Tuesday, March 25, 2014

Homeland

   The Yakut people live along the Lena River in Siberia. There land around them is mostly Taiga and it is usually always cold. Since it is so cold, it is hard for them to have vegetation, that is why they mostly hunt and fish for food and live off of the land. There are lots of mountains and large open areas of land.
   The Lena river is known as one of the most beautiful rivers in the world, and the Yakut people get to live by it and see it everyday. Also, it is the 10th largest river in the world.

History of Yakuts

   It is said that the Yakut culture migrated from the Lake Baikal region in either the tenth or the thirteenth century. In the 17th century, Yakutia was annexed by Russia and in  1919 the area became known as the Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. The population was awfully big for a small area. The population around the time was over 200,000 people. the Yakut were divided into two different groups, called d'on or aymakh, which were engaged in constant warfare with each other. Among those two, there were also more groups that they were divided into. The "leaders" of these groups were considered wealthy and were looked up to. 

   The Yakut people were always known as hunters and fishers. They provided for themselves and hunting and fishing was part of their economy. Although the Russians introduced agriculture to them, it was not practiced very much. 

   Regarding religion, the Shaman was always the one the Yakut believed in. Their religion has stayed the same throughout the years.