Hunting activity among the Yakuts at the present stage

Abstract

This article discusses some issues of hunting activity among the Yakuts on the basis of ethnographic and field materials collected in the territories of the Srednekolymsky, Olekminsky, Vilyuysky, Verkhnevilyuysky and Nyurbinsky districts of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Field materials were collected through included observation, in-depth interviewing, audio, photo and video fixation. In this study, the authors were deeply interested in rural residents who are close and involved in hunting activities from an early age. The paper attempts to record the transformation of hunting activity and to present the current state of hunting among the Yakuts in the studied areas. This paper is the first attempt to comprehensively study and record the transformation in hunting activity. The study examines the ritual and ceremonial component, the tools used and methods of catching prey. The main conclusions of the work are that hunting for many is an active form of recreation, leisure, i.e. it is no longer a subsidiary farm, since it does not bring economic benefits. The findings also include the emergence of new hunting methods using modern technologies. However, it is necessary to note the preservation of some ritual or ceremonial elements of hunting, in some form the sacredness of the activity is also preserved.