Ecological consciousness in the works of writers of small peoples of Russia (on the example of Yu. Rytheu, E. Aipina, Yu. Shestalov)

Cheng Shuangting Senior Educator, Sino-Russian Institute at Heilongjiang University 150080, China, Harbin, Syui Fulu, 74 190338170@qq.com Other publications by this author

  English sociologist Zygmunt Bauman said that modernity has caused many catastrophes in the history of mankind, and environmental disasters should be the most noticeable and serious of them. Russia is a multinational country in which the development and prosperity of the literature of national minorities has become the most important literary phenomenon in Russian literature, and the culture of these minorities, of course, is an integral part of the general culture of the country. After the October Revolution, the regions of Russia where small peoples lived, although they were still at a relatively backward stage of development, were somehow involved in modernity. Contradictions between traditional customs and modern trends, conservative principles and the desire for openness, due to economic development and intensive exploitation of natural resources, significantly undermine the ecological balance in ethnic regions.

  Most ethnic minorities live in remote areas located high in the mountains or deep in valleys, where an abundance of tundra, dense forests and rivers surround them. Under these conditions, their ideas about interaction and understanding of the environmental environment, ethical concepts and value standards necessary for solving environmental problems were formed. Due to the rapid development of society, the trends of modernization and globalization, different cultures collide, interact and unite. This has significantly affected the relatively closed and conservative regions where ethnic minorities live, forcing them to consciously or unconsciously join the modernization process. Industrialization, programming and rationalization of the leading sectors of the modern economy have brought changes to the traditional ways of supporting minorities. One of the significant consequences of the unreasonable development of natural resources is the negative impact on the environmental consciousness of minority representatives. At the same time, there is an increasing frequent and deep interaction between ethnic groups, which leads to a weakening of the unique features of their own mental models and ethical attitudes of these minorities.

  In his research, Chinese scientist Wang No expresses the opinion that "environmental literature differs from traditional literature in that it reveals the relationship between nature and man, expresses the influence of nature on man, and also examines the issues of the position of man in nature, the connection of all living beings in nature, the destruction of nature by man, the integration of man and nature and other aspects. In addition, environmental literature pays special attention to the study of the roots of tension, alienation, antagonism and conflict between man and nature, that is, the social roots of ideology, culture, economics, science and technology, lifestyle and way of social development, which lead to the enslavement and plundering of nature by man." ^{[1, 10 art.]} In In general, environmental literature is a passive reflection of the current environmental crisis, which is caused by environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources and frequent natural disasters. Environmental literature reflects and criticizes modernity in a literary form. Therefore, in the main environmental literary works, the discourse of describing environmental crises such as energy shortages, environmental pollution and loss of humanism is often accompanied by criticism of anthropocentrism. To a large extent, the ecological consciousness of environmental writers was formed in the context of modern problems. Therefore, literature in the field of ecology often reflects the moral consciousness and social responsibility of writers. On the other hand, the ecological consciousness of writers from ethnic minorities is formed in the process of interaction with nature, it manifests itself spontaneously and actively. The traditions of life and the experience of survival of ethnic minorities are closely linked to nature, they can be transmitted through the habitat and become part of the collective memory, thus forming a unique cultural memory, thinking and value beliefs. Natural disasters and environmental problems are passed down from generation to generation, as well as the genetic characteristics of life. The life of ethnic groups is closely linked to their national identity, cultural life and the source of existence in the environment. The disappearance of this environment will create difficulties for the continuation of life of ethnic groups and cause pain that differs from what is described in the main environmental literature. In the literature created by writers from small nations, there is always a deep sense of anxiety, helplessness and loss associated with the threat of the environment. An emphasis is placed on environmental elegies, which indicates the value position and ethical orientation of ethnic minorities in relation to the loss of their land and the environment. Even in oral literature, such as legends, myths, ballads and other folklore of ethnic minorities, love of harmony with nature and fear of the destruction of this harmony are always expressed.

