SNTC Native News and Views http://sibirga.net.tripod.com

Science Proves Our Elders Right Again

Recently, after hearing stories passed down to our Anishinabek (Ojibway) elders about a land that once existed in the Great Lakes region, scientists have used sonars to look at the configuration of the lakebed of the Great Lakes. The scientists were surprised to find caves, riverbeds, waterfalls and mountain slopes dating back over tens of thousands of years. They also sent diving teams to look at them and they discovered, rooted into the lakebed, tree stumps carbon dated back to the last major ice age. The other discovery that surprised the scientists is that the Anishinabek storytellers tell about at the period when the rivers around the Great Lakes changed the direction in which they flew to which they flow now. This dramatic event and natural phenomenon of the change in the flowing direction of the rivers around the Great Lakes occurred at the end of the last Ice age 13 000 years ago.

Ref.: Discovery Channel/Daily Planet/Sunday Oct. 20. 2002 - Science Meets Tradition

Ref.: Discovery Channel/Time Capsul/ 11:30 pm Sat Oct. 4. 2003

Dolgan Storyteller Talks of Woolly Mammoths

There is a number of Native Nations in Siberia. These Nations are Turkic and are the ancestors of the Turkish people. The Siberian Native Nations such as the Saha, Dolgan, Nenet, Evenk, and Chukchi live with the reindeer and maintain their traditional way of life since the time they came to existence. In the past few centuries the Russian King annexed Siberian Native land and after him the USSR took over Siberia. During the Russian and Soviet rule the Siberian Natives suffered great loss, some Nations were completely whipped out, but many survived and managed to pursue their traditional way of life. The Soviets didn�t allow any private property, they regularly took most of what the Native hunters and herders gathered and they dumped nuclear and toxic materials on Native lands, but they were not able to stop the Natives from living the traditional way of life. The traditional stories still live among Siberian Natives and are still being passed on from elders and storytellers to the younger generations. In one of these traditional stories told by a Dolgan elder in the Khatanga area, Nikolai Anufriovich Portiagin, mentions clearly the woolly mammoths roaming the land. There is no doubt that there are more of such stories mentioning the woolly mammoths roaming the land that are being passed on from generation to generation among Native Siberians. Khatanga is a small city in Northern Siberia and the fossil remains of woolly mammoths in the Khatanga area have been carbon dated to be 20 000 years old and the last known woolly mammoth died on Wrangel island 3800 years ago.

Turkic Languages

Turkic people have many different languages and dialects but it is all essentially one same language and it is possible to understand all of them by learning on of them. Linguists have classified Turkic languages into several language groups: Altaic (after the Altay mountain range), Uralic (after the Ural mountain separating Europe and Asia), Yenisey-Ostyak (after the Yenisey river and Ostyak people), Yukagir (after the Yukagir indigenous Siberian people), Chukotko - Kamchatkan (after the Chukchi and Kamchatka Peninsulas next to Alaska) and Eskimo-Aleut (after the word Eskimo and the word Aleut which is the chain of islands between Alaska and Siberia and also means north in the language). There are also some languages of indigenous people in the American continents that Turkic people can understand. These language groups are not related to other language groups such as the African language groups, Sino-Tibetan (Chinese) language group, Sanskrit language group etc. Turkic people's languages are different from the languages from the African language groups, the Sino-Tibetan (Chinese) language group, the Sanskrit language group etc.

Altaic Language Group |  Uralic Language Group |  Yenisei-Ostyak Language Group |  Yukaghir Language Group | Chukotko-Kamchatkan Language Group |  Eskimo-Aleut Language Group

Ref.: Etnologue

Ref.: Red Book of the Peoples of the Russian Empire

The Woolly Mammoth and the Mastodon

The woolly mammoth was a creature that roamed around North America and Asia from 250 000 to 10 000 years ago. A separate group of the last of the woolly mammoths survived till 3 800 years ago on Wrangel Island. The Wrangel Island region today is divide between US and Russia. The inhabitants of Wrangel Island are Native Inuit Turkic people who have of all humans lived longest side by side with woolly mammoths. Today�s living closest relatives of the woolly mammoths are Indian elephants.

