Russia is |
Peoples of Russia
Veps
The Veps (officially until 1917 Chud) are a small-numbered Finno-Ugric people traditionally inhabiting the territory of Karelia, Vologda and Leningrad regions in Russia. In April 2006, they were included in the List of native small-numbered people of the North, Siberia and Far East of the Russian Federation.
Language
The Veps language belongs to the Baltic-Finnish subgroup of the Finno-Ugric group of the Ural family. The language has three dialects: the northern (Sheltozero, southwestern shore of the Onega lake), the middle (the northeast of the Leningrad region and the Babayevo district of the Vologda region) and the southern (the Yefimovsky and Boksitogorsk districts of the Leningrad region). The use of the Russian language is also common.
Dispersion
The largest part of the ethnic territory of the Veps is located in the Leningrad region at the intersection of three administrative districts: Podporozhye, Tikhvin and Boksitogorsk. By the names of former administrative units as well as rivers and lakes, the Veps are divided into several groups: the Sheltozero (near-Onega) ones in Karelia, the Shimozero and Belozero ones in the Vologda region, the Vinnitsa (Oyat), Shugozero and Yefimovsky ones in the Leningrad region.
Traditional occupations
Farming together with slash-and-burn. Cattle breeding and hunting played a subsidiary role. Fishing, gathering mushrooms and berries was very important for family consumption. Since the second half of the 18th century, timber cutting, floating and barge hauling on rivers Svir, Neva, etc. became very important. Pottery was practiced on the river Oyat. In Soviet times, commercial development of decorative building stone became popular, cattle breeding turned towards meat and dairy production. Many Veps work in the timber industry.
Food
Their traditional dishes are soups, gruels, pies with fish filling, oatmeal starch drink, batter from licorice rye flour and cranberry juice, homemade beer and kvass.
