The Anthropological Significance of St. Lawrence bonus bet365
November 17, 2023 10:34 Source: "Chinese Social Sciences Journal" Issue 2775, November 17, 2023 bonus bet365: Qu Feng

bonus bet365

St. Lawrence Island is located south bonus bet365 Bering Strait between Alaska, North America, and the Chukchi Peninsula, Russia。About 2000 years ago,St. Lawrence Island became one bonus bet365 centers of prehistoric Eskimo civilization,Leaving multiple archaeological sites。Among them, the cultural relics unearthed from the Kukulek site near the village of Savunga were the main research objects bonus bet365 author when he was a doctoral candidate at the University of Alaska。

Since the cultural relics at the Kukulek site were unearthed 90 years ago,Collected by the University of Alaska Museum, Fairbanks。Late 1870s to early 1980s,A famine and plague that had not happened in 2000 years claimed the lives of most bonus bet365 islanders。After the great famine,Will the ancient prehistoric civilization be interrupted and no longer continue?,And appear in another appearance?Will today’s villagers still make a living from sea hunting like their ancestors?Summer 2019,The author finally had the opportunity to board this mountain on the northern edge bonus bet365 Pacific Ocean、The island guarding the gate to the Arctic Ocean,Answer your questions on the spot。

  Islands and bonus bet365

The ocean currents in the Anadyr Bay of Chukchi flow from south to north,Brings rich nutrients to the surrounding St. Lawrence Islands。The waters surrounding the St. Lawrence are home to seals and walruses,And therefore known as the "walrus capital bonus bet365 world"。This is also a necessary place for the seasonal migration of bowhead whales and gray whales。

The island is located not far south bonus bet365 Arctic Circle,So it is surrounded by ice floes all year round。Its winters are long and cold、Windy,Because bonus bet365 polar night,Scarce daylight。Summer,People will enjoy the strange landscape bonus bet365 sun never setting due to the extreme daylight。Today’s villagers live on the land where the ancients lived。Marine animals、Seabirds flying in all seasons、Reindeer、Frigial plants growing close to the ground,The unique biota that make up the island。Every summer,Bird ecology and plant ecology scientists from all over the world will conduct scientific observations on the island。

The majority of residents on St. Lawrence Island are the Yupik,A branch bonus bet365 Eskimos,has its own language,i.e. Yupik,Official language is English。The total population bonus bet365 two villages is less than 1500 people,Far less than the 2,300 people before the great famine。According to the United States Federal Act of 1971,The residents bonus bet365 island have full ownership bonus bet365 island。

  Kukulek bonus bet365

2000 years ago,Attracted by the rich marine resources of St. Lawrence Island,Humans who migrated here from unknown places settled on the island,And created a marine civilization characterized by marine hunting livelihood。The earliest islanders invented a dart tip made of walrus tusks,Can hunt seals very effectively、walrus,Even huge whales。They are in Gambel Village、There are many ruins left in Savunga Village and other areas on the island。Kukulek is one bonus bet365 sites with the most complete cultural sequence preservation,The ruins are 10 miles east bonus bet365 village。The author, accompanied by two villagers, took a four-wheeled small motor vehicle to the site。Kukulek was a prosperous village before 1878。The famine and plague from 1878 to 1880 claimed the lives of most villagers,The village was abandoned,Become ruins。

 bonus bet365 livelihood

The entry of Western technological civilization has not made the ancient sea hunting culture disappear。Today’s islanders are still excellent hunters who are good at using darts and guns。Although hunting is still the way villagers obtain traditional food,However,What I have to admit is,Today’s islanders have become integrated with the world system。What is different from the ancients,They need currency,Because many things need to be purchased。Some islanders have public offices。Although the village has only more than 800 people,But there is a village government、Operating company、School、Medical Center、Police Center、Post Office、Supermarket,These places need staff。When the author was reviewing information for his doctoral research,Learned that there are no large animals living on St. Lawrence Island,Therefore there is no tradition of land hunting。But we didn’t know until we got to the island,Reindeer hunting is now one bonus bet365 popular livelihoods of islanders。Why is this?Documentary records,Late 19th century,Alaska’s Secretary of Education Jackson introduced domestic reindeer from the Chukchi Peninsula,To help indigenous people develop their economy。1900,Some reindeer were brought to St. Lawrence Island。1916,Someone has established a reindeer breeding base to the west of Savunga village,But,Plan to raise reindeer in captivity quickly failed。The cost of reindeer breeding is too high,Deer farmers are struggling,Deer herds died in large numbers。Finally,The remaining deer are released into the wilderness。There are no trees on St. Lawrence,The ground is covered with grass and moss,This environment is just right for reindeer to grow。With freedom, the deer quickly multiplied in the new land,Become an important source of livelihood on the island。To the Yupik,They are better at being hunters,Instead of herdsmen。

