On the Three Modernization Stages of the Altai Clan Society

Abstract

Based on the collected information, the indicative features of the Altai people integration into Russian society during the pre-Soviet, Soviet and post-Soviet stages of modernization, which led to varying degrees of assimilation of local groups of Altai people in the Russian-speaking environment, are highlighted. The applied method of ethnographic observation made it possible to assert that in the ethnic culture of Russians in Gornyi Altai (Mountainous Altai) and the Altai ethnic-marking features are preserved in everyday life and ceremonial culture. The difference between the cultures of the Altai people, who formed the Central Asian ethno-cultural community, and the Russians, representatives of the agricultural Orthodox civilization, is outlined. It is concluded that in the pre-Soviet period, which became the first stage in the modernization of the traditional Altai society, the Russian administration sought to abolish the clan structure and change the clan consciousness of the Altai people. Soviet modernization, however, relied on another ethno-differentiating feature and the main identification marker – on the Altai language, and went by changing the language consciousness of the Altai people. The relevance of the issue lies in the study of the modernization process, which largely explains the observance or oblivion of tribal customs and the ongoing changes in ethnic consciousness. Having been the first to experience the influence of assimilation, the northern groups of Altai lost their tribal customs and appeared before the southern Altai as marginalized. Attention is drawn to the fact that in the transition from a traditional society to a modernized society at the beginning of the last century there was formed an ethno-consolidating movement among the Altai Kizhi in the Ongudai and Ust-Kanskii districts, officially called Burkhanism, which became the first response to Russian influence in the development of ethnic processes. There is also highlighted the formation of "the su Altai" image which denotes the "true" Altai people, the established ethnic stereotypes of local groups, which testify to the importance of regional identity in the multi-component principle of its formation. It is noted that among the Altai people, the clan identity, which is the basis of ethnic identity, will remain as long as there remains a need to observe the clan customs of mutual assistance, avunculate and exogamy.