On Domestication, Permanent and Temporary: Qoraŋә, Ǝlwelu, and Akwәqor

• Published in: Études/Inuit/Studies
• Main Author: Vakhtin, Nikolai
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Centre interuniversitaire d’études et de recherches autochtones (CIÉRA) 2021
• Subjects: Yupik folklore; human-animal relations; deer domestication; domestication techniques; Folklore Yupik; relations humains-animaux; domestication des rennes; techniques de domestication; Эскимосский фольклор; отношения между человеком и животным; одомашнивание дикого оленя; техники одомашнивания; Études/Inuit/Studies; Yupik
• Online Access: http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/1090323ar; https://doi.org/10.7202/1090323ar

In this paper, I analyze a Yupik folklore plot represented by two stories. Both were recorded in 1940-41 by Ekaterina Rubtsova from two Ungazighmiit storytellers: Nalugyaq (1888–1942) and Tatko (ca. 1875–ca. 1944). The plot is as follows: A man abandons his older wife and two sons and leaves with his younger wife, taking away the herd and apparently leaving the old family to die. But they survive; the boys grow up, start to hunt, and finally come across a herd of wild deer grazing nearby. They tame the herd and fully domesticate it, then set on a journey in search of their father. Eventually they find their father, and once they reach their goal, the herd suddenly turns into a flock of cranes and flies away. Several questions require attention here: From the emic perspective, where is the line between tame and wild? What should a wild animal learn to do, or feel, or get accustomed to, or stop being afraid of, in order to become domestic? What are specific techniques of taming? What are the human-animal relations that enable people to tame the deer and at the same time leave an option for the deer to become wild again? Dans cet article, j’analyse un aspect intriguant du folklore yupik au travers de deux histoires. Toutes deux ont été enregistrées en 1940-41 par Ekaterina Rubtsova auprès de deux orateurs Ungazighmiit : Nalugyaq (1888-1942) et Tatko (vers 1875-vers 1944). L’intrigue est la suivante : un homme abandonne sa femme aînée et ses deux fils, et part avec sa jeune épouse, en emportant le troupeau et en laissant apparemment mourir sa vieille famille. Mais ils survivent les garçons grandissent, commencent à chasser et tombent finalement sur un troupeau de rennes sauvages qui paissent à proximité. Ils apprivoisent le troupeau et le domestiquent complètement, puis partent à la recherche de leur père. Ils finissent par trouver leur père et, une fois leur objectif atteint, le troupeau se transforme soudain en une volée de grues qui s’envolent. Plusieurs questions doivent être examinées ici. Du point de vue ...