Indigenous peoples of Siberia

Siberia is a very large area in the northern part of the Asian continent, and it is part of Russia. Long ago, between the 16th and 19th centuries, Russia expanded into this region. This time is called the Russian conquest of Siberia.

Later, from 1917 to 1991, during a time called the Soviet era, many people moved to Siberia. This changed the people living there.

Even so, Siberia still has many Indigenous groups. They make up about 5% of the people there. These groups have rich cultures and histories that are still growing today. Some of these groups are closely related to the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

History

Further information: Russian conquest of Siberia and Siberian minorities in the Soviet era

Siberia has a long history with its original peoples. When Russians began to explore and settle Siberia in the 1600s and 1700s, many Indigenous groups resisted. Over time, these groups faced challenges and many lost members due to new diseases and conflicts.

The Indigenous peoples of Siberia have faced hardships over the centuries. Many groups lost members due to new diseases brought by settlers and conflicts. Despite these challenges, some Indigenous groups still exist today, and their numbers are slowly growing again. In some parts of Siberia, like Tuva and Sakha, Indigenous groups are the majority.

The Russian expansion into Siberia changed the region forever. Today, most people in Siberia are of Russian heritage, but Indigenous groups continue to work to preserve their cultures and traditions.

Overview

See also: Unified list of Indigenous minority peoples of the North, Siberia, and the Far East of Russia

Siberia is a large but not very crowded area. It has been home to many different language groups for a long time. The number of Indigenous people there has changed over the years.

• * Some estimates put the population of Siberian Tatars at 200,000.
• ** Some estimates put the population of Kamasins at 21.

Ainu people

Main articles: Ainu people, Sakhalin Ainu language, and Kuril Ainu language

See also: Ainu in Russia

Ainu languages are spoken in Sakhalin, Hokkaido, the Kurils, and the Kamchatka Peninsula, as well as in the Amur region. Today, only a few people still speak these languages, mostly in Hokkaido and on Kamchatka.

Mongolic peoples

Main article: Mongolic peoples

The Buryats are a big group of people in Siberia. Many of them live in the Buryat Republic, which is part of Russia. The Buryats are related to the Mongols. They have traditions like moving with their animals and building special tents for shelter. Some Buryats live in towns, while others live in the countryside.

There are also smaller groups such as the Hamnigans in Russia, Mongolia, and China, and the Altai Oirats in parts of Russia. These groups are less well-known because they are often grouped with larger communities.

Paleosiberian peoples

Main articles: Ancient Paleo-Siberians and Paleosiberian languages

There are four small groups of languages in Siberia that are not related to each other. These are called Paleo-Siberian languages.

The Chukotko-Kamchatkan languages include Chukchi, Koryak, Alutor, and Kerek. They are spoken in the far east of Siberia. The Itelmen language, also called Kamchadal, is related but very rare today.

The Nivkh language is spoken near the Amur River and on Sakhalin Island. The Ket language is the last language of the Yeniseian family, spoken along the Yenisei River. The Yukaghir language is spoken in two forms in the Kolyma and Indigirka valleys.

Tungusic peoples

Further information: Tungusic peoples

The Evenki are one of the Indigenous groups in the Evenk Autonomous Okrug in Russia. Other Indigenous peoples of Siberia include the Udege, Ulchs, Evens, and Nanai, also called Hezhen. These groups have genetic connections with the Indigenous peoples of the Americas.

Turkic peoples

See also: Siberian Turkic languages and Turkic peoples

The Turkic peoples are ethnic groups who live in Siberia. They include the Altaians, Chulyms, Dolgans, Khakas, Shors, and Siberian Tatars. Each group has smaller groups. For example, the Altaians include the Chelkans, Kumandins, and Telengits. The Siberian Tatars also have many smaller groups. Other groups are the Soyots, Tofalar, and Yakuts, among others.

Uralic peoples

Ob-Ugrians

Further information: Ob-Ugric languages and Ob-Ugrians

The Khanty and Mansi people live in Khanty–Mansi Autonomous Okrug, a region in Russia. Their lands have faced challenges from oil and gas companies.

Samoyeds

Further information: Samoyedic peoples

Samoyedic peoples include several groups such as the Nenets, Enets, Nganasan, Selkup, and others.

Yukaghir group

The Yukaghir people live in East Siberia, mainly around the Kolyma River. They have two main groups: the Tundra Yukaghirs and the Taiga Yukaghirs. Their language, Yukaghir, has two forms that people cannot easily understand between each other.

In the past, the number of Yukaghirs went down because of diseases, wars, and rules from Russian leaders. Some Yukaghirs mixed with other groups like the Yakuts, Evens, and Russians. Today, Yukaghirs live in parts of the Sakha Republic and Chukotka Autonomous Okrug in Russia.

Genetic relationships and links to Indigenous peoples of the Americas

See also: Ancient Paleo-Siberian

The Indigenous peoples of Siberia have old ties with the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Long ago, about 38,000 years ago, the first people in Siberia were related to both Europeans and Asians. They later mixed with people from East Asia, making new groups.

About 36,000 years ago, people from Southern China moved north into Siberia and mixed with local groups. This mixing helped create the ancestors of Native Americans, who later crossed the Beringia land bridge to live in the Americas. Today, Indigenous Siberians still have genetic links to these ancient groups and to Indigenous peoples of the Americas. DNA studies show close connections, especially with groups like the Kets and Selkups, who share special genetic markers with Native American populations.

Culture and customs

Customs and beliefs differ a lot among various tribes in Siberia.

The Chukchi people wore special armor made from tough leather, strengthened with wood and bones. They honored Kutkh, a powerful spirit in the shape of a raven, along with other Siberian groups. They also worshipped Toko'yoto, known as the "Crab," as their sea god, and Nu'tenut as their main god. The Chukchi deeply respect reindeer, holding many rituals for them. For the Yukaghirs, their main god is called Pon, meaning "Something," and he is also seen as very powerful.

Notable people

On 17 December 2025, Daria Egereva, a leader of the Selkup people and Co-Chair of the IIPFCC, was arrested in Russia. She has been held since then. The Memorial group says she is a political prisoner, and the IIPFCC is asking for her release.

Literature

Here are some important books and studies about the literature and traditions of the Indigenous peoples of Siberia:

• Rubcova, E. S. wrote about the language and stories of the Eskimoes in a book published in 1954.
• Menovščikov, G. A. shared ideas about beliefs and ceremonies of the Asiatic Eskimoes in a collection of works from 1968.
• Barüske, Heinz collected Eskimo tales in a book from 1969.
• Merkur, Daniel discussed shamanism and special ceremonies among the Inuit in his 1985 book.
• Kleivan, I. and Sonne, B. created a book about Eskimos from Greenland and Canada, published in 1985.