Komi peoples

Komi ( Komi - Mort ) is the proper name of several communities in north-eastern Europe (Russia), which belong to the Finno -Ugric peoples. The majority of the Komi speak variants of the Komi - KYV that belong to the Finno -Ugric languages. However, a significant proportion also used predominantly or exclusively the Russian language. The Komi traditionally operated primarily forestry and agriculture as well as hunting and fishing. Today, many Komi work in the industry and service sectors.

Term

In many newer sources we find the idea that there is a people in the Komi. This can be questioned in the light of the language, history, political realities of the past 100 years and the self-understanding of the Komi groups. The Syrjanen ( Northern Komi, formerly Zyryans, Russ: syrjane ) are often referred to only as Komi and filters ( as a de facto minority ), the state population of the Republic of Komi represents the Komi - Permyaks ( Southern Komi, Russian: komi - permjaki ) live in the Perm region in the basin of the Kama. A special population of northern Komi are the Komi - Ischemzen (also Ishemzen ).

Population numbers

The number of Komi has been increasing since the end of the Soviet Union from at worrying levels. Today, there are about 320,000 Komi, 1989, there were about 500,000. In 1979 there were 327,000 Komi ( Syrjanen ) and 151,000 Komi - Permyaks. In 1989, the population numbers at 345,000 and even 152,000. Already the 2002 census showed a significant drop to just 293,000 Komi ( Syrjanen ) and 125,000 Komi - Permyaks. In the census of 2010, eventually designated in Russia only 228 235 inhabitants and 94 456 as Komi Komi - Permyaks.

( Northern ) Komi ( - Syrjanen )

The Northern Komi or Syrjanen are the descendants of Permians, the spread in the last centuries of the first millennium after the beginning of the Christian era from the Kama area in direction northwest. They allied themselves with the older population who probably also belonged to the Finno -Ugric peoples. Since the 11th century, as Wytschegodsker Perm ( also Alt- Permian) and Luschskaja Permiza paid into the Old Russian written sources emerging groups taxes to the Republic of Novgorod and took part in the trade between Karelia and Western Siberia. In the 14th century Christian missions carried out under the national saint of the Komi Stefan of Perm ( Stefan Chrap ). To him, the creation of old - syrjanischen language and the old - syrjanischen ( old - Permian ) font is returned that contains Cyrillic, and runic characters of unknown origin. This script and language was in use until the 17th century.

Since the 15th century there was in the course of the final annexation of Komi in the Russian Empire, a population shift toward the present location. It also groups of Russians, wasp, Nenets and Mansi have been integrated into the Komi population. Subsequent walks led the Komi over the Urals to Western Siberia, where even today many of them live.

In the 20th century, a nationalist movement emerged. In 1921, the Soviet government, the Autonomous Region of the Komi, which was restructured in 1936 in an Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic ( ASSR ). Today's Russian part - Komi Republic is the successor state of the Komi ASSR. The Constitution of the Republic of Komi people see in the source of the sovereignty of that state system. However, these represent only 23 percent of the inhabitants of the Republic.

With the end of the Soviet Union itself was built cultural, national and nationalist organizations of Komi, but represents only a small part of the mainly living in small cities and towns Komi. The Komi participate in the movement of the Finno -Ugric peoples.

Komi - Ischemzen ( Коми - Ижемцы )

This northernmost group of Komi has developed from the mixing of Komi and Nenets. The culture of reindeer herders - Komi looked back on the southern living groups. In 2005 this group was officially recognized by RAIPON as a small indigenous people of the Russian North. Inclusion in the State "Uniform List of small indigenous peoples " ( Jediny Peretschen ... ) is still pending.

Here, the Komi - Ischemzen see basically as part of the Komi ethnos. Their representatives, especially Valentina Semjaschkina from the Committee to Save Pechora ( Komitet spassenija Pechory ) defend himself against the charge to split the Komi people. However, rights to resources and land use in Russia are closely linked to the status of " small indigenous people ". Therefore, the Komi - Ischemzen see the recognition as a primary means to achieve guarantees for the protection of their particular lifestyle.

Komi - Permyaks

The Permyaks have its own story. They go back to parts of the population of Great Perm (as opposed to old - Permian), the Norse sagas Bjarmland. Since the 12th century, small towns, and finally the Principality of Great Perm, which was conquered by Russia in 1472 and 1505 finally dissolved developed. Even before the process a predominantly peaceful Russification began. Many Permians Russians today are descendants of the wholesale Permians. 1463 formerly pagan Khan was baptized by Bishop Iona. After the successful proselytizing of Permians began. As state peasants or industrial serfs of the Stroganov many Komi -ended a miserable and rather less existence in the Tsarist Empire.

In 1925, the Soviet Government a National (later Autonomous ) District of the Komi Permyaks. This was the only territorial autonomy in Russia, a Finno- Ugric people, the ethnic majority ( about 60%) was formed. The Soviet ethnology looked at the Permyaks as its own, to be separated from the nation of Komi " nation " and so also has its own written language for them, which is still in use today was born. In post-Soviet period increased the political pressure towards resolution of autonomy, which was completed with the inclusion of the Autonomous Okrug in the Perm region in December 2005. Most Komi - Permyaks seem to face these operations indifferent.

Religions of the Komi

The majority of religious Komi are Russian Orthodox Christians. There are among them Old Believers ( Old Ritualists ). Some Komi - nationalists are converted in recent years to the orthodox Lutheranism, they want to establish as a new national religion. As the rest of the traditional ethnic religion of the Komi remains the magician beings and the belief in the Chud, the, times times understood as a mythical " old people" as evil spirits, sometimes as a fairy beings in the context of a Christian- pagan syncretism to the 20th century be.