UAF Department of Anthropology

Student Research Abstract

Colonization and western presence enormously influenced the traditions and beliefs of the Itelmen people who live on Kamchatka peninsula in the Russian Far East. Native settlements were relocated into bigger villages which caused a great sense of loss among the indigenous population whose lifestyle is based on the place of ancestry. The aim of the proposed study is to find out if a concept of the ‘sacred site’ exists in the Itelmen society and to understand the modern perception of the ‘places of significance’.  The research will explore what meaning special places bring today and in particular what places are meaningful to young people. Through interviews conducted with elders and youth, stories anecdotes and legends attached to the places will be gathered in order to both preserve the heritage of the Itelmen people and understand its significance today.