Evenks live in the evergreen forest of the mountains of Siberia.

They had light conical tents, excellent skis, and light clothing. They were very mobile. And reindeer need to move around a lot to find their food.

The Evenks tamed reindeer and rode them using special saddles.They did not eat their domesticated reindeer but they did hunt and eat wild reindeer.

Evenks kept warm with a loincloth of soft reindeer skin around their hips, along with leggings and long supple thigh-high boots. They covered all this with a deerskin coat.

Evenki had some facial tattooing.

Evenki, when hunting wild deer, attracted them by making sounds with an instrument, sounding like a deer.

Evenks relied on shamans to protect thems. The shaman looked mysterious with his long uncombed hair in his ceremonial coat. His face concealed with a painted mask, he beat his reindeer-skin covered charmed tambourine.

An Evenk mother would ask Mother Earth for permission to put up her tent. She would make a fire and brew some tea. She would then turn to her baby hanging up in its wooden baby seat. The child is dressed in a suit made from soft rabbit fur. She unties a flap to change the disposable diaper made from moss. She then gives the baby some reindeer milk and mash.

The tent living space was tiny and was very neatly and carefully arranged. They all bedded down in sleeping bags heads to outside and feet nearest the fire.

Wooden store houses were built on stilts and anyone passing by could take something out of someone else’s store house, but they were expected to leave something in return.

More about the reindeer

Home