Though undergoing a rapid socio-economic change since the beginning
of this century, the Nivkh people (Gilyak) of today, who live in the
northern half of Sakhalin Island and at the mouth of the Amour River
on the continent, still maintain to a large extent their traditional way of
life, in which fishing and seal-hunting are of paramount importance.
Based on research conducted intermittently during 1990 to 1993 at
Luplova (Romanovka) , a small Nivkh village on the northwestern coast
of Sakhalin, the author describes (1) modern and traditional seal-hunting
methods, (2) the utilization of the game (the process of dismembering,
meat consumption, fur preparation, oil extraction, etc.), and (3)
the ritual of sending back the seal spirit to the sea world.
The ethnographical material presented here proves that the Nivkh
cultural complex related to seal-hunting has a strong consistency (cf.
Kreinovich 1934, 1973) , and shows a close resemblance to those of the
Uilta and the Ainu (cf. Chiri and Yamamoto 1979, etc.) .
The author suggests that this resemblance comes from a common
cultural tradition whose origin can be traced back to the Okhotsk
Culture, once diffused widely in the area from 8th to 12th centuries. Archaeological
evidence examined verifies the author's hypothesis.
ニヴフのアザラシ猟と送り儀礼
KH_019_4_001.pdf
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