Samoyedic peoples

Geographical distribution of Samoyedic-speaking peoples in the 17th and 20th centuries

The Samoyedic peoples (also Samodeic peoples)[1] are those peoples that speak Samoyedic languages, which are part of the Uralic family. They are a linguistic, ethnic and cultural grouping. The name derives from the obsolete term Samoyed used in Russia for some indigenous peoples of Siberia.[2][3]

Peoples

Existing Peoples

People Group Language Numbers[4] Most important territory Other traditional territories
Nenets Northern Samoyeds Nenets language 45,000 Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Nenets Autonomous Okrug
Enets Northern Samoyeds Enets language 200 Krasnoyarsk Krai
Nganasans Northern Samoyeds Nganasan language 900 Krasnoyarsk Krai
Selkups Southern Samoyeds Selkup language 3,600 Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Tomsk Oblast

Extinct Peoples[5]

The largest of the Samoyedic peoples are the Nenets, who mainly live in two autonomous districts of Russia: Yamalo-Nenetsia and Nenetsia. Part of the Nenets and most of the Enets and Nganasans used to live in Taymyria autonomous district (formerly known as Dolgano-Nenetsia), but today this area is a territory with special status within Krasnoyarsk Krai. Most of the Selkups live in Yamalo-Nenetsia, but there is also significant population in Tomsk Oblast.

References and notes

  1. Some ethnologists use the term 'Samodeic people' instead 'Samoyedic', see Balzer, Marjorie (1999). The Tenacity of Ethnicity. Princeton University Press. p. 241. ISBN 978-0-691-00673-4.
  2. [T]he term Samoyedic is sometimes considered derogatory in Balzer, Marjorie (1999). The Tenacity of Ethnicity. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-00673-4.
  3. "Samoyeds" had no derogatory meaning and represents a modification of the expression same-edne in Arctic Institute of North America (1961). Anthropology of the North: Translations from Russian Sources. University of Toronto Press. p. 219.
  4. Demoskop Weekly No 543-544
  5. Unesco Red Book on Endangered Languages
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