Reintegration of Indigenous Population of the Russian North into traditional and nontraditional types of economic activity

Project and some results

St. Petersburg - 1999

The author of methods development V.S. Dmitriyev, PhD (Candidate of Economics)

Published with financial support of European Commission within the framework of TASIS-LIEN program

SUMMARY The project ''Reintegration of indigenous population of the Russian North into traditional and nontraditional types of economic activity'' is developed by the St. Petersburg fund NORTH WITHOUT CONFLICTS and the non governmental institution HORIZON, Buchout, Belgium. The partners have great experience in project development and practical work in Russia, CIS countries, Central and Eastern Europe.
The basic activities the fund NORTH WITHOUT CONFLICTS is involved in elaboration of Programs of supporting economic, social and cultural initiatives of the indigenous population of the North, arrangement of consultations and execution of legal, econ?mic and ecological expertises, organization and carrying out of humanitarian actions ?nd scientific international expeditions ?n the Russian North.
Activities of the HORIZON institution are directed to elaboration of a concept and organization of a network of social enterprises in the Central and Eastern Europe as well as in CIS countries.
This project should be realized within the framework of projects of the European Union, under the LIEN (Link Inter European NGO) cooperation program. One of objectives of the program is rendering assistance in reintegration of unemployed and other categories of people without regular livelihood by means of presenting to them information on demands of labour market, improving their living conditions and helping them to acquire qualification.
The project implementation period is 18 months (from May 1998, to October 1999).
Project managers: Vladimir Dmitriev (St.Petersburg, Russia), Fernand Dhondt (Buchout,Belgium). Project coordinators on the side of Russia: Boris Vdovin, Alexey Purtov.

Objectives of the project
Long-term objective of the project is to build up conditions for reintegration of indigenous population and, first of all, its young generation, in their enterprises and communities through traditional (reindeer breading, hunting, fishing, handicrafts) and nontraditional (fish and meat processing, small business, ecological tourism) kinds of activity, which could support them in their economic development and preservation of their ethnic, distinctly original character. Current goals of the project are providing support for initiatives of indigenous people and preservation of jobs and creation of new jobs in traditional economy and assisting in its adaptation for conditions of the market economy.

Technology of the project implementation
Attaining the mentioned objectives of the project could be possible by the use of appropriate programs as follows:

• program of active methods of instruction and organization of personal tuition centers functioning on the permanent basis for managers, specialists and workers of enteprises and communities as well as for out-of-job ingenious people living in settlements on the North;
  
• program of rendering ''technical'' assistance to enterprises and communities, orientated towards traditional kinds of economic activity, needing help in promotion of their products to regional and other markets;
  
• program of supporting of cultural traditions of the North in the context of traditional handicrafts, arts and crafts, preservation of the language and folklore and creation of national literary works of local people.

Contents of programs
The program of active instruction consists of three levels. On the first - regional - level there should be solved one of major tasks - drawing of indigenous population of northern settlements and communities into the project- based activity. For this purpose in four northern settlements - Lovozero (Murmansk region), Sheltozero (Republic of Karelia), Harp (Nenets Autonomous Area) and Mouzhi (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area) with population consisting of Saamy, Weps, Nenets, Khanty, Komi and Russian (old residents) people - there will be held seminars. In the course of preparation for these seminars, a diagnostic express-analysis of the situation in the settlements (including analysis of documents, polling by experts, visual observations) and search for most active local people, recognizing goals of the project and willing to take part in its implementation should be carried out.
On the base of results of the seminar work there should be determined themes for business-plans to be worked out, which are directed on preservation of jobs and creation of new jobs at enterprises and communities, and social and economic projects of improvement of living conditions in settlements, preservation of cultural legacy of ingenious population of the Russian North.
Groups of executives for selected directions of projects are being formed. Coordinates of the projects in regions are being determined.
Individual consultations on methods of drawing up of selected projects are provided and schedules of subsequent joint works are being coordinated.
On the second level an interregional seminar in St. Petersburg should be held. To take part in it, there should be invited regional coordinators, up to 20 men, with preliminary design variants.
In the result of obtaining new skills, the project coordinators should form precise ideas about further measures to be taken to preserve jobs and create new jobs in their enterprises, communities and settlements; know how to draw up and prepare necessary statutory documents for registration of their enterprises; develop the business-plan and organizational-technical project of activities of their enterprises (communities), obtain help from the district and settlement administration bodies for implementation of the project.
The third - international - level includes a seminar in Belgium.
For education there will be selected 10 trainees, who actually developed a project and started to implement it in their settlement (community).
During an one-week course project coordinators can:

• obtain some knowledge of ethnic economy and marketing, learn still more about conducting negotiations and settling conflicts associated with the use of territories and resources;
  
• be acquainted with activities of international funds and the work of special commissions rendering support to small groups of population adhering to traditional ways of life;
  
• take chances to present specimens of handicraft, arts and folklore of their people on special exhibitions.

