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NANAI |
| Nanai
indigenous people is one of the Tungus-Manjurian group. The total number
of Nanai is 12 000. Most of Nanai live in Khabarovsk region 11 000, about
1000 - in Primorsky region and another 1000 on Sakhalin island of Russian
Federation. In their own language “Nanai” means “a man of the Earth”. Traditional
religion of Nanai is Shamanism.
The main traditional activities of my people are fishing and hunting. Only in 19 century, after Russians came, Nanai began to have vegetable gardens and livestock. The most popular food is fish. My people still have many ways to keep fish for long time - smoking, freezing, salting, sun-drying and many other. Nanai also like meet of wild animals. We consider a delicacy raw bone marrow, liver and nostrils of moos and deer. We used fish and animal skin to make clothes and shoes. The type of clothe was different for women and men and also was vary depending on an occasion - every day, holiday, hunting and fishing, wedding, funeral and ritual. Right now we are trying to revive our language. We publish books and school text books in our own language, put together festivals and culture events. It is important if we want to preserve our culture. And we will find the way. What is still absolutely a problem and we see no solution yet it is the issue of our land, of our traditional territories. But maybe one day. Yulia Pyzgun, |