Gathering and Releasing Animals : Reindeer Herd Control Activities of the Indigenous Peoples of the Verkhoyansky Region, Siberia
Arctic Anthropologists have conducted theoretical studies in orderto understand methods of reindeer herd control in Siberia. However, littleis known about how herders actually manage herds of reindeer in pastureon a day-to-day basis. Based on data collected through fieldwork in NorthernYakutia, Sibe...
Main Authors: | , |
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Format: | Report |
Language: | English |
Published: |
国立民族学博物館
2004
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://minpaku.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_uri&item_id=4016 http://hdl.handle.net/10502/3286 https://minpaku.repo.nii.ac.jp/?action=repository_action_common_download&item_id=4016&item_no=1&attribute_id=18&file_no=1 |
Summary: | Arctic Anthropologists have conducted theoretical studies in orderto understand methods of reindeer herd control in Siberia. However, littleis known about how herders actually manage herds of reindeer in pastureon a day-to-day basis. Based on data collected through fieldwork in NorthernYakutia, Siberia from 1994-1997, this paper examines the concrete processesand distinctive features of reindeer herding activities as a case study.The object of analysis is the professional herding brigade of a former Statefarm. The rhythms of the seasonal migrations and their relationship to husbandryactivities are described quantitatively. I also outline the day-to-dayherding activities. Herding involves human-animal interaction: the herders'interventions are gathering, catching, placing and releasing. Animal behaviourscorresponding to the human activities are moving-in, grazing, resting,and leaving. Taking into account the nature of the herd, I describe how theday-to-day herding pattern is related to the seasonal migrations. The generalprinciple of herd control in this case study is that herders allow a partof the herd (riding reindeer) to supervise and lead (drive) the other animals.The different human attitudes to animals in herding activities result in a dualstructure of the herd, which appears to maintain a homeostatic spatial extensionbetween animals and humans. It also corresponds to the herders' systemof reindeer classification. Herders' gathering and releasing are crucial herdingactivities which enable a space to be appropriated where livestock can befreely pastured. ... |
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