Program of technical assistance
The program of technical assistance includes elaboration and realization of business-plans and investment projects for local development, supplying of indispensable equipment, arrangement of small-scale entrepreneurship, organization of works and marketing of reindeer meat, fishery products and handicrafts, development of the infrastructure for ecological tourism. The program provides also for financial support for registration of communities, concluding agreements and contracts.
Technical assistance in every one of these fields should be rendered in close contact with regional project coordinators: they must determine independently, what equipment is necessary for their enterprises, and take part in its delivery and application.
Orders for equipment to be supplied to enterprises (communities) should be worked out in the course of education (and is to be considered as its result) in cooperation with experts, appropriate contract with the side receiving technical assistance should be made.
Financial resources of the project are sufficient to ensure delivery of industrial equipment meant to improve efficiency of fishing and fish processing to one of operating enterprises (communities), which would substantiate its efficient use and create new jobs on the traditional sector of northern region economy.

The program of supporting of cultural traditions and cultural ancestry envisages activities as follows:

• creation of a videofilm about cultural traditions of indigenous population in the present life of the North. This film is assumed to show unique life rhythm of northern people, illustrate their skills in manufacturing tools and clothes and in cooking, fix their customs, rites, folklore. Copies of the film may be sent to settlements, cultural funds, TV centers;
  
• holding exhibitions showing the life of northern population, their arts and crafts and publishing a catalogue of children's paintings and drawings.

Generalization of the project results and their dissemination
Generalization and dissemination of the experience of project arrangement, of its implementation and possibility of its use in other regions of the North will be discussed on the international conference in St. Petersburg and published in specially prepared booklets and manuals.

Results to be awaited
Regional project coordinators belonging to the indigenous population will be trained, who will be able to give consultations on economic and legal matters in the field of organization and management of traditional economy, working out and implementation of projects of improvement of living conditions and preservation of cultural ancestry of residents of northern settlements and communities.
In the result of performed market studies and marketing, workers of operating enterprises and communities will obtain information about possibilities of realization of their products. One of operating or newly established enterprises (communities) will obtain equipment for fishing and fish processing. Assistance in its adjustment will be rendered and surveillance of conditions of its use will be arranged.
The videofilm is prepared about traditions and specific features of the mode of life of indigenous population; its copies will be handed over to residents of settlements.
Conference was held and manuals published on creation of new jobs in traditional sector of northern economy.
The Center for supporting economic and cultural initiatives of indigenous people of the North is established in St. Petersburg.
Developers of the project hope that the young generation could use the experience they acquired during elaboration of the project to spread it on their territories, to win new associates.

