An Arctic Indigenous Knowledge System

467 Pages·2017·18.2 MB·English

Kulturstiftung Sibirien
Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology L
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Erich Kasten and David Koester (general editors) v
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li Alexandra Lavrillier and Semen Gabyshev
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& An Arctic
This series contains monographs in Social and Cultural Anthropology on Siberian
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cultures. It is intended primarily for students, scholars, and all those who have an interest a
Indigenous Knowledge System
in Siberian and Northern ethnology and understanding the tremendous changes that b
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indigenous, rural and urban communities in these regions have experienced in the s
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recent past. e of Landscape, Climate, and Human Interactions
v
Co-written by an anthropologist and a reindeer herder (BRISK project co-researcher) on

the basis of their field materials, this book offers documentation and analysis of complex Evenki Reindeer Herders and Hunters

traditional environmental knowledge. After discussing the methodology of the Evenki

community-based transdisciplinary observatory for monitoring climate and environ-
A
mental changes with herders (2012–2016), the book reveals some of the results of this
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co-production. It presents the emic typologies and concepts the Evenki use for under- A
standing norms and anomalies, observing and predicting changes, and adaptating. r
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Conceived together with the herders, the book’s structure combines analytical texts i
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(traditional in anthropology) and other forms of presentation, such as abstract diagrams I
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with explanations in Evenki, Russian, and English, diagrams on pictures, and encyclo- d
paedic entries with pictures and trilingual explanations from the herders. ig
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Alexandra Lavrillier is an anthropologist and associate professor in anthropology o
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at CEARC (Cultures, Environments, Arctic, Representations, Climate) (UVSQ) of the
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University of Paris-Saclay. Fluent in Evenki, she has conducted around nine years of K
fieldwork on hunting, reindeer herding, landscape management, representations of n
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the natural environment, adaptations brought by postsocialism, the market economy,
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climate change, and shamanism among the Evenki, Even, and Yakuts. l
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Semen Gabyshev is a Evenki reindeer herder and hunter d
with 27 years of experience in the Amur region and g
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Yakutia (Russia). A native bearer of the Evenki TEK and
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language, since 2012–2013 he has been an associate y
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member of CEARC and an indigenous co-researcher in t
e Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology
scientific projects (BRISK, POLARIS, PARCS).
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SEC Publications
Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology
Series Editors:
Erich Kasten and David Koester
Editorial Board:
Dittmar Dahlmann, Michael Dürr, Gail Fondahl, Tjeerd de Graaf,
Roberte Hamayon, Marjorie Mandelstam-Balzer, Anna Sirina and Hiroki Takakura
Alexandra Lavrillier and Semen Gabyshev
An Arctic
Indigenous Knowledge System
of Landscape, Climate, and Human
Interactions
Evenki Reindeer Herders and Hunters

Verlag der Kulturstiftung Sibirien
SEC Publications
This publication has been made possible with the assistance
of the French National Research Agency (ANR).
Bibliografische Informationen der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek:
Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen
Nationalbibliografie: detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über
<http://dnb.d-nb.de> abrufbar.
Cover graphic:
Alexandra Lavrillier and Semen Gabyshev
Typesetting:
Kulturstiftung Sibirien gGmbH, Fürstenberg/Havel
Printer:
Books on Demand GmbH, Norderstedt
Electronic edition: www.siberian-studies.org/publications/arcticiks.html
ISBN: 978-3-942883-31-3
Alle Rechte vorbehalten
All Rights Reserved
Printed in Germany
© 2017 Kulturstiftung Sibirien
CONTENTS
List of Abbreviations ....................................................................................................... vii
List of Tables and Diagrams .......................................................................................... viii
Preface ............................................................................................................................... 10
Introduction