  The arguments about environmental problems presented in the works of leading environmental writers are based on concerns about survival caused by environmental destruction. Despite the fact that these writers have revealed the environmental crisis and discussed its serious consequences, it is difficult for them to raise the environmental crisis to the level of a cultural crisis and describe the inner pain and anxiety of the characters caused by the fear of the disappearance of their people's culture. According to anthropological research, the unique eco-cultural environmental consciousness of ethnic regions and their corresponding knowledge systems play a huge role.

  The main manifestation of the attitude towards nature is a sense of reverence, which includes two components - respect and fear. Respect for nature presupposes the assignment of certain qualities to it, similar to human properties, and the formation of the concept of animism. Fear of nature means maintaining a certain distance and harmonious interaction with the environment. At the same time, respect and fear of nature have led to the creation of a system of taboos and religious beliefs that regulate human behavior and restrict their actions in accordance with the law. These measures serve to prevent negative human impact on nature and establish harmonious coexistence between them. Based on their ecological significance and intuitive awareness of the need to protect the environment, minorities have naturally developed norms for managing interpersonal relations based on environmental principles. The national culture that grew out of this cultural soil inevitably represents a harmonious, ecological national culture, which is closely connected with the primitive religious idea of perceiving spirits in all living things, giving a soul to all living things and manifesting itself in the forms of witchcraft, totemism, nature cult, etc. This together forms the ecological consciousness of minorities.

Yuri Rytkhau:

  Based on reflections on the impact of the loss of traditions in modern society, writers of national minorities use ancient myths about the nature of their people to convey the secrets of nature and restore its attractiveness through a narrative saturated with mythological elements. They direct their efforts to rationalize the concepts and taboos of ancient myths, stimulate respect for nature and observance of ancient ecological customs, in order to overcome the shortcomings of modernity, protect the ecological environment from crisis and save the future of mankind. The myth of ethnic origin is an integral element of every primitive people. In the legends of many ethnic minorities, there are legends about their origin from mysterious animals. For example, in Chukchi mythology, stories are common about women marrying marine animals such as walruses or whales and becoming the progenitors of humans.

  Yuri Rytkhau is the Chukchi author of the story "When the Whales Leave", which was created in 1976. The work consists of three parts, the first of which depicts the period of life of primitive people on a pebble beach, illustrating a mythological universe, the existence of which is based on a harmonious and unified relationship between man and nature. The artwork begins with an image of the material world, saturated with sounds emanating from both living and inanimate objects: the squeak of a weasel, noisy chirping under rocks and pouring streams, the roar of ocean waves of sharp rocks, the rustle of forest branches, the muffled and muffled sound of black ravens, the noisy cawing of arctic foxes and the whistle of whales raising to the light its columns of water. Nau is immersed in an acoustic environment, feeling all the sound effects on the environment. The narrative covers various aspects of the life of the Chukchi people, including the process of making threads from deer veins, creating needles from bull tails, making clothes from deer and seal skins, consuming walrus and seal meat, performing whale dance, mentioning ancient sacrificial rituals and other aspects. The author presents to readers the rich cultural practices of the Chukchi people. It can be seen that "in the story, the writer expresses from the bottom of his heart his love for the people of Chukotka and for the land of his homeland, which gave him inspiration and cultural heritage." ^{[2, p. 15.]}