Some practical results of the project
In accordance with the program of the project, over the period from May 1998 to February 1999 there were arranged and held 4 seminars in the regions of residence of indigenous population of the North: the settlements of Lovosero, Murmansk region; Mouzhi, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area; Sheltozero, Veps volost, Republic of Karelia, and the city of Naryan-Mar, Nenets Autonomous Area. 108 persons (of Saami, Nenets, Khanty, Veps, Komi, Pomor and other nationalities) took part in the seminar. Among them were entrepreneurs, leaders of public movements and communities, workers of ethnographical and cultural centers, teachers, administrators of municipal bodies, unemployed. During the period of seminar work everyone was presented chance to obtain consultation on legal and economic matters. Consultations were give by: economists V.S. Dmitriyev ( PhD ), B.V. Lashov( PhD ), D.B. Epstein (Ph.D), lawyer A.L. Purtov, sociologist B.I. Vdovin as well as the coordinator of social projects of the nongovernmental institution HORIZON Mr. F. Dhondt (Belgium). In the course of joint work there was formed a group of most active representatives of ingenious population residing in the settlements mentioned above, who set forth their ideas in the form of expanded resume to be attached to their business-plans and projects and with whom agreement on further cooperation was attained.
In the seminar in St. Petersburg, which took place from March 27 to April 10, 1999 the indigenous population of the North was represented by 20 participants - regional coordinators of the project. In the seminar took part known public figures, scientists and specialists: director of the Center of Siberian Studies of the Institute of Eastern Languages (INALKO), Doctor of literature Mrs. A.-V. Charren (France); official of the Ministry of Public Health and Social Security of the Commonwealth of Alaska, psychologist Mrs. S. Soul (USA); president of Marshall and Co. consulting company, economist Mr. D. Marshall (USA, Alaska); director of the North-Western Institute of economy of agricultural production, member of RASKHN Academy (St. Petersburg) Mr. A. Kostyayev; consultant of the European Community in the field of marketing, economist Mr. Ya. Bauvens (Belgium); scientific associate of North-Western Academy of governmental services (St. Petersburg) Mrs. I.Grigorieva , PhD; director of Educational Center of MMC International, psychologist Mr. G. Leevik, PhD (St. Petersburg); director of Denmark-Greenland project Mr. M. Faegteborg (Denmark); president of the Association of small aboriginal nationalities of the North, Siberia and the Far East Mr. S.Kharyuchi (Moscow). All of them have a great experience of cooperation and settling problems of indigenous population of northern regions. It appeared that experts are of different opinions as to reintegration process, but all of them are unanimous that the success of this vitally important project depends generally on economic and social activity of aboriginals themselves as well as on available system of supporting these initiatives by governmental and public organizations. In the course of permanent consultations, training sessions and business games Russian and foreign experts gave assistance to regional coordinators in working out and presentation of business-plans and projects. On the seminar there were presented and discussed projects as follows: ''Arrangement of ecologically sound tourism'' (author - V.M. Longortov, Shuryshkarsky district, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area); ''Construction of bathing/health care complex in the settlement'' (author - D.Ye. Fedotov, settlement of Velikovisochnoye, Nenets Autonomous Area; ''People's spring. Preservation of culture and history of Saami on Kola Peninsula'' (author - N.S. Sharshyna, national cultural center in the settlement of Lovozero, Murmansk region; ''Cultural programs for populated locations and nomad camps'' (author -G.P.Ledkov, Ethnical and Cultural Center, city of Naryan-Mar, Nenets Autonomous Area); ''Establishing of Pe-Yakha factory in the reindeer-breeding and trade center of Nenets people'' (author - A.Ye. Byucheyski, P.A. Khabarov, ERV Union of reindeer breeders, Nenets Autonomous Area); ''Management of production of Nenets national handicrafts and souvenirs made of fur, leather, cloth'' (author - L.A. Boulygina, Nenets Autonomous Area); ''Establishing of the enterprise for fishing and fish processing'' (author - G.S. Konkin, fund of community clan farms ''Traditions of Northern Khanty'', Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area); ''Arrangement of deep wood processing'' (author - V.G Yershov, Lestekh enterprise, Veps national volost, Republicof Karelia); ''Establishing of the enterprise manufacturing clothes and souvenirs'' (author - V.V. Rocheva, Ovs mur Mir community, settlement of Mouzhi, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area); ''Revival of Veps national trades'' (author - V.V. Ishanina, I.N. Korsak, Veps national volost, Republic ofKarelia); ''Development of tourism on the territory of Veps national volost'' (author - N.A. Ankhimova, Veps ethnography museum, Veps national volost, Republic of Karelia).
Results of discussion were generalized in the common resume setting forth basic fields of activities of the indigenous population (reindeer breeding, fishing, handicrafts and servicing of the population, tourism), which was submitted later to the Russian representation of the European Commission (TASIS program).
In addition, experts and regional project coordinators come to the common conclusion of the necessity to establish the Center for supporting economic, social and cultural initiatives of indigenous population of the North in St. Petersburg, with regional departments in the settlements of Lovozero, Sheltozero and Mouzhi and the city of Naryan-Mar. The principal goal of the Center activity is to ensure conditions for the project ''Reintegration of indigenous population of the Russian North into traditional and nontraditional types of economic activity'' to be operating permanently and for each its participant to obtain informational, technical and financial support.
St. Petersburg fund ''NORTH WITHOUT CONFLICTS'' (Russia) and nongovernmental organization HORIZON (Belgium) are ready to take part in realization of these suggestions and think them to be one of the tasks of development of the project.
Saint-Petersburg Fund

NORTH WITHOUT CONFLICTS

Cold winds
are raging in the tundra
Beautiful birds
are flying away.
My grandmother
will embroider them,
and they will stay with us
here on the carpet.