Along with woolly mammoths, the smaller in size and just as shabby, mastodons roamed around North America. Mastodon excavation sites are located mainly in the regions below the Arctic Circle while woolly mammoth sites are located in both within the Arctic Circle and below it. Likewise many mastodon excavation sites predate those of the woolly mammoth and mastodon shared sites by millions of years. Turkic people in Asia and the Inuit people in Siberia, Alaska, Arctic Canada and Greenland have artifacts from woolly mammoth ivory. The Native people in the US-Canadian Sub Arctic and West Coast often carve both mammoth and mastodon ivory. The word mammoth is derived from the Saami (Turkic Scandinavian rein herders also knows as Laps) word maamut which means from the earth. All Turkic Nations in the Arctic came to believe that woolly mammoths are creatures whose spirits live under the earth surface. Our people well remember the mammoths and mastodons. The Inuit word for mammoth is Kiliigvak.

Link to Map of AK-Siberia Border Native Communities

Link to Indiansun Native Website with Turkic artwork from Siberia (under Russian Federation)

The Beginning

    Iyash was a young man whose name was the same as his father's. His father had two wives and they all lived together. One of the wives was Iyash's mother and the other wife was a younger lady. One day the younger wife spoke bad to Iyash.  Iyash didn't say nor do anything bad and he just kept sitting on the ground. After that she got very angry and she went  to Iyash's father and told him that his son Iyash wants to get rid of him and take his place as head of the house. Iyash's father, the older Iyash, believed his younger wife and decided to get rid of his son, the younger Iyash.

    The older Iyash told his son to come with him to get some eggs. They went to the shore of the lake and they got into their canoe.  They went to an island. When the younger Iyash got out of the canoe the older Iyash quickly pushed the canoe away from the island's shore leaving the younger Iyash on the island. As the younger Iyash shouted calling the older Iyash telling him not to leave him, the older Iyash went away with the canoe. The younger Iyash started to cry. He cried for a long time. The day was coming to an end and the young Iyash lay down and cried till he fell asleep.

    After the night passed and stranded on the island, Iyash, woke up, he heard someone call him. He looked and he saw a great serpent looking at him from the lake. He serpent asked him why he was crying. He told the serpent that he was left stranded on the island. The serpent told him that it could take him back to the mainland's shore. Iyash asked what he should do. The serpent told him to sit between its horns and to strike the horns whenever he wanted it, the serpent, to go faster. Iyash sat between the serpent's horns. The serpent started going towards the land away from the island when clouds came.  Iyash saw the clouds and he struck the serpent's horns. The serpent went faster and it started to thunder. The serpent asked Iyash what the thundering was. Iyash told the serpent  that it was the serpent's body splashing on the water. The serpent came closer to the land and the Thunderbird came. The Thunderbird sent a lightning hitting the serpent. The serpent threw Iyash foreward and Iyash fell onto the land. The serpent tried to escape from the lightning by diving into the water, but the water was to shallow. The Thunderbird sent another lightning and another striking the serpent. The lightning killed the serpent. Iyash was safe on land. The Thunderbird protected Iyash from any evil the serpent could have caused him.

     There were once a father and son both with the name Yasha. (Yasha means alive in Turkish.) The older Yasha was the leader of his people. His people hunted game and harvested crops. Whenever they would have more game or harvest from what they needed they would give some of it to the older Yasha because they liked him and respected him as their leader.

     The older Yasha had a brother and relatives that were envious of him and the way people treated him. This envious brother and cousins of his decided to get rid of him and to have the brother take his place as leader. They plotted a plan to get the older Yasha and the younger Yasha to go against each other and kill each other.

The Plot

     One day the older Yasha�s brother went to the older Yasha and told him that he had disturbing news to tell him. The two brothers sat together alone in a separate Chum (tent made by Siberian Turkish people). Other than the two men and some small birds sitting at the top of the Chum there was no one there. The older Yasha�s brother told him that his son was going to kill him and take his place as leader. He added that his son, the younger Yasha is getting support from his cousins envious of him the older Yasha. The older Yasha believed his brother. He then asked him if he knew anything more if he knew anything more bout that. His brother told him that the younger Yasha was intending to shoot him with an arrow next time they go hunting. The older Yasha thanked his brother. The two men got up and left the Chum and went separate ways. When the older Yasha came back to his family and entered the Chum his wife and son greeted him. They were happy to see him because like all the people they also liked him. Happy to see his father and looking forward to go hunting with him as usual, his son asked him when they could go hunting. The older Yasha was worried but he agreed to go hunting with the younger Yasha the next morning.

