Return of Nimat?—Wild Reindeer as an Indicator of Evenki Biocultural Systems

Abstract

This paper reviews oral histories and established scientific materials regarding wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus spp.) in the Southern Sakha-Yakutia, in the Neriungri district and surrounding highlands, river valleys and taiga forest ecosystems. Wild reindeer is seen as an ecological and cultural keystone species through which environmental and social changes can be understood and interpreted. Oral histories of Evenki regarding wild reindeer have been documented in the community of Iyengra between 2005 and 2020. During this 15-year-co-researchership the Southern Sakha-Yakutian area has undergone rapid industrial development affecting the forest and aquatic ecosystems. The wild reindeer lost habitats and dwindles in numbers. We demonstrate that the loss of the wild reindeer is not only a loss of biodiversity, but also of cultural and linguistic diversity as well as food security. Our interpretative and analytical frame is that of emplacement. Socio-ecological systems have the potential and capacity to reconnect and re-establish themselves in post-extractive landscapes, if three main conditions are met. These conditions for successful emplacement include (1) surviving natural core areas, (2) links to cultural landscape knowledge and (3) an agency to renew endemic links.

Wild reindeer as a keystone cultural and ecological species in the Eurasian north

“…Second, in the Evenki boreal forest Indigenous societies, Mustonen and Evenki co‐authors (2021, see also Ogar et al, 2020) demonstrate how the wild reindeer in Southern Siberia are maintaining Indigenous knowledge, cultural and linguistic diversity as well as food security (Figures 2–4).…”

“…The largest herds are found in the Taimyr peninsula. However, most of these stocks are in decline due to overharvesting, infrastructure and extractive land uses and other disturbance, as well as climate change (Mustonen et al, 2021).…”

“…For 22 years, Snowchange Cooperative (http://www.snowchange.org) has been conducting oral history and ecological research among the wild reindeer and co‐dependent communities in the Eurasian North (see, e.g., Mustonen et al, 2021). This work, co‐led by Indigenous partners and members of the Cooperative, has followed similar back‐casting methods and acceptance of Indigenous oral histories and observations as Burch (2012) demonstrates for the Alaskan caribou populations 1850–2010.…”

Shaping Tomorrow’s Arctic

“…Focusing on the perspective of wild reindeer and their interconnections with biological, cultural and linguistic diversity as well as food security, Mustonen et al [7] observe Traditional skills do not necessarily disappear during industrial modernization. Instead, in certain encouraging conditions, they can re-emerge and pave routes to endemic futures".…”

Assessing current visual tooth wear age estimation methods for Rangifer tarandus using a known age sample from Canada

“…These animals are widespread across much of northern Eurasia and North America [20][21][22][23], and their remains are frequently found in abundance at archaeological sites beginning in the Late Pleistocene [e.g., [24][25][26][27][28][29][30]. Furthermore, reindeer and caribou, in both wild and domestic forms, continue to be essential to maintaining ways of life and well-being for many northern peoples [23,[31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45].…”