Asya Kosterkina, 11, Nganasan girl
''Taimyr is the unique...''
St. Petersburg, 1993

Saint-Petersburg
1999

STATUS AND BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ACTIVITY

The non-governmental and non-commercial organization ''North without conflicts'' was established in St. Petersburg on the initiative of scientists and specialists in the field of economy, ecology, sociology, ethnology and jurisprudence. The certificate of state registration of the fund No.895 was issued August 3, 1992.
We are adhere to the principles of social partnership and try to take into consideration different concepts when investigating and resolving problems.
We have united to provide support for science and scientists engaged in problems of the North and are ready to carry out activities aimed at preserving the nature, cultures and traditional economy.
We are of the opinion that conflicts are better prevented and that all available means should be used to this purpose.
We do not support political parties or movements and do not participate in any advertising.

OUR PARTNERS

Our partners are organizations, funds and individuals sharing the basic principles of our fund and interested in results important to all of us:

• the local authorities of the northern regions (Murmansk region, Republic of Karelia, Nenets and Yamalo-Nenets, Taimyr Autonomous Areas);
  
• regional public organizations of the indigenous population of the North (associations, ethnical and cultural centers, communities);
  
• Russian and foreign scientific and educational institutions (North-Western Academy of Governmental services with Russia's President, Peter I Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera), Research Institute of Arctic and Antarctic Regions, North-Western Institute of Agrarian Economics, LeNNIIP Institute of Urban Development, Centre of Siberian studies of the Institute of Eastern languages (Paris), Amsterdam University, School of Farming (Kittyalya, Finland) and others;
  
• Foreign organizations and funds supporting humanitarian programs (European Commission, HORIZON-PROJECTS (Belgium), ISAR, Institute ''Open Society'', Vera Sager Fund (Sweden) and others.

WE INVITE YOU TO COOPERATE WITH US

While being involved in all kinds of activities, we consider that in the future priority should be given to the following projects:

• elaboration of programs of development of economic and cultural cooperation of various groups of the population, living in the northern territories or interested in them, and participation in these programs;
  
• elaboration of programs of supporting economic, social and cultural initiatives of the indigenous population of the North-West and North of Russia and participation in them;
  
• organization humanitarian actions to the North;
  
• organization of international expeditions to become acquainted with the cultural values of various nationalities and to promote them;
  
• organization of consultations and execution of legal, economic and ecological expertise's of projects and development programs of the northern territories.

If you are interested to cooperate with us, please contact us at the following address:

P.O.B. 529 St. Petersburg 191123, tel./fax (812) 277-5894

You can contact the staff members of the fund:

Vladimir Dmitriyev

President of the fund (812) 272-1834

Vice-President of the fund (812) 352-8655

Coordinator of regional programs (812) 553-0067

LET US WORK TOGETHER !

TRENDS OF FUND ACTIVITIES AND MAIN RESULTS

During its six-year period of activities the following projects were implemented:

• carrying out scientific expertise of the ecological, social and economic consequences of industrial development on the territories of residence of the indigenous population of the Nenets Autonomous Area (1992);
  
• experts' evaluation of the conditions of moving residents of the northern towns and settlements involved in developing oil and gas fields of Western Siberia to the Central part of Russia (1993);
  
• international expedition to the territories of residence of the Kets, Selkup, Nganasan, Dolgan nationalities (Central Siberia) with the aim of elaborating a program of cooperation and giving humanitarian support to the indigenous population of isolated settlements (1993);
  
• preparation and publishing of a collection of poetry composed by Nganasan and Dolgan children ''Taimyr the unique...'' (St. Petersburg, 1993);
  
• participation in the international colloquium ''People of the North: traditions and development processes'' (Siberia, America, Europe) (Paris, 1993);
  
• organization of a humanitarian action, consisting in the delivery of medicines to remote settlements of the Khatanga district and the settlement of Ust-Avam, Dudinsky district, Taimyr Autonomous Area (1994);
  
• drawing up and publication of the booklet ''Protection of interests of the indigenous population in conflict situations arising in the Russian North'' (St. Petersburg, 1995);
• organization of the exhibition ''Children of the North are drawing'' in the Museum of Arctic and Antarctic Regions (1995);
  
• elaboration a project of establishing an ethnic ecological territory and the development of traditional economic activities in the places of historic residence of the Saami people on Kola Peninsula'' (1993-1995);
  
• drawing up of normative legal documents for the management of activities within the framework of traditional use of natural resources by the indigenous population of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Area (1996-1997);
  
• participation in the international ethnic and archeological expedition in Burgundy (France) to study specific features of vital activity and adaptability of the ancient (35-10 thousand years ago) nomadic indigenous population'' (1998);
  
• implementation of the project ''Reintegration of the indigenous population of the Russian North into traditional and nontraditional types of economic activity'' within the framework of the TACIS-LIEN, financed by the European Commission (1998-1999).