  The first part is devoted to the relationship between man and nature, taking into account the fact that in the natural world all elements - earth, water, sky and people - are closely interconnected. Virgo Nau, personifying the mythical consciousness and being an intermediary between man and nature, is considered the beginning for coastal peoples within the wider world. "Nau felt like an elastic wind, green grass and wet pebbles, a high cloud and a blue bottomless sky at the same time." ^{[3, p. 6]} When Nau experiences a feeling of "great love", she realizes her difference from birds and other animals. She feels great love after meeting a whale named Reu, and only when she manages to break away from the natural world, she feels a new unique inner state, awareness of herself as the ancestor of humanity and the mother of the inhabitants of the coast. The author describes the perception of the surrounding world by a young girl named Nau, who seems to be a "guest from heaven", implying the mythological idea of the Chukchi people about the appearance of people on their land, and also shows the origin and development of natural human emotions (joy, fear, love) and people's perception of the surrounding world and themselves. "Great Love" not only reflects changes in the world around us, but also unfolds the inner world of the main character. Nau's husband, Keith, introduces himself as Reu. The perception of Nau's "Great Love" leads to her rethinking of the natural world, as well as to her gaining new knowledge and emotional well-being. At the same time, love for Nau gives Reu the opportunity to find a human being. According to the author, love is not only a source of preservation of the genus, but also a source of intelligence. The mythological basis of a literary work adds philosophical depth to it. Nau gives birth to both whales and human babies. In many ethnic societies, there are mythological legends about women choosing animals as grooms, which allows them to become the ancestors of their kind. Soviet folklore researcher Sergei Tokarev conducted a collection of information, as a result of which many examples of legends and beliefs related to the origin of clans and tribes were discovered. Tokarev also discovered a historical connection between these legends and ancient totemic beliefs. He noted that these beliefs strengthened traditions, customs and rituals, which were considered sacred and inalienable for a person as a representative of the family that created these customs and rituals. Researchers of the myths of the indigenous peoples of the North of Russia have established that such long-livers of Siberia as "the Ob Khanty, Ural Mansi, Narym Selkups were descended from a bear, hare, goose, cedar, crane, pike or frog." ^{[4, p. 6]} Totemism is a socio-cultural system characteristic of ancient and modern barbarians based on beliefs and ritual practice. According to this system, tribes or communities are divided into groups, each member of which considers himself a blood relative of a certain natural object, usually an animal, plant or inanimate object. Within the framework of totemism, the members of the group show reverence and respect for their totem without endangering it. Many researchers interpret such veneration as a religious belief, according to which each member of the clan is a relative or even a descendant of the totem. Totemism plays a significant role in the religious life of various cultural groups, including the religion of Chukotka, where worship of the totem of fishing and hunting is important. "In Chukchi mythology, the main characters are mainly polar bears, whales, walruses and crows." ^{[5, p. 108]} The characters of Nau and Reu are divine fantastic figures of high importance in totemic mythology as totemic ancestors. In addition, they are the first creators of certain animal species and ancestral groups of people. In the famous myths of Chukotka, Nau acts as the first woman on the coast, who is the ancestor of the Chukchi people. For the most part, the characters of ancient Asian mythology have a double anthropomorphization of animals. The connection with nature and the creation of social bonds were established through marriage between Prue and Nau. The process of evolution from the animal form to the human form is due to changes in appearance. The myth unites the life cycles of man with nature, which is not only a worldview, but also a fundamental philosophy of life, considering all living things as human beings, animals and plants as equivalent substances. Community, unity and kinship with the natural world are demonstrated through the great love of Nau and Keith Reu. Through the initial unity of man and nature, Rythau comes to his problematic philosophy, combining the issues of goodness, memory and conscience. The figurative and artistic structure of the whole story is saturated with fabulous and allegorical symbolism. In the "Great Love", the first generation of whale children is born, which become the basis of coastal communities and the beginning of the formation of the Chukchi people, who grew out of nature itself. Rythau emphasizes the interconnection of nature, animals and man as a whole. A friendly attitude towards nature, respect for others and harmony between man and the surrounding nature are a mythological reality that strengthens ethnic principles in the minds of Nau and Prue. Nau embodies Mother Nature and carefully protects her descendants, which allows her to exist as long as future generations respect the natural world. The writer gives immortality to Nau, making her being mythical. She is able to survive the centuries and serve as a mentor for humanity, a guardian of ancient memory and traditions of her kind. The existence of Nau becomes a criterion for evaluating the relationship between man and nature, as well as the morality of mankind. She continues to relive in the memory of new generations the legend that humanity comes from the whale, convincing them that in every person there is the blood and spirit of this ancient totem. Moreover, the author in his story talks about the direct influence of whales on the abundance of marine animals near pebble beaches, which occurred in ancient times. They helped people in hunting and provided them with a material life. In the story, Nau hints that violating the patriarch's ban could lead to her death. In the second part of the work, future generations are skeptical of the idea that whales are human brothers. However, people continue to live in harmony with the natural world, and when whales rescue hunters, the authenticity of the Nau story is attested. In the third part of the story, the image of the destroyer Armagirgin violates the harmony between man and nature, causing damage to whales. This directly leads to the death of the Nau.

