The Theme of Russification and Sovietization of the Small Indigenous Peoples of the Russian Arctic in the Literature of the 20th Century

Abstract

This work analyzes the literary works of Russian and national authors, representing the processes of Russification and Sovietization of small indigenous peoples of the Russian Arctic zone. Based on the material of literary representations, the process of cultural transformation of small peoples is considered, during which they either accepted or did not accept the Russian and Soviet traditions imposed on them. So, on the one hand, examples of Russification of small peoples are given, on the other hand, their cultural opposition to Russian and Soviet culture. A comparison is made of two points of view on the cultural heritage of small peoples – the point of view of the Russian author, who explores the northern territories either from written sources or on expeditions, and the point of view of the indigenous peoples themselves, originally living in the Arctic territories. In the course of the analysis, it was revealed, firstly, that the studied literary works in their own way master and represent the culture of small peoples. Secondly, the bipolar nature of the culture of small peoples is revealed. Thirdly, the works of national authors are distinguished from the works of Russian authors by a significant degree of folklorization and mythologization of the narrative, giving them a special poetic and epic character.