Gathering and Releasing Animals : Reindeer Herd Control Activities of the Indigenous Peoples of the Verkhoyansky Region, Siberia

• Main Authors: 高倉 浩樹, Hiroki Takakura
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 国立民族学博物館 2004
• Subjects: ヒトー動物関係｜群れ管理｜空間の領有｜群れの二重構造｜トナカイ｜エヴェン｜サハ(ヤクート); human-animal relationships｜herd control｜appropriation of space｜dual structure of herd｜reindeer｜Even｜Sakha (Yakut); Arctic; Sakha; Yakut; Siberia
• 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

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. ...