Forced Relocation amongst the Reindeer-Evenki of Inner Mongolia

Abstract In 2003 the chinese Reindeer-Evenki were relocated to a purpose-built settlement, justified on the grounds of environmental conservation and development. although some had favoured the move, others interpreted this as an attack on their lifeworld, with a number of herder-hunters choosing to...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Inner Asia
Main Author: Fraser, Richard
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: Brill 2010
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Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1163/000000010794983531
https://brill.com/view/journals/inas/12/2/article-p317_7.xml
https://brill.com/downloadpdf/journals/inas/12/2/article-p317_7.xml
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Summary:Abstract In 2003 the chinese Reindeer-Evenki were relocated to a purpose-built settlement, justified on the grounds of environmental conservation and development. although some had favoured the move, others interpreted this as an attack on their lifeworld, with a number of herder-hunters choosing to remain in the forest where they reside in five campsites. This paper traces the development of the relocation from the perspective of three competing levels of experience: that of the national state, the regional government, and the Reindeer-Evenki themselves. although the community represents the only reindeer-herding people in china, their experiences reveal insights into the nature of minority-state relations characteristic of Northern and Inner asia, including the contradictions associated with relocation. at the same time, as little research has been carried out amongst china's Evenki minority, I update the situation by providing material from a lesser-known ethnographic region.