Project:

Ethno-pedagogical conditions for organizing a nomadic camp for Northern indigenous children
at the example of the nomadic ethnoecological camp “Garpanga”

Project leader:
Yuriy Alekseevich Sleptsov, head of the Ethno-ecological Centre of the indigenous peoples “Garpanga” , Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

Scientific adviser:
Nikolay Dmitrievich Neustroev, Dr in pedagogics, professor, head of the Pedagogical department of elementary education at the Pedagogical Institute (Yakutian State University).

Project terms:
2006-2007

Requested funds:
2006: US$ 4700
2007: US$ 6000

Region:
Russian Federation, Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Momskiy National Ulus, Sasyr village.

Postal address:
Khabarova str., 7-48, 677000, Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha (Yakutiya), Russia
Tel.: +7 4112 34 36 81. E-Mail: seva_may@mail.ru

Background
A language policy can be described as a complex of measures established by the society and aimed at regulating the communicational sphere of peoples’ life. In a multinational state, the language policy is one of the most important components of the national policy.
      During the Soviet time serious errors were committed in the language policy with regard to the Northern indigenous peoples. Studies of their language, folklore and literature were ceased; teaching of native languages in national schools, as well as publishing of educational and methodical literature, fiction, publicistic works and newspapers in indigenous languages were reduced. As a result, languages of the indigenous peoples are nowadays seriously endangered.
      According to the population census of 2002, there were only 3272 Evens, that is 28% out of the total of 19701, who could speak their native language. The previous censuses  showed that the number of those who know the native language had decreased annually. In 1970, 41,7% of the Evens spoke the Even language, in 1979 – 44,1%, in 1989 – 34,7%, and only 28% in 2002.
      Along with the decline of the use of their language, the number of Evens who still utilize traditional material and spiritual culture decreases. A similar tendency is also characteristic for the other Northern indigenous peoples in Yakutia. These are the Dolgans, Evenks, Chukchi, Yukagirs and Yakuts.
      To study a native language, an ethno-geographic nomadic camp was established in 2000. The nomadic camp “Neltenke” (Even: “sun”) was formed in an area where the ancestors of the Evens led their nomadic life. It was proven that the environment of a nomadic encampment helped children to learn their native language better, because in such camps the language is used to a lager extent in their daily life, also through the use of  names for localities and tools. Later, two more nomadic camps were established: “Maranga” (Even: “rainbow”) in 2001 and “Garpanga” (Even: “first rays of sunlight”). Both camps still exist.

Ethnogeographical information:
The Evens are the indigenous peoples of the Russian North. According to the census of 2002, their population is 19701, out of those 11657 live in Yakutiya.
Affiliation of national language: Tungus-Manchurian sub-branch of the Ural-Altaian language family.
Residence area: Republic of Sakha (Yakutiya), Khabarovskiy Kray, Magadanskaya Oblast and Kamchatskaya Oblast.

Previous work by the author:

• The nomadic camp “Neltenke”. Brochure, by Yu. Sleptsov
• The Momskiy route of the nomadic ethnoecological camp “Garpanga”.  Book, by Yu. Sleptsov
• Evens of the Momskiy Rayon of the Republic of Sakha, Yakutiya.
• In the native land… A toponymy of the Momskiy Ulus by A. Degtyarev, R. Degtyareva and Yu. Sleptsov

Main research goal:

The main goal is to develop an organizational model for a nomadic camp as a basis for the revival of the national language, traditional way of life, traditions and customs of the Northern indigenous peoples, and thus form a theoretical basis.

Other objectives:

• To examine available relevant works;
• to study the way of life and activities of the Northern indigenous peoples as a basic condition for organizing a nomadic camp for children;
• to reveal specific features and forms of a nomadic camp organization under northern conditions;
• to develop and prove ethno-pedagogical conditions for organizing activities of the nomadic camp “Garpanga”;
• to perform a study and publish the main ethno-pedagogical hypotheses concerning the organization of nomadic camps, based on the experience of the nomadic camp “Garpanga”;
• to study ethno-pedagogical theory and its practical applications for educating and training indigenous children.

Activities:

• A survey of the relevant works in the Republican Pushkin Library, Library of the Yakutian State University, and Yakutian Pedagogical Institute;
• organization of the nomadic camp “Garpanga” to perform an ethno-pedagogical study under nomadic conditions (on the way from Sasyr village to Ulahan-Chistay and back (planned route 250 km);
• teaching children their native (Even) language;
• learning Evens’ traditional culture and economy;
• learning traditional ceremonies and customs;
• adaptation to extreme conditions and learning some basics of orientation;
• ethno-ecological education under natural conditions (in ethno-ecology, every component of nature – a river, a mountain, a tree, etc. – is believed to have its own spirits);
• working on the results of the study and summarizing the information obtained;
• preparing the main ethno-pedagogical theses for publishing.

A nomadic camp is an effective way for children to be absorbed and strike roots into their native cultural environment. Communication with each other in the native language, study of  the culture and history of their people, as well as their everyday habits and skills, have a beneficial effect on children in realizing their ethnic identity.
      Previous works in pedagogics, teaching children their native language, traditions and customs, have shown good results. The Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation and the Russian Association of the Indigenous Peoples of the North (RAIPON) have expressed a great interest in the experiences of nomadic camps for children. Such camps have also been established in other regions of Russia.

The novelty of the research
is that there have been no publications considering the problem under study.

Expected output of the project:

• A general ethno-pedagogical hypotheses;
• to spread the experience of organizing nomadic camps to other regions of Russia and other countries (USA, Canada, Scandinavian countries, Greenland);
• increased number of children who are familiar with their native language, culture, traditional economies and occupations;
• a scientific basis for the organization of nomadic camps;
• to finish the project leader’s doctoral dissertation in pedagogics;
• publication of a monograph.

Previous grants:

• 2000: grant of the Ministry of Peoples’ Affairs and Federative Relations of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), project “Nomadic ethnographic camp ‘Neltenke’”;
• 2001: grant of the Ministry of Nature Preservation of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), project “Ecological camp ‘Maranga’”;
• 2002: grant of the Hewlett Foundation within the grant program ISAR – the Far East, project “The Momskiy route of the nomadic ethno-ecological camp ‘Garpanga’”;
• 2003: Ford Motor Company’s award for the preservation of cultural and historical values;
• 2004: grant of the Hewlett Foundation of the grant programm ISAR Inc. (USA), project “Indigirka – the beauty of the North. Let’s preserve it for our descendants”.

Budget:

Cost estimate for 2006

Cost estimate for 2007

Banking account of the project leader

IRVTUS3N
THE BANK OF NEW YORK
N.Y.USA
890-0057-610
SABRRUMMMA1

SAVINGS BANK OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
SEVERO-VOSTOCHNY OFFICE, BRANCH N8603/061
5,CHIRYAEVA STREET,
YAKUTSK, RUSSIA
ACCOUNT NUMBER N42307840276060000301/48
ACCOUND NAME SLEPTSOV YURIY