednovskiy
dialects, the latter being a mixed, or creole language, where
the Aleut lexicon uses a hybrid Russian-Aleut grammatical
system.
Population
Approximately 644 Aleut live in Russia. The 1989
census taken in the USSR showed a population of 702.
The twentieth century saw a stable increase in the Aleut population in
Russia. Between 1926 and 1989 their numbers almost doubled. There are
Aleut living close together in the village of Nikol’skoye in the Aleutskiy
District on the Kamchatka peninsula. 900 people live in this village, of
which 312 are Aleut. Another significant portion of Aleut live in south-
ern regions of the Far East and Kamchatka, often in families and groups
mixed with other peoples.
Aleut 7
Current territory of residence of the Aleut in Russia
Ethnogenesis
The Aleut occupy a transitional position between the Old and New
Worlds and represent part of a larger group of North Pacific nationalities,
often referred to as Bering Sea nations. Aleut ethnogenesis is closely
tied to the issue of how America was settled and the dispersal of a single
Yupik-Aleut language. According to most research, the Aleut ethnic group
took form on the Aleutian Islands. However, the question of how they
came to the Aleutian Islands in the first place remains a mystery. Many
of the traditional, material, and spiritual elements of the Aleut culture
give us reason to believe that their distant ancestors were settlers from
the warmer southern regions of our planet, perhaps even from Oceania.
There is some material anthropological evidence of this. The Aleut occupy
a unique position among Arctic peoples and with southern touches that
may point to a Pacific branch of the Mongoloid race. Since the distant
past they have lived apart from the Yupik people and in profound isola-
8 Encyclopedia of Indigenous Peoples
