Russia is |
Peoples of Russia
Altaians
People in the Republic of Altai. The name Altaians serves as a common name of all the speakers of the Turkic language of the Mountain Altai and surrounding regions, including Telenghits, Tubalars, Kumandians and Chelkans. In the 1990s, these communities received the status of the small-numbered native peoples of Russia.
Language
The Altaians speak a language belonging to the Turkic branch of the Altai family; the Altaian writing system was created in the 19th century on the basis of the Cyrillic alphabet; the standard language was formed on the basis of the Altai-Kizhi dialect.
Dispersion
The Altaians live in the Republic of Altai (62 thousand people, mostly the basin of Katun and its tributaries), the Altai territory (1.9 thousand), Kemerovo (0.5 thousand) and Novosibirsk (0.4 thousand) regions.
Dwellings
The well-to-do Altaians lived in yurts, like most Turkic peoples. Another form of the traditional Altaian dwelling is chaadyr, the conic pole construction covered with larch or birch bark.
Traditional occupations
The Altaians bred horses, sheep, cows, yaks, goats and camels. In the 20th century, farm animal housing and kitchen gardening connected with settled lifestyle became widespread among the Altaians. An important place in the life support system was taken by hunting Syberian red deer, fur game, birds, gathering wild crops. Plough farming was supplementary by nature. The crop sown was mostly barley, more rarely millet or wheat.
