Museums
Bystrinsky Museum
+7(41542) 21-1035
Pimchakh Ethnocultural Complex
+7(41531) 36-273
Menedek Ethnocultural Complex
+7 (41542) 23-334
Theatres
Traditions and Customs
Itelmen
Self–name
Self–name: Itenmye (“those who exist,” “those who live here.”) The Itelmen are a small race of Arctic northern mongoloids. At the end of the 17th century, when Kamchatka became a part of Russia, the Itelmen populated almost the entire peninsula. Their traditional activity has always been fishing. They preserved their catch (mostly salmon of various subspecies) by drying the fish in the sun or in the wind, or fermented the fish in pits.The resulting product was known as yukola. After the Russians came to Kamchatka, fur became the currency of choice for the Itelmen.They used to pay their taxes and other dues with fur skins. The Itelmen moved around in boats carved in tree trunks, dog sleds, skis; when hunting, they usually used snowshoes. In winter they lived in large families of 40 to 50 people, in earthen huts, and in the summer—in grass shelters on tall poles. Women wore overall shirts with loosely fitting pantaloons, while men wore kukhlyankas (upper garments made of fur), and fur pants, the pant legs stuck into torbasa (soft boots made of deer skins). In the mid-18th century the Itelmen were converted into Orthodoxy but their pre–Christian faith in spirits persisted for a long time after that. By the 19th century most Itelmen merged with Russian long-time residents of Kamchatka; they were known collectively as the Kamchadals. Today the Itelmen are still mostly fishermen; they are also involved in cattle-farming and construction. Many Itelmen work in education, culture and health care. The Itelmen dance culture is being developed.
Alkhalalalay
Alkhalalalay is the fall festival of Itelmen, when they celebrate the end of the economic cycle. The word can be translated into English as “Thanksgiving.” In 2010 Alkhalalalay became an official festival of Kamchatka Krai. The festival is celebrated on the last Sunday of September. Alkhalalalay celebrates the end of summer and fall works. Most hunting and fishing is done, the harvest has been gathered, as were the mushrooms and berries in the forest. Now it is time to thank Mother Nature, and remember the ancient Itelmen myths about the creation of the world. The festival consists of reenactments of myths of creation and rituals used to thank nature for the harvest.
The Itelmen bring gifts to Khantay, God of Fish, and hold an ethnic dancing marathon (the strongest competitors have lasted more than 15 hours). All action is held on the clearing in the village of Pimchakh near Sosnovka.The event is held in the language of indigenous peoples with simultaneous translation into Russian. Annually the festival attracts some 10,000 people.
around 2,300 people
Total number
Evens
Self-name
Self-name: orochel (“deer breeders”), menel (“those living in the same place”).
Traditional faith
Evens have had the cult of “masters” of nature and elements—taiga, water, fire. One of the important religious rituals included worshipping the sun. Deer were sacrificed to the Sun-God. Burials in open air—on trees or elevated platforms—were regularly practiced.
around 1,800 people
Total number
Main economy factors
Nomadic reindeer breeding, hunting, fishing. Interestingly, the Evens had two calendars: the Orthodox calendar, and the hunting calendar, in which months were called after body parts. The year started in September, the month of “the back of the raised left hand,” and ended in August, the month of the “raised right fist.”
Traditional clothing
The main element is taty. A taty is a caftan with no buttons made of fawn or rovduga with open flaps. The flaps and the lower hem were edged with fur, and the seams were covered by strips with bead ornaments (white and blue on the light background for women).
Traditional food
Venison, game meat, fish, wild plants. The main meat dish is boiled meat (ulre), fish dishes include boiled fish (olra), fish soup (hil), yukola (kam), fish flour powder (porse), fermented fish (dokche), raw fish, fish heads with cartilages , stroganina (sliced pieces of frozen fish, talak), etc.
Aleuts
Self–name
Unangan (“coastline residents”).
Traditional faith
Animism—believing that everything in nature has a soul. Aleuts have traditionally worshipped their ancestors, depicting them on stones, bones, wood, and animal skins. For shaman rituals they made wooden masks and bird costumes. In the late 18th century, under the considerable influence of Russian culture, Aleuts adopted Orthodoxy. As a consequence, more people became bilingual, school programs were introduced, and religious books were translated into the Aleut language.
around 400 people
Total number
Main economy factors
Animal hunting, fishing, bird-catching, collecting (sea urchins, shellfish, mussels). For sea hunting, the Aleuts used baidaras (flat-bottomed boats with wooden frames covered in animal skin) and kayaks (closed leather boats with wooden frames and a hole for the hatch where the hunter would sit). Guns: Before Russians came to the area, the locals used light darts with bone ends, bows and arrows, bone and stone knives.
Traditional clothing
Parkas—long overhead coats made of animal fur. They also wore kamleykas, overhead waterproof clothes made of sea animal intestines. The kamleyka with sleeves, high overhead collars and hoods resembled the modern European windbreaker jacket. The Aleuts have also worn hunting headwear—conic wooden hats.
Traditional food
yukola, dried or sundried fish meat.
Koryaks
Self-name
Nymylans, chavchuvens, alyutortsy.
Traditional faith
The Koryaks are mostly Christians, but traditional faiths (shamanism) remain widespread. Research carried out in Atargan Settlement showed that local Koryak tribes had known how to use metal long before Russians came to the area, more precisely, as far back as the last century of the first millennium.
By their lifestyle and occupation, Koryaks have been traditionally subdivided into Tundra Koryaks and Coastline Koryaks. Each group spoke its own language and included several smaller territorial groups.
Koryaks have traditionally lived in yarangas, cone-shaped transportable raw-hide tents.Other dwellings included round-shaped semi-underground earthen huts 3–12 meters in diameter, with centrally positioned square or round stone-laden hearths.
around 6,640 people
Total number