The Population and Еthnic Сomposition

The first data on the Altaian population takes root in ancient times. Its history is closely connected with that of Central Asia and its state formations.

There are many ethnic groups in Altai: native Altai people comprise 30% of the total population, Russians make up about 57%, Kazakhs represent 6 %, and other groups form the remaining 6%.

The Republic’s population structure is composed of more than 100 nationalities and nations. The Altaians are an indigenous population and are presented as a totality of small Turkic peoples: the Teleuts, the Telengits, the Altai-Kizhi, the Kumandins, the Tchalkans, the Shorts, and the Tubalars. They are recorded in the Native Small Population Groups List of the Russian Federation.

Old-believers also live in the Altai. They are considered an indigenous population, although mainly they are representatives of Russian religious and communal structures, having moved to the Republic's territory more than 200 years ago. Ethnographically, the indigenous population is represented by two ethnographic groups - the northern Altaians and the southern Altaians. The northern Altaians, due to their origin peculiarities, are referred to the Ural type, and the southern ones - Central Asian or south Siberian types.

The main source of study of the people's origin is its language. It is believed that a people's language is its history. The Altai language is a cradle for many Turkic-Mongolian, Tunguss-Manchurian, Japanese-Korean languages.

The people of Altai have managed to preserve many peculiar features of their traditional culture through preservation of cattle breeding, hunting, and craftsmanship. One can see the traditional dwellings such as yurts or tee-pees in Altai villages, and also grain graters, mills, traditional household articles, the ways of cooking, the burial and wedding practices, etc. Archaic folklore genres and musical instruments are still used.

The ethnography of the region has a long history of over 200 years and is still a widely studied research topic. The original inhabitants of the highlands and foothills of Altai, the Oirot-Altaians, were a nomadic population and sustained themselves by herding.

The modern population is a mixture of indigenous Altai and Russian settlers, some of the latter still leading strict lives of Old Believers in their villages very much isolated from civilization.

Notes to the text:

· takes root – имеет свои корни

· closely connected -тесно связанный

· is composed -состоит из

· Native Small Population Groups List of the Russian Federation - Перечень коренных малочисленных народов России

· оld-believers -староверы

· origin peculiarities – особенности происхождения

· are referred -относятся

· cradle -колыбель

· many peculiar features – отличительные особенности

· preservation -сохранение

· traditional dwellings – традиционные жилища

· yurts or tee-pees – юрты или вигвамы

· grain grater- зернотёрка ( древнейшее приспособление для помола зерна)

· mills -мельницы

· household articles – домашние принадлежности

· burial and wedding practices – похоронный и свадебные практики

· folklore genres - фольклорный жанры

· sustained themselves by herding – обеспечивали себя выпасом

· mixture -смесь

· settlers -поселенцы

· some of the latter – последние из выше упомянутых

3. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту:

1. When was it first mentioned about the Altaian population?

2. How many nationalities are there in the Altai?

3. How many large ethnic groups are there on the territiory of the Altai?

4. What are the Altaians are presented by?

5. Who are Old-believers?

6. What role does the Altai language play?

7. What are the traditional activities of Altaians?

4. Прочитайте текст и ответьте на вопросы:

1. Have you ever been to El-Oiyn?

2. Do you know any other Altaian holidays?

Дата добавления: 2015-07-20