The Hunt

    It was morning when the older Yasha and the younger Yasha went hunting. The older Yasha was careful not to lose the younger Yasha from his sight. He was wondering and waiting for the younger Yasha to shoot at him from the bow and arrow. Then the younger Yasha saw a deer and showed it to the older Yasha by pointed to it without making a sound. The older Yasha thought to himself that the younger Yasha would now take the opportunity to shoot him instead of the deer. He told the younger Yasha to go in front of him and get closer to the deer and shoot the deer. The younger Yasha went in front of the older Yasha and got closer to the deer. The older Yasha drew his bow and arrow and shot the younger Yasha. The arrow hit the younger Yasha in the arm and he fell to the ground close to the deer. The older Yasha said to himself: "It�s done my worries are over." He went to where the younger Yasha fell, but before he could get to him the deer dragged away the younger Yasha. The older Yasha couldn�t find any trace of the younger Yasha. From that he knew that he got away wounded. He turned away and went home.

     Yasha was wounded and couldn�t walk. The deer that dragged him out of the place of danger put him on its back. Yasha was riding on the deer till they came to a cave. When they got into the cave the deer put Yasha on a grass bed. Yasha fell asleep on the grass bed.

The Cave

     Yasha woke up lying down on the grass bed in the cave. He saw the deer that he was hunting standing and looking at him. He said to the deer: "I was hunting when an arrow hit me, what happened?" The deer said: "Yes the older Yasha hit you with an arrow, then I brought you here so that you could heal and so that you will be safe from the men plotting against you and your father." Yasha then asked the deer: "Who is plotting against me and my father and why did my father hit me with an arrow?" The deer then explained to him about the whole plan everything that happened. Yasha was surprised and he asked the deer again: "Tell me where did you get to know that?" The deer then replied: "I heard it from the birds who heard your uncle and your cousins talking about that and after that the birds heard your uncle talking to your father." The deer then added: "All the animals in the taiga (forest) know about that and are talking about that because everyone heard the birds sing about that." Yasha then said to the deer: "My mother must be worried about me; tell the birds to go and tell my mother that I�m fine and about what happened to me." The deer agreed and went to the owl because the owl always brings the messages of when death approaches. The owl agreed to visit Yasha�s mother.

The Owl

     It was getting late when the owl flew towards Yasha�s home. When the owl came to the Chum where Yasha�s mother was it was already late evening. The owl made a call, and another and then another. Yasha�s mother heard the owl. She said to herself: "The owl is saying that my son isn�t coming back from the hunt and that he is dead." The owl heard that and made the noise: "No, no." Yasha�s mother heard the no and then said to herself: "The owl says no, then my son must be alive but in a misfortune." To that the owl said: "Yes, yes." The owl then flew away.

The Mother

     After the owl visited Yasha�s mother the older Yasha returned home. When Yasha�s mother didn�t see the younger Yasha with him she knew from what the owl told her that the younger Yasha was in trouble with the older Yasha. She patiently greeted her husband and prepared him dinner. The older Yasha was silent. Then she asked: "Where is our son?" The older Yasha said: " I don�t know; he was going to shoot me instead of a deer, so I shot him, then he disappeared." Yasha�s mother asked: "Why would your son want to shoot you?" The older Yasha replied: "Because he wanted to kill me and become leader in my place. My brother warned me yesterday and he also heard him talk to our envious cousins." Yasha�s mother said to that: "Now I understand what the owl told me and what happened." The older Yasha looked at her and asked: "What did the owl tell you?" Yasha�s mother then explained to him saying: "Your envious cousins want to see you and your son kill each other and they want to have your brother take your place. Your brother agreed to that and is plotting with them. That is why he came to you and told you that our son wants to kill you. Then you took him hunting and shot him. Your son loves you and respects you like all the people and he never said anything about taking your place. His heart is good and you were not able to kill him. He got away safe. The owl came and told me that besides all the danger around our family our son is alive and well." The older Yasha listened closely and then said: " Now we have to find our son and mend what injustice has been done." It was night and late. The older Yasha and his wife agreed to go out in the morning to find their son.

The Return of all the Things

     In the cave the deer was tending to Yasha and he was getting better from the arrow wound. The owl entered the cave. Yasha and the deer greeted the owl. The owl returned the greeting and said that it told Yasha�s mother that he was alive. The deer then turned to Yasha and told him that in the morning they had to go to his home.