  In the story, Rythau calls for a reverent attitude towards nature and respect for high moral standards. According to the ethical and ecological ideas of the writer, there can be no pure human soul without nature. The novel was published in 1976, and in 1982 UNESCO decided to suspend whaling worldwide, and it can be said that the writer's work anticipated this humanitarian measure aimed at preserving nature and the spiritual ecology of mankind. Rytheu was awarded the Orders of Friendship of Peoples, the Red Banner of Labor, and the Badge of Honor, and he is UNESCO's advisor on Arctic minorities and the head of the Arctic Project. The objective of this project is to preserve the unique culture and civilization of the Arctic in the context of technological progress, while ensuring the protection of the indigenous peoples of the region. To achieve this goal, the writer conducted extensive research throughout the Arctic, covering Russia, Scandinavia, Greenland, the USA and Alaska in Canada. Rythau, who is one of the most popular writers of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries, was nicknamed the Chukchi Flaubert and Balzac, and was also ranked among the Russians of Marx and Jack London. His works reflect the way of life, national customs and feelings of the Chukchi, combining historical and modern subjects with ancient myths, revealing the spiritual and moral world of the Chukchi people.

Yeremy Aipin:

  In his works, the Khanty writer Yeremey Aipin conveys a sense of anxiety and anxiety, using animal metaphors to denote cultural changes. While the northern regions were actively developed in the 1970s, many Khanty families lost their traditional lands, which led to an acute loss of reindeer herding pastures. People were forced to move to villages and fight for their survival. As a result of these changes, traditional crafts ceased to be in demand, which led to the extinction of ethical customs and traditions, as well as predetermined the fate of future generations. The novel "Wolves", written in 1973, is an early work by Aipin. It describes the story of a young hunter who finds himself being chased by 7 wolves. The hero runs away to a cedar tree to hide, and thinks about how the wolves wandered into the taiga and what made them leave their ordinary habitat. To avoid falling from a tree, the hunter ties himself to it with a belt and falls asleep. The story depicts a symbolic image of a tree saving the hero. In the worldview of the people, according to the concept of a three-tiered world, a tree represents a junction point consisting of a root, trunk and vertex located in the lower, middle and upper worlds, respectively. The hunter described in the text, located at the top of the tree, is interpreted as being in the upper world, the world of the gods. The writer used a dream here to reflect the fact that the hero is located in the boundary space of various layers of the world. In the dream, the hero observes colorful scenes in which he saw his father, mother, sister, bride Anastasia, teacher Anna Petrovna. Each of the characters sitting in the trees reflects their social status and different attitudes towards wolves. The hunter's mother and sister are the first to choose a place in the tree, under which the wolves break the girls' toys and books. The girls and the mother symbolize the future of the Khanty nation, but this future is rejected and destroyed by wolves. In a hunter's dream, the image of Mitri Kazamkin changes. Mitri is the only one who wants to help Mikula, but when he comes to Mikula on a drilling rig, he only shouts "No, no, it's better to let the wolves eat him!" ^{[6, p. 50]} After that, Mikul disappeared, something terrible appeared instead, similar to a drilling rig, and from all sides monsters are approaching the hunter, each of which bears the image of a wolf, increasing despair from the impending disaster.

