Russia is |
Peoples of Russia
Tuvinians
The majority call themselves Tuvinians or Tyva. Other names are Tyva-Kizhi, Soyot, Uriankhai. They are the population of the Republic of Tyva (Tuva). They also live in Mongolia, China (Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region).
Language
The Tuvinian language (except for the Todzhin dialect) is a part of the steppe range of the Sayan subgroup of the Eastern Turkic (Siberian) group of the Turkic branch of the Altai language family. The Tuvinian-Todzhin dialect is a part of the taiga range of the Sayan subgroup. Before 1930, the Mongolian writing system was used, then Janalif, since 1940 the writing system is based on the Cyrillic script.
Ethnic groups
The Tuvinians consist of the Western Tuvinians and the Eastern, or Tuvinians-Todzhins. The latter populate the mountain taiga part of Tuva. In 2000, they were given the status of small-numbered people.
Dwellings
The Western Tuvinians, like the majority of the Turkic-Mongolian nomadic cattle breeders, lived in yurts. The Tuvinian Todzhins, at the contrary, usually lived in chum tents covered with birch bark (in summer) and reindeer or moose pelts (in winter).
Food
The traditional diet of the Western Tuvinians is based on the products of nomadic cattle breeding. These are mostly sour milk dishes, more rarely meat dishes (from mutton and horsemeat). Milk was used to make a strong alcoholic drink called araka. The diet of the Eastern Tuvinians was based on the products of hunting and reindeer breeding. They ate meat and reindeer milk with salted tea. Instead of bread, they used flour made from roasted grain.
Occupations
The Western Tuvinians before the 20th century were mostly nomadic cattle breeders. They bred sheep, cows, horses, camels. The agriculture was limited and had no important role in economy. Hunting (including commercial fur trapping) was widespread. Crafts were well-developed (feltmaking, jewelry, smithing, carpentry, saddlery). After switching to settled lifestyle, nomadic cattle breeding was exchanged for the distant-pasture one, plough agriculture became very important, individual kitchen gardening developed.
Traditionally the main occupations of the Tuvinian Todzhins were hunting, reindeer breeding and foraging.
