Kildamni Ethnographic Questionnaire

Kildamni Ethnographical Questionnaire

Dr. Zahar’s Ethnographical Questionnaire was compiled by David Zahir to help in the description of concultures, and can be found in the files section of the Conculture group at Yahoo.

Questions of Place

Describe the geography of where your society calls home.

The Kamchatka Peninsula in Northeast Siberia; the northernmost Kurile Islands (Paramushir) and the Commander Islands.

Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons?

Cold subarctic, though perhaps moderated slightly by the surrounding ocean. Summer is short, cool, and humid; winters are long and cold.

What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to?

Primarily volcanic eruptions, which are fairly frequent and can be very violent and destructive. Tsunamis are also frequent; likewise, earthquakes are a constant threat.

What are the most commonly-grown foods?

Agriculture is limited because of the short growing season. Crops consist mainly of cabbage, lettuce, kale and other greens, potatoes, rutabagas, turnips; rye and oats to a limited extent; hay for livestock. Several species of berries are an important source of food, and in modern times are essentially cultivated crops as well as exploited in the wild. Pine nuts are also a key foodstuff, and are also "farmed" to an extent nowadays.

What are the most commonly-eaten meats?

Reindeer is by far the most important "red meat". Beef, mutton, and pork products are comparatively rare; poultry and game birds are consumed in greater quantity. Fish, however, is the main source of animal protein -- several different species of salmon, as well as herring, halibut, mackerel, whitefish, etc.

What foods are considered exotic or expensive?

Fresh fruit (other than native berries); fresh vegetables (out of season, or types that can't grow in Kamchatka); fresh beef, pork, and mutton; chocolate; some spices; corn (maize) products.

What forms of alcohol are common? Rare?

Aside from homemade moonshine, kvass and vodka are the most common types of alcoholic beverage found in stores and restaurants, followed by beer, sake, and whisky. The traditional form of airak, or fermented mare's milk, is made with reindeer milk by the Kildamni, but is quite rare nowadays and really only used in ceremonial or formal situations. Moldavian wine and Armenian brandy were usually available and inexpensive during the existence of the USSR but have since fallen into short supply.

Is there usually enough food and water for the population?

Yes. Water shortages have never been a problem, and famines have not occurred since the 1700s. However, food shortages have been more persistent -- most recently during and after World War II (food rationing only ended c. 1955.) Nowadays ample nutrition is not a worry; still there is limited variety and selection compared to developed countries. Food security is a long-standing priority of the government and is a major factor in economic planning and foreign policy.

What is this place's most abundant resource?

Debatable -- different sources would argue for fish, geothermal energy, natural scenery and wildlife (i.e., ecotourism), furs, Leninism, futurism, reindeer, or marijuana.

What is its most valuable resource?

In terms of percentage of GDP, the most valuable resource (or resource-based industry) is petroleum and natural gas extraction. Fishing was clearly the leader as late as 1980-85, but was hugely reduced by the stringent conservation policies put into place in the early/mid-70s.

Questions of Time

How far back does this society's written history go?

Back to the settlement of Kamchatka by immigrants from Manchuria in the first half of the twelfth century: a number of stone inscriptions date to this early period. Literacy was preserved through the 'medieval' period though only very marginally and historical records for this period (roughly 1200-1550) are primarily based on oral literature. Written history proliferates after this -- both natively-produced and in accounts by European and Japanese explorers, missionaries, traders, and diplomats.

How far back do its people believe it goes?

Many believe that the history of the Khitan people as known through Chinese records is also part of their history. This would push the historical horizon back at least to the start of the Liao dynasty (907) and even earlier, through references to the Khitan tribes and their ancestors in Chinese annals. This view is not universal in Kilda society, and tends to be associated with right-wing and nationalist political movements. It does seem a stretch to refer to the Khitan of the Liao dynasty in North China as being "the same" society as the mixed Mongolo-Tungusic tribes that emigrated to Kamchatka following the dynasty's collapse.

Questions of Sex and Family

How many spouses may a man or woman have?

Only one at a time.

Who decides on a marriage?

In modern times, an adult man and woman, without the need to consult their families. Historically, marriages were arranged by the parents, often when the future bride and groom were still rather young. Arranged marriages were legally abolished c.1810 but persisted unofficially through the nineteenth century.

Questions of Faith

What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural

events/beings do people fear?