Sidney Stadelmann- October 9, 2022
Peer into the world of Siberia: the Northeastern region of Russia, situated in Central and Northern Asia. Known for its vast landscapes and harsh weather, Siberia covers 13,000,000 sq km of land, yet is home to few. In many places, the population density of Siberia averages to be less than 1 person per km of land (see figure below). Although sparsely populated, Siberia is abundant in natural resources, especially for fuels like coal, petroleum, and iron ore. A majority of the industry in Siberia consists of metal production, however the southern regions of Siberia also produce wheat, rye, oats, and sunflowers. The cultural, social, and political elements of Siberia are also interesting to uncover. Although still a region of Russia, Siberia has many cultural influences from its’ neighbors, Mongolia and China (as well as northern Asia in general). Before becoming colonized by Russian trappers in the 16th century, Siberia was under the influence of China from 1000 BC, and the Turkic-Mongols in the 3rd century BC. Early settlement of Siberia likely began during the Paleolithic Era, with small nomadic groups who engaged in subsistence farming and hunting-and-gathering. Although there were efforts to convert indigenous groups to the Russian Orthodox faith, many tribes have retained their traditional customs and beliefs. Most traditional Siberia cultures remain in a nature-based belief system, recognizing an innate spirit in all things. A Shaman in the community serves as a mediator between the natural and spirit world, and traditional shaman dress features elaborate animal skins and ornaments depicting symbols from the spirit world.
In today’s modern Siberia, this intersectionality creates a multicultural region with centuries of conflicting history. Stay tuned throughout the term to learn more about this fascinating corner of the world.
CITATIONS:
Crate, Susie. “At Home in Siberia.” At Home in Siberia, Cultural Survival , 1 Mar. 1992, https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/home-siberia.
The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. “Siberia.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 20 July 1998, https://www.britannica.com/place/Siberia.
Quam, Joel, and Scott Campbell. “Russian Domain: Regional Example.” The Western World Daily Readings on Geography, College of DuPage Digital Press, 31 Aug. 2020, https://cod.pressbooks.pub/westernworlddailyreadingsgeography/chapter/russian-domain-regional-example/#:~:text=For%20all%20its%20vast%20territory,two%20people%20per%20square%20mile.