Suomen Antropologi: Journal of the Finnish Anthropological Society
The paper discusses official and Indigenous views of the Khanty and Forest Nenets uprising agains... more The paper discusses official and Indigenous views of the Khanty and Forest Nenets uprising against the Soviets, known as the Kazym War (1931–1934). The rebellion is well documented in archival sources and covered by scholarly research, popular essays, and novels. Almost a century after the uprising, Indigenous narratives about the uprising are still circulating in local communities. Specifically, this paper addresses selected episodes of the Kazym War reflected both in official and Indigenous narratives. I focus on the analysis of diverse modes of narrating hybrid knowledge produced in a contact zone, and the mythic imagination of shamans shaping narratives about the uprising. Here, I argue that perceptions of Indigenous history sometimes adopt and reproduce the dominant discourse about the uprising, but link to the official story predominantly by rejecting it and establishing autonomous discussions. Keywords: Khanty, Forest Nenets, Indigenous, uprising, narratives, shaman
The purpose of this article is a comparative analysis of the post-Soviet reappearance of the Russ... more The purpose of this article is a comparative analysis of the post-Soviet reappearance of the Russian Orthodox Church in two rural Komi communities. We aimed to study local perceptions of restoring the Russian Orthodox Church's presence in particular localities. We conducted ethnographic fieldwork in two communities and spoke to local clerics and the inhabitants of the villages under study. Our field research also involved participant observation and literature analysis. The collected evidence indicates that the community with more distinctive folk Orthodox traditions more or less plainly contested the priests' authority. Still, people generally perceived the renewal of the Russian Orthodox Church's presence positively. We argue that the Russian Orthodox institutions and priests did not necessarily replace folk Orthodox specialists' authority, but rather diversified local religious scenes.
The paper discusses official and Indigenous views of the Khanty and Forest Nenets uprising agains... more The paper discusses official and Indigenous views of the Khanty and Forest Nenets uprising against the Soviets, known as the Kazym War (1931-1934). The rebellion is well documented in archival sources and covered by scholarly research, popular essays, and novels. Almost a century after the uprising, Indigenous narratives about the uprising are still circulating in local communities. Specifically, this paper addresses selected episodes of the Kazym War reflected both in official and Indigenous narratives. I focus on the analysis of diverse modes of narrating hybrid knowledge produced in a contact zone, and the mythic imagination of shamans shaping narratives about the uprising. Here, I argue that perceptions of Indigenous history sometimes adopt and reproduce the dominant discourse about the uprising, but link to the official story predominantly by rejecting it and establishing autonomous discussions.
The idea of Finno-Ugric kinship is based on the linguistic affinity of the languages spoken by th... more The idea of Finno-Ugric kinship is based on the linguistic affinity of the languages spoken by these peoples. The fact of Finno-Ugric linguistic affinity was academically established in the 18th century, and this inspired further scholarly searches for historical links between these peoples. Not only material and spiritual culture, but also the study of physical anthropology was regarded as potential sources for demonstrating the Finno-Ugric kinship and its historical developments. The focus of this article is on the darker side of tracing Finno-Ugric connections through material evidence. The quest for knowledge included search for material proof and thus, ritual and holy objects as well as human remains were conceptualised above all as scientific data that was to be acquired by any means and regardless of the sentiments and ideas that the local people might have had about it. The occasionally gruesome methods used to gather evidence for the development of Finno-Ugric kinship demonstrate the power of scholarly constructions and ideas. In this, the early ethnography of Finno-Ugric peoples echoes the attitude and strategies of the budding discipline of cultural anthropology more generally. The idea of kinship did not have effect on the fieldwork methods – the attitude of Finnish and Hungarian scholars towards their Eastern kin remained colonial. Moreover, operating in the framework of imperial Russia and benefitting from this, the scholars can be considered as agents of colonial power.
The aim of this article is to explore the effect of hybridity in the Komi hunters’ knowledge syst... more The aim of this article is to explore the effect of hybridity in the Komi hunters’ knowledge system as well as the potential for mutual understanding in dialogue between ethnographers and their Indigenous partners. I discuss how the hunters exploit printed sources, both scholarly works and popular magazines, in their practice. In the empirical part of this study, I present three case studies that demonstrate different ways in which a potential hybridity of knowledge has appeared in a field encounter. The analysis shows that some pieces of the hunters’ knowledge have a background in written sources, while they present scholarly evidence as facts from their own lives. At the same time, some similarities between the hunters’ narratives and publications are possibly random. I argue that exploitation of scholarly works and popular publications by hunters brings together Indigenous and scholarly knowledge and supports the potential of collaborative research.
