Quick Answer: What Is Aoluguya Evenki Reindeer Culture?
The reindeer traditions described here belong to the Evenki (鄂温克族, Èwēnkèzú) community of Aoluguya (敖鲁古雅, Áolǔgǔyǎ), near Genhe (根河, Gēnhé) in Inner Mongolia. Reindeer were a means of transport through forest and marshland. The heritage includes herding knowledge and crafts connected with the animals.[1][2]
- Saddlery is part of the recorded craft tradition.[1]
- The first households relocated to the new settlement with their reindeer in 2003.[3]
- Families also continued to work at forest herding sites.[3][4]
Aoluguya is one community within the wider range of Evenki cultures in China.
A saddle in an exhibit points to an everyday problem. People in a forest needed to carry supplies across ground where a wheeled vehicle would have been difficult to use. Reindeer made that movement possible.[2]
What Reindeer Made Possible in the Forest
In the Greater Khingan forests, herders relied on reindeer for travel and carrying loads. Local accounts describe the animals crossing both woodland and wet ground. Making and maintaining saddles was part of the practical knowledge that made transport possible. Reindeer milk also had a place in household foodways.[1][2]
What Changed After the Move to Genhe
A new settlement near Genhe received its first relocated families in 2003. Herding activity continued at forest locations, even as housing and livelihoods changed.[3] Bu Dongxia (布冬霞, Bù Dōngxiá) has described how her family began interpreting reindeer culture for visitors as it adapted to the move.[4]
What the Heritage Entry Includes
Genhe’s reindeer customs entered the national list of intangible cultural heritage in 2008. The entry covers skills and practices relating to reindeer and their role in everyday life, including saddlery and handling milk.[1]
The entry’s community and place are as important as the activity. For another Inner Mongolian example of a heritage listing tied to a specific community, see Daur hockey in Morin Dawa.
FAQs About Evenki Reindeer Culture
Where is Aoluguya?
The present settlement is near Genhe in Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia.[3]
What did people use reindeer for?
Forest travel and transport were important uses. The animals also supplied milk.[1][2]
Does the heritage listing name all Evenki communities?
The reindeer customs entry names Genhe and describes the Aoluguya tradition.[1]
Sources
[1] China Intangible Cultural Heritage Digital Museum. Evenki reindeer customs
[2] Genhe Municipal People’s Government. Aoluguya reindeer customs and daily life
[3] Genhe Media Center. My Twenty Years: Zhong Nihao
[4] Genhe Media Center. My Twenty Years: Bu Dongxia