Is there resurrection for the dying Evenki culture?

Yura and I spent some time in his workshop "masterskaya" today. We discussed the problems of the Evenki people. Yura explained that there were a lot more reindeer herds or "brigades" at the time of perestroika. But many of them were closed down at that time. There were even reindeer brigades around Baykit.

Yura would like to start a new reindeer brigade here. Sadly, there is not really a free market. The land that is needed for herding is owned by the government (wild forest). Since all reindeer herds are also owned by the government it makes it very hard to get permission for new herds to start. It is also hard to get a loan to start such a venture, as the banks do not want to understand.

The reality is that this land is in demand for oil and mineral exploration. There is a lot of untapped wealth here that could easily make it the wealthiest region in Russia. 

We went round in circles trying to think of ways forward. I told Yura that I thought that a process of death is occurring. In reality this process of death began 80 years ago. It could take another fifty years. Or the process could be sped up in a good way.

I think of some tribes in North America who have recently discovered their true identity in Christ. They are more expressive of their indigenous identity than ever. They have been released by their freedom in Christ to do so.

The reality is that the Evenki need to lay down their lives, die to themselves, find their identity in Christ and rise again as Evenki with new purpose and aware of their identity.

How can I be a part of this process as an outsider? Already one Evenki has said to me, "you are European on the outside but you are becoming Evenki on the inside." The only way I can be a part of the process is to die with them and be a part of their resurrection.

In some ways a lot of hope is lost for the Evenki nation. At the same time I do believe in working to save the language and culture. A deeper part of me says that people need to embrace their death in a spiritual way, instead of using the panacea of alcohol to numb the pain. Embrace the process, so the resurrection can begin.

Unless a seed falls to the ground and dies there can not be new life.