  bonus bet365 “Hunter” and Hunter Art

The second day after landing on the bonus bet365,The accompanying young man De Rui told the author,The Savunga people are not only animal hunters,Also a "Hunter" of cultural relics。Original,Because the land on the bonus bet365 belongs to the islanders,Including underground cultural relics,It is legal for islanders to excavate at archaeological sites。They have the right to "hunt" underground cultural relics,Resell for money。

bonus bet365

The old village ruins are 10 miles west bonus bet365 village,The direction is exactly opposite to Kuculek,The landscape is also very different。The east part bonus bet365 village is covered with grassland,The west is exposed rock。The ruins area is a hilly land covered with black soil,Easily identifiable。Grandfather Iwgak and grandmother Shelly, who are accompanying little Derek, are digging soil with a shovel in a deep pit。Moist、Fresh black soil was thrown outside the pit,New accumulation formed。Two old men happily invited me to their home for dinner。After dinner,They showed me the results of past “hunts”。The cultural relics collected are mainly walrus ivory dart heads,Mostly from the Thule period,There are also those as early as the Punuk period。They said to me,Hope to find the earliest cultural layer bonus bet365 old village site soon,Because every piece of walrus ivory artifact from the old Bering Sea culture is a delicate work of art。Yiugake said to me seriously: "Hunting walrus ivory cultural relics is not for money,But look for inspiration from our ancestors。Left them,I can’t create。”Walrus tusks are the upper canines of walruses,Protruding outside the lips,Some can be as long as 1 meter。Many Arctic peoples use it as a raw material for making sculptures。Eskimo ancestors 2000 years ago used walrus ivory to make dart heads,Sea hunting culture flourishes because of this。

Every dart head is a beautiful work of art。Old Bering Sea Dart heads are mostly in the shape of abstract birds,It is carved with complex curved patterns。The great famine did not interrupt the inheritance of bonus bet365 carving technology。The men of Savunga are famous for their expertise in bonus bet365 sculptures,Yiugak is one of them。Iugak took out a sculpture of his own creation,It is the image of mother and child seals cuddling together。The mother seal has the face of a woman。In the Yupik worldview,The essence of animals is humans,Every animal has a human soul in its body。The image of humans and animals combined is an everlasting theme in their sculpture creation。

 bonus bet365

Village leader Delbert is a member bonus bet365 Inuit Arctic Council,Busily participating in various international conferences, large and small,Speak up for Aboriginal people。He said,As a small island,We have endured too much。Whether it was industrial whaling in the 19th century,It’s still mining in the 20th century、Petrochemical Industry,All have brought great damage to the fragile earth environment。Humanity and nature must reach reconciliation,Otherwise disaster will happen。What we need is sustainable habitat。

Every Thursday night,Villagers practice traditional drumming at the activity center、Singing and dancing。There are elderly participants、Young people and students。Most bonus bet365 people who play drums and sing are old men,The dancers are mostly young people,Both male and female。Visitor Delia said: "When you feel that you have become a bear、When an eagle or a seal,You will learn to dance。”From the sound of warm drums、Singing and dancing,The author knows,Savunga’s spiritual tradition passed down for thousands of years,That is, the intimate relationship between man and nature has never been interrupted,Still passing on tenaciously。

St. Lawrence Island is still the "darling" of anthropologists today。Aboriginal languages ​​still active,The tradition of sea hunting continues tenaciously,Climate changes in recent years have made it the focus of Arctic anthropological observation。Like other Arctic communities,St. Lawrence Islanders are keen observers bonus bet365 natural environment,And rely on the unique knowledge system formed by observing the environment to construct its social culture,Meet their spiritual and material needs,The anthropological significance cannot be underestimated。As one Arctic Aboriginal scholar described it: "Beneath the physical plane of life,We know we are deeply connected to everything。”

 (The author is the director bonus bet365 Arctic Ocean Research Center of Liaocheng University、Professor)

Editor: Zhang Jing
二维码图标2.jpg
Highly recommended
Latest articles
bonus bet365

Friendly links:

Website registration number: Beijing Public Network Security bonus bet365. 11010502030146 Ministry of Industry and Information Technology:

All rights reserved by China Social Sciences Magazine. bonus bet365 reproduction or use without permission is allowed

Chief editor’s email: zzszbj@126.com Contact information of this website: 010-85886809 Address: Floor 11-12, Building 1, bonus bet365. 15 Guanghua Road, Chaoyang District, Beijing Postal Code: 100026