The Gilyak, Orochi, Goldi, Negidal, Ainu: articles and materials

Shternberg, Lev IAkovlevich; Bromwich, Leo; Ward, Norbert

book chapter

The Gilyak, Orochi, Goldi, Negidal, Ainu: articles and materials

Dal'giz • Khabarovsk • Published In 1933 • Pages:

By: Shternberg, Lev IAkovlevich, Bromwich, Leo, Ward, Norbert.

Abstract
Shternberg's work is the most valuable ethnographical account on the Gilyak available. It describes religion, economy, and material culture - the latter somewhat sketchily - as well as changes due to Chinese trading activity and Russian colonisation. A greater part of the book, however, contains a detailed description and analysis of Gilyak kinship terminology and marriage rules. The analysis and succeeding conclusions on the development of Gilyak social organization are made in an effort to verify Engels' theory on the evolution of human society. Though of little objective value this analysis is of interest for the student of history of ethnological theory. The fact that the articles contained in this book were written at different points of time may account for inconsequences and contradictions in the ethnographical descriptions. Only from chapter XIV on does it become obvious that the first part of the book gives a strongly idealized picture of conditions among the Gilyak. The second part of the book discusses conditions actually witnessed by the author. In the forty pages introduction the editor (1933-Stalinistic era) judges Shternberg's work and personality from the Marxist viewpoint.

Cultural identity and pride

Accumulation of wealth