Indigenous

The Indigenous people are a part of the fabric of Canada. They include First Nations, Inuit and Metis. They make up 4.9% of the country’s population. But many people don’t realize that Russia, too has its own Indigenous population While there are 47 different groups, they comprise just 0.3% of the Russian population. However, there are many similarities, particularly between Russia’s own Nenets, in Northern Russia, and Canada’s Inuit.

First, they both have a similar traditional lifestyle. This includes:

• Livestock, including nomadic
• Processing of livestock products
• Dog breeding
• Fishing
• Commercial hunting, processing, and the sale of hunting products
• Foraging
• Construction of traditional national dwellings and other buildings necessary for the implementation of traditional economic activities.

And, both peoples, in Canada and Russia, face the same challenges in a modern society. In Russia, the people of the North’s success has been complicated by the inability of their traditional way of life to meet modern economic conditions. The low competitiveness of traditional types of economic activity is due to small production volumes, high transport costs, the lack of modern enterprises and technologies for the complex processing of raw materials and biological resources. The crisis state of traditional types of economic activity has led to an aggravation of social problems.

However, there are some differences and most of these are with folklore and traditional clothing. The clothes of the Nenets are made of reindeer fur, and it can withstand temperatures down to -60 ° C. Its fur is composed of thick, hollow hairs and an undercoat that retains warmth inside. In winter, it must protect people from severe frosts. In the summer, it must protect people from midges (small mosquitos). So, for example, malitsa is a fur underwear shirt with a hood and mittens sewn to it. It is very warm and protects the body and head well from the cold, leaving only the face open. It is sewn and put on with fur inside, to the body.

While there are similarities, the basic traditional clothing of Inuits consists of a coat (parka), pants, mittens, inner shoes and upper boots made of animal hide and fur. The most common sources of hides are caribou, seals and seabirds.

Unfortunately, the biggest and most tragic similarity is that the traditional way of life of the northern people’s, needs support and protection, as it is on the verge of extinction. Canada’s indigenous population face similar threats. Fortunately, Canada and Russia have developed social programs to support and protect the indigenous population, and even have joint programs, such as the Arctic Games, which happen on Canadian territory. However, more needs to be done.