  The impact of multiculturalism and the irreversible process of industrialization have led to significant changes in the living conditions of ethnic minorities, which has caused widespread emotions of confusion, difficulties and anxiety. The wolf symbol reflects a predatory civilization, and the drilling machine has become a wolf-like tool, leaving behind only cracked earth. The main character, Mikul, was ready to sacrifice his life for the sake of the integrity of the earth. At the climax of the narrative, he presents his vision of how to walk among wolves, which blurs the line between reality and imagination, enhancing the mystery of the work and leaving readers with an open ending that everyone can think about. On the one hand, in the context of the process of land development in the north of Russia, wolves are exposed to negative factors, which entails the risk of reducing their numbers and death. On the other hand, the apparent reduction of territories where wildlife, including wolves, can freely inhabit, can be seen as a symbol of progressive civilization. Nevertheless, in the context of Aipin's work, the image of a wolf acts as a metaphor that symbolizes the future fate of characters such as Mikul, his family, and other representatives of the Khanty people. In this context, the use of metaphorical images of animals is one of the main characteristics of Aipin's work, which is associated with his life experience, including the experience of a hunter. A distinctive feature of Aipin's works from the works of Shestalov and Rytkhau is their more tragic character. He shows a negative attitude towards the development of modern industrial civilization, perceiving the progress of this civilization as a threat and harm to the traditional way of life of the people. In the story "Stray Dog", the characters Maly Mikhail and Mikul were moving on deer in the direction of their house and decided to spend the night with their relative Demyan. During the journey, they discovered that a stray dog was chasing their deer, but Mikul chased it away. However, on the way, they learned from Matryona's relative that Demyan had moved to another place. In the plans for departure, the brothers met a stray dog again and decided to take it with them to a temporary parking lot at Demyan's. Arriving at the appointed place, the heroes found that instead of Demyan's new house there was a ragged and patched tent. Demyan told about his fate, "Who knows what awaits us at this place tomorrow? Demyan asked. - Last year I chose a place for a new house, I didn't have time to take up the axe - they put a drilling rig there. Can you really live with such a neighbor?" ^{[6, p. 171]} The author in his work builds a parallel between the character Demyan and a stray dog, thereby demonstrating the inextricable connection of the fate of this hero with the situation arising among the Khanty people in the process of development and industrialization. "Ethnic minorities, regardless of whether they are active choices or passive acceptance, must be integrated into modern development trends, industrialization, procedural and rational modern economic means affect the traditional way of life of ethnic minorities, in particular, the indiscriminate exploitation of resources even more seriously affects environmental awareness in the traditions of ethnic minorities." ^{[7, p. 6]} At a time when other writers glorified the progress of industrial civilization, Aipin noted that this progress brought misfortune to the Khanty people. Oil extraction and exploration scared off animals, and the railway became an insurmountable obstacle for reindeer herders, changing the traditional way of life and mentality of the nomadic Khanty. "Who knows what awaits us at this place tomorrow?" conveys the inner voice of the writer himself.

Yuvan Shestalov:

  "Pagan Poem" is the most famous work of the Mansi poet and writer Yuvan Shestalov. This poetry collection, created by the author Shestalov, is a unique combination of national epic and lyrics. There is a new type of modern national epic in the creation, which is focused on awakening the self-awareness and patriotism of the Mansi people, as well as on fostering faith in a better and fair future. The work contains a discussion about the ecological environment and the relationship between man and nature. The general mood of the creation is aimed at awakening national identity and developing ethnic identity. At the beginning of the poem, the poet expressed such fears: "How many sounds, how much life! Will they all ever become a fairy tale? And, waking up one morning, I will see a bright electric drill instead of the sun and not hear the cackle of a goose, but the roar of iron machines." ^{[8, p. 8]} The poem consists of 8 parts. The beginning of the fifth of these parts - "The Song of the Last Swan" foreshadows an environmental disaster. "In the spring, a swan flew to the forest lake. Other airplane birds were having fun in the sky. And there are not enough ducks! Hunters used to admire swans. And this swan was crying. I recorded his crying ..." ^{[8, p. 103]} The poet hears the cry of nature's pain and calls: "But take care of my white lakes, for the sky will turn black without white swans, the nights will turn black without white swans, a black wasteland will appear under the green grass." ^{[8, p. 104]}The ecological consciousness reflected in the literature of small peoples is primarily due to respect for nature, which provides them with everything necessary for existence, as well as the fact that representatives of small peoples cannot exist outside of interaction with nature and always live in balance with it. "At that time, it was precisely due to respect and fear of nature that a system of taboos and religious beliefs in the legitimate sense was formed, which play a normative or restraining role in the behavior of minorities." ^{[7, p. 12]} Many works written by writers from ethnic minorities have the word "last" in their titles, for example, "The Last Shaman" Yuri Rytkhau, "The Last Flight" by Yeremey Aipin, "The Last tribute to Custom" by Vladimir Sangi. "These works focus on the problem of the "last one", since with the disappearance of the "last one" racial genes, cultural ties, and life experience inherited by the "last one" disappear, and this inexpressible pain makes the literature of ethnic minorities always permeated with a heavy atmosphere of tragedy and sentimentality." ^{[7, p. 3]} In poetic works "The thoughts of the Capercaillie", "The Song of the Sable", "The Cry of the sturgeon" depict the suffering of nature, the cause of which the author points to young people with gloomy faces. Using subtle lyricism, he expresses concern and reflections on the environmental crisis from the point of view of nature itself. According to the writer, the invasion of nature and its destruction is not an impending environmental disaster, but reflects the problem of education. The smell of the motherland is felt in Shestalov's poems, saturated with the scent of the taiga, the quiet lapping of the Ob waves, as well as the smell of meadows. The poet's poetry is permeated with emotions inextricably linked with the motherland, love for nature and the people.

