Remaking stone and community: indigenous Vepses’ engagement in mining in Northwestern Russia

Abstract

ABSTRACTIndigenous peoples’ relations with the mining industry are often discussed by opposing traditional lifestyles and resource extraction; however, there are examples when an indigenous community develops strong bonds with mining. This article focuses on such an example and discusses the Vepses in Karelia (Northwestern Russia) and their historical engagement with the extraction of rare stones, namely gabbro-diabase and raspberry quartzite. This research presents a qualitative analysis of local newspapers and interviews conducted in 2015–2016 to provide a ‘cultural biography’ of stone in Vepsian villages and to analyze the changes of stone-related narratives in communities experiencing socioeconomic transition. Contemporary residents of Vepsian villages are largely dependent on stone and see it as the force influencing and forming their lives. They understand mining development as an outcome of Karelian natural richness and, therefore, as an essential continuation of nature. As a result, they remain attached to both mining and nature and view them as coexisting and interconnected elements. The research shows that historical involvement by indigenous peoples in stoneworking may become an important factor that influences local attitudes towards industrial development.