A transdisciplinary community-based observatory:
Methods and co-productions ......................................................................................... 13
1.1 Indigenous knowledge and science ................................................................... 15
1.1.1 A specific TEK approach .................................................................................... 15
1.1.2 Specifities and co-production ............................................................................ 17
1.1.3 Evenki conditions for knowledge production versus science ........................ 19
1.2 A transdisciplinary community-based observatory:
origin and developments .................................................................................... 21
1.2.1 From the point of view of the social anthropologist ...................................... 21
1.2.2 From the point of view of Evenki reindeer herders ........................................ 23
1.2.3 From the point of view of Evenki villagers ...................................................... 26
1.2.4 Development of a transdisciplinary method ................................................... 27
1.2.5 Difficulties of mutual understanding
with climatology and remote sensing ............................................................... 33
The System of Evenki Ecological Knowledge and its Typologies
2.1 The Evenki group concerned and their calendar ............................................ 41
2.2 Natural landscape ................................................................................................ 60
2.2.1 Topographic typology ......................................................................................... 60
2.2.2 Vegetal cover typology ...................................................................................... 123
2.3 Indigenous science of climate .......................................................................... 159
2.3.1 Evenki climatology ............................................................................................ 159
2.3.2 Clouds typology ................................................................................................. 203
2.3.3 Precipitations typology ..................................................................................... 213
2.3.4 Winds and airs typology .................................................................................. 217
2.3.5 Snow and ice typology ...................................................................................... 243
Observing and Predicting Norms, Anomalies, and Transformation
3.1 Landscape components for an ideal camp ..................................................... 370
3.2 Snow road construction and anomalies ......................................................... 372
3.3 Analysis of grazing pastures ............................................................................ 378
3.4 Anomalies in the snow cover 2013–2014 ........................................................ 400
3.5 Anomalies in the snow cover 2014–2015 ........................................................ 416
3.6 Ice anomalies (Ulan bukte) .............................................................................. 428
3.7 Landscape transformation due to climate change ....................................... 438
3.8 Inter-annual comparisons and modelling (norms, anomalies) ................. 444
Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 451
References ...................................................................................................................... 459
vii
List of AbbreviAtions
ANR – French National Research Agency.
BRISK – Bridging Indigenous and Scientific Knowledge about Global Changes in the
Arctic: Adaptation and Vulnerability of Societies and the Environment, a pro-
ject funded by the ANR and coordinated by the first author (CEARC, UNESCO,
LMD, CNRS-MNHN).
C-B TO – Community-based Transdisciplinary Observatory.
CEARC – Research Centre: Cultures, Environment, Arctic, Representations,
Cultures, OVSQ, UVSQ, France.
EK – Ecological Knowledge.
EU – European Union.
ESCAPNES – Environmental and Social Climate Change Adaptation Plans for
Northern Eurasian Societies / project proposal submitted to the EU.
Evenki C-B Observatory – Evenki Community-Based Observatory, or Evenki
Community-Based Transdisciplinary Observatory.
GDR – Groupe de recherche – Research Group (inter-institutional group of
French researchers).
IEK – Indigenous Ecological Knowledge.
IK – Indigenous Knowledge.
IP – Indigenous Peoples.
IPBES – Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services.
IPEV – Polar Institute of Paul Emile Victor.
IPK – Indigenous Peoples’ Knowledge.
LINKS – Local and Indigenous Knowledge Systems (UNESCO).
OVSQ – Observatory of Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines, France.
POLARIS project – Cultural and Natural Heritage in Arctic and Sub-Antarctic
Regions for a Cross-Cultural and Sustainable Valorisation Process and Tourism
Development: Siberia, Lapland and Patagonia (FP7-PEOPLE-2012-IRSES).
TEK – Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
UNEP – United Nations Environmental Program.
UNESCO – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
UVSQ – University of Versailles Saint-Quentin en Yvelines (University Paris-Saclay),
France.
viii
List of tAbLes And diA grAms
[Introduction]
1 Table comparing the specificities of knowledge management and production
between science and indigenous knowledge, p. 20
2 Table presenting the various forms of co-production of knowledge at the Evenki
community-based observatory, p. 31
3 Diverse types of knowledge co-production and modes of co-production (dia-
gram), p. 37
[Topographic typology] (diagrams)

