I stayed in the Novosibirsk State University for 1 year through the support from ArCS program for overseas visits by young researchers. The purpose of my stay is to study the decision-making system of indigenous peoples of Siberia.
1. About my Research
Environmental changes cause large-scale economic and political changes. How should we confront these changes with an earnest desire for sustainable development? In order to answer this question, practices and perspectives from indigenous peoples indicate possibility of fruitfully creating novel insights. This time I studied in the Russian federation with a purpose to clarify decision-making system of indigenous peoples of Siberia when they have conflict with company or administration.
This stay I collected data of several communities of indigenous peoples of Siberia. I got fruitful advice and cooperation from Professor Baulo Arkady (my supervisor in Novosibirsk) and researchers in Russian academy of sciences. I usually took independent fieldwork research in indigenous communities. Thanks to a dependable back up from my supervisor and other researchers, I could do my work with no worries.
Consequently, it has been elucidated that there are regional differences of decision-making system between indigenous communities. From now on, I am planning to utilize these data for comparative studies.
2. Life in Novosibirsk: Enjoying Cold
Novosibirsk is one of the biggest cities in Siberia with a population of more than 1.6 million. This town has developed to be an important transportation hub both inside and outside of the Russian federation. Novosibirsk experiences a continental climate with warm summers and cold winters. According to local people, winter lasts about half a year. The snow usually comes in from October, however, this year the snow fall started a month later.
Every cold place has its own way of enjoying the freezing weather. In Novosibirsk, I often strolled around on the frozen solid Ob river for 4 hours during a break from my study. The snow in Novosibirsk is powdery and we can see brilliant snow with the reflection of light. It made me in a mood of walking on the brilliant snow carpet. Learning these unique ways to enjoy winter is sure related to the life of indigenous peoples of Siberia, who play an important role in my study.
I would like to express my deepest gratitude to my colleagues, all the people who supported me and the ArCS program for overseas visits by young researchers.
Sakurako Koresawa (Tohoku University)
Walk on the frozen solid Ob river
A squirrel in the Novosibirsk state university