On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork, conducted between 2007 and 2013, the authors analyse the ... more On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork, conducted between 2007 and 2013, the authors analyse the communities of male artisans that have had the most significant impact on the development of contemporary Estonian handicraft. A wide range of artisans were surveyed in the course of this research, from professionals who earn a living from handicraft to amateurs, small enterprises and handicraft instructors. The authors concentrate on the motifs and background of different categories of handicraft agent. Details of handicraft practice such as mastering specific items, local peculiarities and materials used will be also explored. The analysis is predominantly based on the artisans’ views on proper ways of making handicraft items, their marketing strategies and the needs of developing their skills. The study* demonstrates that artisanal initiatives support the material reproduction of cultural locations through constant renewal of heritage ideology and practice.
The idea of Finno-Ugric kinship is based on the linguistic affinity of the languages spoken by th... more The idea of Finno-Ugric kinship is based on the linguistic affinity of the languages spoken by these peoples. The fact of Finno-Ugric linguistic affinity was academically established in the 18th century, and this inspired further scholarly searches for historical links between these peoples. Not only material and spiritual culture, but also the study of physical anthropology was regarded as potential sources for demonstrating the Finno-Ugric kinship and its historical developments. The focus of this article is on the darker side of tracing Finno-Ugric connections through material evidence. The quest for knowledge included search for material proof and thus, ritual and holy objects as well as human remains were conceptualised above all as scientific data that was to be acquired by any means and regardless of the sentiments and ideas that the local people might have had about it. The occasionally gruesome methods used to gather evidence for the development of Finno-Ugric kinship demonstrate the power of scholarly constructions and ideas. In this, the early ethnography of Finno-Ugric peoples echoes the attitude and strategies of the budding discipline of cultural anthropology more generally. The idea of kinship did not have effect on the fieldwork methods – the attitude of Finnish and Hungarian scholars towards their Eastern kin remained colonial. Moreover, operating in the framework of imperial Russia and benefitting from this, the scholars can be considered as agents of colonial power.
Suomen Antropologi: Journal of the Finnish Anthropological Society
The paper discusses official and Indigenous views of the Khanty and Forest Nenets uprising agains... more The paper discusses official and Indigenous views of the Khanty and Forest Nenets uprising against the Soviets, known as the Kazym War (1931–1934). The rebellion is well documented in archival sources and covered by scholarly research, popular essays, and novels. Almost a century after the uprising, Indigenous narratives about the uprising are still circulating in local communities. Specifically, this paper addresses selected episodes of the Kazym War reflected both in official and Indigenous narratives. I focus on the analysis of diverse modes of narrating hybrid knowledge produced in a contact zone, and the mythic imagination of shamans shaping narratives about the uprising. Here, I argue that perceptions of Indigenous history sometimes adopt and reproduce the dominant discourse about the uprising, but link to the official story predominantly by rejecting it and establishing autonomous discussions. Keywords: Khanty, Forest Nenets, Indigenous, uprising, narratives, shaman
The purpose of this article is a comparative analysis of the post-Soviet reappearance of the Russ... more The purpose of this article is a comparative analysis of the post-Soviet reappearance of the Russian Orthodox Church in two rural Komi communities. We aimed to study local perceptions of restoring the Russian Orthodox Church's presence in particular localities. We conducted ethnographic fieldwork in two communities and spoke to local clerics and the inhabitants of the villages under study. Our field research also involved participant observation and literature analysis. The collected evidence indicates that the community with more distinctive folk Orthodox traditions more or less plainly contested the priests' authority. Still, people generally perceived the renewal of the Russian Orthodox Church's presence positively. We argue that the Russian Orthodox institutions and priests did not necessarily replace folk Orthodox specialists' authority, but rather diversified local religious scenes.
The paper discusses official and Indigenous views of the Khanty and Forest Nenets uprising agains... more The paper discusses official and Indigenous views of the Khanty and Forest Nenets uprising against the Soviets, known as the Kazym War (1931-1934). The rebellion is well documented in archival sources and covered by scholarly research, popular essays, and novels. Almost a century after the uprising, Indigenous narratives about the uprising are still circulating in local communities. Specifically, this paper addresses selected episodes of the Kazym War reflected both in official and Indigenous narratives. I focus on the analysis of diverse modes of narrating hybrid knowledge produced in a contact zone, and the mythic imagination of shamans shaping narratives about the uprising. Here, I argue that perceptions of Indigenous history sometimes adopt and reproduce the dominant discourse about the uprising, but link to the official story predominantly by rejecting it and establishing autonomous discussions.