     When morning came, Yasha was feeling better and he walked out of the cave. The deer was next to him and they headed to Yasha�s home. On their way the owl joined them. As they were going more and more animals joined them. By the time they got to Yasha�s home all the animals of the taiga were with them. The older Yasha and his wife were outside getting ready to go look for their son. When they saw him with all the animals they rejoiced. The older Yasha quickly called all the people.

     Everyone gathered and the older Yasha looked for his brother. When he saw his brother he said to his brother in front of all the people and all the animals: "You wanted me and my son to kill each other and to become the leader. Here I forgive you and I want you to be the leader." His brother looked to the ground and said: "My brother, me being the leader won�t accomplish anything. You are a great man that everyone loves and respects and you are a better man than I am. You should be the leader. Forgive me." Their envious cousins like all envious people hid themselves from all the people and all the animals. All the people then cheered praising both the older and the younger Yasha and again peace came back to the taiga. From that day on, all Turkish people say Yasha (alive) when they cheer.

    Tokta grew up in what is today's Siberia. His father was a reindeer hunter and herder. He lived a happy life as a child When he grew up he followed his father's footsteps and continued the family tradition of reindeer hunting and herding. After his parents died and his older brothers and sisters got married and went their way, he went into the woodlands known as the taiga.

    Tokta lived in the taiga where hunted and moved from one place to another when he came across a Russian expedition sent by the Russian king to explore new lands and new resource for the benefit of the kingdom. At that time Tokta was a man with white hair and with a great experience of the land that he grew up on. Like all Turks in that region he was dark skinned, short, with slanted eye and friendly with a pleasant look on his face. Captain Nikolay, the leader of the Russian expedition and Tokta very quickly became friends. All the soldiers in the expedition started to like Tokta and enjoyed his company.

    Tokta led the expedition East towards Chukotia and the Captain drew a map of the terrain while the soldiers wrote their dairies, poems, made sketches and collected leaves and flowers that they would keep pressed between the pages of their diary books. In the evenings Tokta would tell them Shaman stories about spirits and stories about his hunting experiences. Tokta would tell them and teach them to respect the nature. He wouldn't allow them to break branches of the trees and bushes unless for important reasons though the taiga was a vast forestland covering a huge part of today's Russia. One or two plucked branches would seem not to make a difference, but Tokta didn't allow it. Two years went by very quickly.

    Tokta started growing old. His eyesight started getting weaker. He said to Captain Nikolay that he cannot see like before and that his life was coming to an end. Captain Nikolay told Tokta not to worry and that he would take care of him. The same evening Tokta chose to sit alone by the camp fire. Everyone was asleep. Tokta saw a wolf. He asked the wolf whether he came to take his life. The wolf stared for a while then turned away and left. Tokta understood that the Creator Gave him a sign to start getting ready for the departure from this world to the next. The next day Tokta explained to Captain Nikolay that his time is running out and for the expedition team to be ready to continue on its own. Captain Nikolay and his men loved Tokta and they decided to return to their homes and take care of Tok1a. Tokta told them that that wasn't necessary, but they insisted and the expedition turned back home.

    After ten days they reached a railroad and in two days the train came and took them home. Captain Nikolay took Tokta to his house. Tokta never saw anything like that before. He had to stay in a box, not carry a gun outside. He couldn't hunt, there was no river, no forest. A man would. bring water to the house every day filling the water tank and he would take money for it. Tokta was very angry at him. One day Tokta asked him how he could sell water when the river was full of water and enough for everyone. Tokta couldn't bare that life and he remembered the wolf. He knew that his time to depart the world was coming soon.

    A few days passed when Tokta asked Captain Nikolay to let him go to the taiga. The Captain was very sad because he knew what that meant, Tokta's death. Tokta insisted and the Captain agreed. He gave Tokta his best rifle and Tokta departed. Two hours later a police officer came to Captain Nikolay's house. The Captain opened the door and the policeman asked him to come with him. They went outside the city and near the railroad. Tokta was lying dead and there was no rifle. He was shot.

A novel was written and a movie was made about this story by Russians. Here the names of characters and similar has been changed and the story is most probably true because we Turks had lots of things like that happening to our people not long ago.

M.S.

This is a story recorded in petroglyphs and it mentions the melting of glaciations at the end of the Ice Age.

1. At first, in that place, at all times, above the earth,

Click here to read the story.