Tuvos elnių augintojų ir medžiotojų socioekonominės praktikos bei strategijos posovietinėje aplinkoje

• Main Author: Jefanovas, Aivaras
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Lithuanian; English
• Published: 1557
• Subjects: Republic of Tuva; reindeer herders and hunters; socioeconomic challenges; Tora; taiga
• Online Access: http://vu.oai.elaba.lt/documents/33500243.pdf; http://vu.lvb.lt/VU:ELABAPDB33500243&prefLang=en_US

Field research material was collected by the author in the Todzhinsky district of the Republic of Tuva in August−September 2017. The study was conducted by applying the participant- observation method, while living together with the reindeer herders in their camp for a period of 3 weeks, as well oral stories told by locals, recorded in the village of Tora-hem (Todzhinsky district). A week was spent in the capital of Tuva – Kyzyl – for interviewing hunters, trappers, environmental agencies officials, the head of reindeer herders organisation, ethnographers and ecologists. The main purpose of the study was to investigate the strategies of subsistence of Tozhu reindeer herders and hunters as well their socio-cultural relationship with animals (especially predators) and the environment. Particular attention was paid to hunting practices used by autochthons to protect their herds of reindeer from predators. The main socioeconomic challenges faced by Tozhu autochtons in the post socialist era in Tuva (Todzhinsky district) are related to the failure of the state to provide sufficient financial support for the reindeer herding system, along with the collapse of pre-existing reindeer farm products marketing and logistics, non-payment of wages, high unemployment, and the reluctance of young people to carry out traditional activities. According to reindeer herders, the younger generation have nothing to do in the taiga because salaries are very small; moreover, most young people grew up in villages, not in the taiga, and lack herding skills. These circumstances led to a sudden reduction in the number of reindeer. Despite great socioeconomic challenges, reindeer herding in Tuva has not disappeared. Reindeer herders have joined an association and set up enterprises, aiming to not only take over the functions of the former collective farms, but also politically and economically adapt reindeer herding to a modern market economy.