The idea of Finno-Ugric kinship is based on the linguistic affinity of the languages spoken by th... more The idea of Finno-Ugric kinship is based on the linguistic affinity of the languages spoken by these peoples. The fact of Finno-Ugric linguistic affinity was academically established in the 18th century, and this inspired further scholarly searches for historical links between these peoples. Not only material and spiritual culture, but also the study of physical anthropology was regarded as potential sources for demonstrating the Finno-Ugric kinship and its historical developments. The focus of this article is on the darker side of tracing Finno-Ugric connections through material evidence. The quest for knowledge included search for material proof and thus, ritual and holy objects as well as human remains were conceptualised above all as scientific data that was to be acquired by any means and regardless of the sentiments and ideas that the local people might have had about it. The occasionally gruesome methods used to gather evidence for the development of Finno-Ugric kinship demonstrate the power of scholarly constructions and ideas. In this, the early ethnography of Finno-Ugric peoples echoes the attitude and strategies of the budding discipline of cultural anthropology more generally. The idea of kinship did not have effect on the fieldwork methods – the attitude of Finnish and Hungarian scholars towards their Eastern kin remained colonial. Moreover, operating in the framework of imperial Russia and benefitting from this, the scholars can be considered as agents of colonial power.
The aim of this article is to explore the effect of hybridity in the Komi hunters’ knowledge syst... more The aim of this article is to explore the effect of hybridity in the Komi hunters’ knowledge system as well as the potential for mutual understanding in dialogue between ethnographers and their Indigenous partners. I discuss how the hunters exploit printed sources, both scholarly works and popular magazines, in their practice. In the empirical part of this study, I present three case studies that demonstrate different ways in which a potential hybridity of knowledge has appeared in a field encounter. The analysis shows that some pieces of the hunters’ knowledge have a background in written sources, while they present scholarly evidence as facts from their own lives. At the same time, some similarities between the hunters’ narratives and publications are possibly random. I argue that exploitation of scholarly works and popular publications by hunters brings together Indigenous and scholarly knowledge and supports the potential of collaborative research.
On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork, conducted between 2007 and 2013, the authors analyse the ... more On the basis of ethnographic fieldwork, conducted between 2007 and 2013, the authors analyse the communities of male artisans that have had the most significant impact on the development of contemporary Estonian handicraft. A wide range of artisans were surveyed in the course of this research, from professionals who earn a living from handicraft to amateurs, small enterprises and handicraft instructors. The authors concentrate on the motifs and background of different categories of handicraft agent. Details of handicraft practice such as mastering specific items, local peculiarities and materials used will be also explored. The analysis is predominantly based on the artisans’ views on proper ways of making handicraft items, their marketing strategies and the needs of developing their skills. The study* demonstrates that artisanal initiatives support the material reproduction of cultural locations through constant renewal of heritage ideology and practice.
The idea of Finno-Ugric kinship is based on the linguistic affinity of the languages spoken by th... more The idea of Finno-Ugric kinship is based on the linguistic affinity of the languages spoken by these peoples. The fact of Finno-Ugric linguistic affinity was academically established in the 18th century, and this inspired further scholarly searches for historical links between these peoples. Not only material and spiritual culture, but also the study of physical anthropology was regarded as potential sources for demonstrating the Finno-Ugric kinship and its historical developments. The focus of this article is on the darker side of tracing Finno-Ugric connections through material evidence. The quest for knowledge included search for material proof and thus, ritual and holy objects as well as human remains were conceptualised above all as scientific data that was to be acquired by any means and regardless of the sentiments and ideas that the local people might have had about it. The occasionally gruesome methods used to gather evidence for the development of Finno-Ugric kinship demonstrate the power of scholarly constructions and ideas. In this, the early ethnography of Finno-Ugric peoples echoes the attitude and strategies of the budding discipline of cultural anthropology more generally. The idea of kinship did not have effect on the fieldwork methods – the attitude of Finnish and Hungarian scholars towards their Eastern kin remained colonial. Moreover, operating in the framework of imperial Russia and benefitting from this, the scholars can be considered as agents of colonial power.
Pekka Hakamies
The Folklore Fellows’ Summer School as an institution
Art Leete
Turning points in... more Pekka Hakamies The Folklore Fellows’ Summer School as an institution
Art Leete Turning points in the history of ethnographic descriptions of the peoples of the north
News from the Finnish Literature Society
Arvo Krikmann On the vowel euphony in Finnic alliterative folksongs
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Papers by Art Leete
The Folklore Fellows’ Summer School as an institution
Art Leete
Turning points in the history of ethnographic descriptions of the peoples of the north
News from the Finnish Literature Society
Arvo Krikmann
On the vowel euphony in Finnic alliterative folksongs