Russia is |
Peoples of Russia
Oroks
The Ulta (Oroks) are a Tungus-Manchu people, one of the native people of the North, Siberia and Far East. Their self-designation is Ulta (Uilta), also Orochens (usually when talking in Russian), Na-ni (“local people”). In 2000, by a decree of the Government of the Russian Federation they were given the status of native small-numbered people.
Language
The native language of the overwhelming majority of the Ulta is Russian.
Dispersion
They live mostly in the Sakhalin region in three settlements: the city of Poronaysk, the Nogliki urban-type settlement and the Val village (the Nogliki district). They also live in the Gastello and Vakhrushev settlements of the Poronaysk district, the Viakhtu village of the Aleksandrovsk-Sakahlin district, the Smirnykh settlement of the Smirnykh district, in the Okha district and in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Traditional occupations
In the economy of the northern group of the Ulta, an important role was played by reindeer breeding together with seasonal hunting, marine animal hunting and foraging. The traditional Ulta community rarely had many reindeer. One owner rarely had more than 20 animals. The most widespread number was eight or five. Large-herd deer breeding took place only during the collective farming period; however, it not only led to the emergence of the excited stories of their neighbors “about the Orochen herds that reminded of a raging sea” but also helped to create the stable image of “deer breeding Ulta” both for the modern generation of Ulta themselves and in the academic literature. The southern group of the Uilta traditionally fished and hunted marine animals.
Dwellings
The Ulta lived in the aundau, light chums covered with fishskins or tree bark. Another widespread type of dwelling is kaura, a large hut with two sloping surfaces.
Clothes
The traditional Orok clothes were similar to the Evenki clothes. The fabric robes cut like a kimono became widespread, hunters and deer breeders wore jackets and overcoats from deerskins, skirts from seal skins. Women wore under their robes nollu plastrons with decorations made from beads and metallic plates hung on straps.
