Institute for Humanitarian Research and the Problems of the Indigenous Peoples of the North SB RAS

The first research institute in Yakutia. It was created in 1935 at the initiative of a prominent statesman, public figure, writer and scientist Platon Oyunsky as a research institute of language and culture under the Council of People's Commissars of the YASSR . The purpose of creating the institute was the scientific study of the Yakut language , literature , art, history and issues of public education.

The first director of the institute was P. A. Oyunsky himself, the scientific secretary was S. N. Donskoy-II, a well-known cultural worker, the first people's commissar of education of the YAASSR .

After a temporary closure at the beginning of World War II (August 1941) in November 1943, the institute resumed its activities (director T. A. Shub). In early 1944, it was renamed the Scientific Research Institute of Language, Literature and History (NIIALI) of the YAASSR.

In 1947, the Yakutsk Scientific Research Base of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR was organized and the INL became part of it.

In 1969, the sector of northern philology was organized - the prototype of the future Institute of the Problems of the Indigenous Peoples of the North.

In 1991, the Institute for Problems of the Indigenous Minorities of the North (IPMNS), which was created on the basis of the former department of the Indigenous Minorities of the North of IALI, sprang from the INL ^[1] .

In 1994, IALI became part of the established Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and was renamed the Institute for Humanitarian Research (ISI).

For a number of years in the mid-2000s. Negotiations were underway to return the IGI to the structure of the SB RAS. As a result, in December 2007, it merged with the Institute for the Problems of Small Indigenous Peoples of the North of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as a result of which in June 2008 the Institute of Humanitarian Research and Problems of Small Indigenous Peoples of the North of the SB RAS was established - the successor of both former institutes. The merger occurred at the insistence of the leadership of the SB RAS, and this decision is recognized by many scientists and the public of the republic as absolutely incompetent. Thus, returning under the wing of the SB RAS cost dearly, especially for the former independent Institute of the Problems of Indigenous Peoples of the North, which ceased to exist ^[2] .

The research institute, founded by P. A. Oyunsky, has made a huge contribution to the comprehensive study of languages, ethnic culture and the history of the peoples of the North-East of the Russian state. Such prominent scientists as historians G.P. Basharin , F.G. Safronov , Philologist Bagdaryn Sulbe (M.S. Ivanov) Worked in it , the history of Yakutia from ancient times to the present day is written, compiled explanatory dictionary of the Yakut language, translated Russian-Yakut and Yakut-Russian dictionaries, and much more.

The main goal of the institute is to preserve and develop the national (ethnic) identity and cultural heritage of the indigenous peoples of Yakutia ^[3] .

In 1935-1941 The institute focused on the development of the Yakut script: reform of the alphabet, spelling, terminology, the creation of dictionaries, the study of dialects of the Yakut language, the collection of folklore, especially the Olonkho - Yakut heroic epic. On the eve and during World War II, an important place in the scientific life of the institute was occupied by the organization of the Lena historical and archaeological expedition in 1940-1946. under the leadership of A.P. Okladnikov . The expedition, organized jointly with the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR , examined over 200 sites and settlements of ancient people, cave writings throughout the Lena River , and then in the Kolyma River basin .

In the post-war period, research expanded in the field of history, especially the pre-revolutionary period, linguistics (the study of dialects of the Yakut language), literature, and ethnography. One of the main research results of the institute of this period was the publication of the fundamental “History of Yakutia” in three volumes, “Grammar of the modern Yakut literary language” in two volumes.

Since 1964, a systematic archaeological study of the territory of Yakutia by the forces of the Prilensk archaeological expedition (PAE) began.

Since the 1970s Institute scientists study sociological problems.

In the period 1995-2005. (IGI), work was underway to prepare for publication a number of volumes from a series of monuments of folklore of the peoples of Siberia, as well as the fundamental Explanatory Dictionary of the Yakut language, which was published in Moscow in 2004.

At the present stage, the Institute deals with the problems of history, archeology, ethnography, linguistics, literature, folklore, the art of the peoples of Yakutia , including the small peoples of the North , studying interethnic relations, the legal foundations of state building. There are departments of linguistics, literature and art, olonkho, history, sociology of law, interethnic relations and ethnosocial problems, archeology and paleecology of man.

Institute Structure

• Directorate
• Evenki Philology Sector
• Sector of Even Philology
• Paleo-Asian Philology Sector
• Lexicology Sector
• Lexicography sector
• Grammar and Dialectology Sector
• Sector of Literary Studies
• Sector of Yakut folklore
• Archeology sector
• Sector of the History of Yakutia
• Arctic Research Sector
• Sector of Ethnography of the Peoples of the North-East of Russia
• Sector of Ethnosociology ^[4]

• Institute for Humanitarian Research website