4 Map of research area, p. 43
5 Kever / Кэвэр, p. 111
6 Naldy / Налды, p. 112
7 Oŋkuchakso / оңкучаксо, p. 113
8 Ukty / укты – the end of an incline which abruptly turns into a flat summit, p.
114
9 Liopike / лиопикэ, p. 115
10 Arbun solgu, Arbun ediγu / Арбун солгу, арбун эдиҕу, pp. 116–118
11 Reading landscapes / Читать ландшафты, pp. 119–122
[Vegetal cover typology] (diagrams)
12 Sivak grazing. Horsetail (sivak) and large river basin (amnunna) / Хвощ и
широ кий бассейн реки (амнунна), p. 146
13 Vegetal cover varia: Reindeer herding and grazing in spring / Оленеводство и
пастбище весной, p. 147; Rebirth of the vegetal cover in springtime / Весеннее
возрождение флоры, pp. 148–151
14 Reindeer grazing versus topography. Quality of grazing lands according to:
topography, main winds, vegetal cover, snow depth and quality (diagrams, pic-
tures)/ Корм оленей согласно: топографии, главных ветров, растительного
покрова, глубины и качества снега, pp. 152–158
[Evenki climatology]
15 The names of the months for the various Evenki groups of Eastern Siberia /
Названия месяцев у некоторых групп восточных эвенков (table), p. 162
16 Seasonal chain with expected changes, uses and main activities / Использование
периодов сезонных изменений (table), pp. 164–172
17 Microclimates: Evenki knowledge about micro-climates: differences in tem-
peratures according to the various types of river basin and of reliefs (dia-
grams) / Эвенкийское знание о микроклиматах – Разность температур в
соответствии с типами бассейнов рек и рельефов, pp. 194–200
List of tables and diagrams ix
18 River sounds weather: Circulation of sound in cases of approaching rain and
wind (diagrams) / Циркуляция звуков в случае скорого дождя с ветром, pp.
201–202
[Clouds typology]
19 Temperatures by snow color. Identifying temperature by the lightness of the
snow (diagrams) / Определить температуру по оттенку цвета снега, p. 212
[Winds and airs typology] (diagrams)
20 Compass rose: Regular changes in the winds and its consequences for precip-
itation and the weather / Постоянные изменения ветра и последствия на
изменение погоды, pp. 223–225
21 Idia / идйа: Glacial air in morning or evening / Ледяной воздух утром и
вечером, pp. 232–242
[Snow and ice typology]
22 Order of appearance of snow types (table) / Периоды ожидания типов снега,
pp. 255–278
23 The Evenki physics of the Snow (diagrams) / Эвенкийская физика снега, pp.
282–283
24 Sy. The snow type SY – three categories: from rain on snow, from the trans-
formation of the cheγa snow type, and from successive phases of melting and
freezing (diagrams) / Тип снега сы – 3 категории: от дождя на снегу, от
трансформации снега чеҕa, от солнца и холода, pp. 300–304
25 Chuiur. Chuiur snow type (hard surface layer on top of the snow) (diagrams) /
Тип снега Чуйур (твердый наст на поверхности снега), pp. 305–314
26 Buldo. Buldo snow type (icy, seed-like flakes) (diagrams) / Тип снега булдо
снег-льдинки, pp. 315–318
27 Cheγa. Cheγa snow type (Scab-like snow layer from successive warming
and freezing) (diagrams) / Типа снега чэҕа (корка снега от потепления и
замерзания), pp. 319–323
28 Processes of snow cover. The installation of the snow cover – Evenki knowledge
of norms (diagrams) / Формирование снежного покрова – Норма согласно
эвенкийскому знанию, pp. 324–345
29 Snow as a herder. Deep snow as a herder (diagrams, pictures) / Глубокий снег
как пастух, pp. 346–347
30 Ulan-bukte. Ulan (-) – sirikte (fissure in the ice) – bukte (Icing blister) (dia-
grams) / Norm for the formation of ulan on large rivers / Улан (наледь) –
сириктэ (трещина во льду) – буктэ (наледный бугор пучения) / Норма
формирования улана на больших реках, pp. 348–367
PrefAce
Co-written by an anthropologist and a reindeer herder (BRISK project 1 co-researcher)
on the basis of their field materials, this book offers documentation and analysis of
complex traditional environmental knowledge. It presents the emic typologies and
concepts the Evenki use for understanding norms and anomalies, observing and pre-
dicting changes, and adaptating. This book is one of the results of the Evenki commu-
nity-based transdisciplinary observatory established by the authors for monitoring
climate and environmental changes with herders (2012–2016) and funded by the ANR
and IPEV (cf. Introduction).
Lavrillier conceived of the initial structure of the book and its content on the basis
of the obtained co-production material and analysis. She then formalised the final
content via regular writing sessions and consultations with S. Gabyshev and the herd-
ers concerned. The analytical sections were written either collectively or individually:
we indicate the authorship at the top of each section or with names in parentheses
within the text. We believe that it is important for epistemological reasons to make
these annotations in such a cooperative piece. According to the same logic, while the
diagrams were co-authored by S. Gabyshev and A. Lavrillier, we have placed the name
of the person who conceived of each diagram first: the year in which each diagram
was initially completed is also provided.
All photographs are copyrighted by Alexandra Lavrillier, except pp. 12 (bottom),
116–118, 138 (top), 146–151, 216 (left), 334-345, 438 by Semen Gabyshev, pp. 12 (left),
66, 94, 136, 172, 205, 216 (right), 369 (bottom) by Vasilii Gabyshev, and pp. 84, 115 by
Oleg Iakovlev. For permission to use these photographs, please contact A. Lavrillier
([email protected]).
We wanted the book to be accessible not only to scientists, but also to the Evenki,
regardless of whether they speak the Evenki language or not: thus, most of the book is in
Evenki, Russian, and English. Of course, the translations required a great deal of work,
especially since IPK is very difficult to translate into Western languages. Because of the
specificities of the TEK, the content of this book is understandable only if one reads it
from the beginning to end. For instance, the reader will only be able to understand Part
III if he or she reads the introduction and Part II first, since these sections explain the
typologies and concepts needed for comprehending the discussion in Part III.
The texts in Evenki are by S. Gabyshev: some of them were transcribed by L. Ego-
rova and A. Lavrillier. All the translations into Russian were made by Lavrillier and
checked by Gabyshev: the same is the case for the translations from Evenki and Rus-
sian into English. Egorova corrected the Russian text, while James White corrected
the English translations.
All Evenki texts are in the local dialects. The observers and authors chose a means
of writing Evenki that would allow them to represent the real pronunciation of local
1 For more details on the BRISK project, cf. Introduction.