  In his works, Shestalov seeks to change the traditional and historical understanding of Siberia and its peoples. He describes the aborigines as children of nature who love their land and their home. In his opinion, the peoples of the North should not succumb to the temptation of the progress of industrial civilization. This reverence and love for nature is most likely unique to his works. The main goal of the poet is to reveal the poetic beauty of mansi. The rapid development of the twentieth century led to many discoveries, but also caused a number of problems for humanity. Worrying about the future of the indigenous peoples of the North, Yuvan Shestalov was also inspired by the theme of environmental protection. In his work, trees, flowers, animals and birds are personified as living beings with the ability to live, sing, speak, think and feel. His poems urge readers to cherish the beauty of the forest, protect bears, protect rivers and lakes, and protect every blade of grass on earth. In the poem "I am a man", man is not seen as a helpless child in front of nature, but on the contrary, nature itself is a helpless child in front of humanity. The poet reflects on the fragility and vulnerability of the Earth, whose fate depends on humanity. In the poem "To live, to live, to live..." there is concern about his people: "Who says that my people will die or melt like spring ice, or the water will wash it away from the shores? Who says that? Who says that a folk song will freeze to death under the cold snow and even the wind - a talkative wanderer - cannot remember either the words or the motive?" ^{[8, p. 40]}, but at the end of the poem the poet expressed hope for the survival of his people: "I will live, live, live! If so, will my people die, tell me? I will live, live, live! Or will a folk song melt away, tell me? She will live forever, live, live!" ^{[8, p. 41]} In the novels of Yu. Shestalov, there is a similar anxiety about the socio-economic development of indigenous peoples. In the works "Blue Wind of Castlania" and "Big Fish", the author pays attention to the life of reindeer herders and fishermen, taking care of the future of Mansi. The writer's focus is not only on traditional national crafts, but also on the general perspective. Despite the possible ambiguity of his work, Shestalov is generally positive about the development of his native nation. In his novel "The Mystery of the Weed", he seeks to trace an analogy between oil and black gold, expressing an optimistic attitude towards the development of oil and gas resources at home, but also expresses concern about the environment.

  The essence of ecological consciousness in the literature of ethnic minorities lies in the awareness of the possibility of the existence of a culture where cultural identity is the main goal. The main feature of ethnic ecological literature is the orientation of ecological consciousness towards the problem of cultural identity, which is closely related to environmental problems. The ecological thinking of ethnic minorities is closely linked to their folk culture, but over the past fifty years, this folk culture and traditions that contributed to the development of ecological thinking have been lost. For writers who pay attention to ecology, the process of saving ecology is an experience of searching for the roots of culture and a lost civilization.

You can simply select and copy link from below text field.