The Even (or Eveni) are an indigenous people of the Russian Far East and northeastern Siberia. They are close relatives of the Evenkis, with whom they share origins and much of their culture.
Region: They primarily inhabit the Magadan and Kamchatka provinces, as well as the eastern areas of the Sakha Republic (Yakutia).
Population: According to recent data, there are approximately 19,975 Evens in Russia, a figure that has seen a slight decline over the last decade.
Alternative Names: Historically, they were called Lamuts (from the Evenki word lamu, meaning "sea"), as many lived near the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk.
Economy: Traditionally, they are nomadic reindeer herders, hunters, and fishers. Unlike some other groups, they use reindeer primarily for transport and carrying loads, rather than just for direct food consumption.
Language: They speak Even, a language of the Manchu-Tungusic family. It is currently considered an endangered language, as many younger generations have adopted Russian or Yakut.
Housing: Their traditional home is the dyu (or chum), a portable conical tent covered with reindeer skins or birch bark, ideal for their migratory lifestyle.
Religion: They practice a combination of animistic shamanism and Russian Orthodox Christianity. They maintain sacred rituals of respect for nature and fire (tog-muranni).
Social Values: They follow the principle of nimat, a law of mutual aid that requires sharing the products of hunting and fishing with the entire community to ensure everyone's survival.
Extended info about Even People
