Results and Discussions

1. The People Interviewed

The number of interviews included in the analysis was approximately equal in each of the two regions (91 in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug and 86 in Kamchatka). In Kamchatka half of the people interviewed were female; while in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug 37% were female.

The level of education among the respondents was similar for the two regions, with a high percentage of people having completed secondary or post-secondary education (Figure 1.1).

Figure 1.1: Highest completed education level for people interviewed in each region

Figure 1.2: Age categories of people interviewed in both regions

The main difference between the regions in the age structure of the people interviewed was a higher proportion of older people among the Kamchatka respondents, with fewer people in the young adult category being interviewed. The distribution of age groups is presented in Figure 1.2.

More than 70% of those interviewed in the NAO were Nenets, while 15% were Komi (Figure 1.3). Interviewees from Kamchatka are more evenly distributed among a greater number of ethnic groups. The largest groups were Koryak, Kamchadal, Itelmen and Even. In both the NAO and Kamchatka, about 10% of those interviewed identified themselves as Russian.

Figure 1.3: Ethnicity of people interviewed in each region

Figure 1.4: Traditional activities of the people interviewed in both regions

The main traditional activities engaged in by the people interviewed are shown in Figure 1.4. Most people in both regions identified themselves with several traditional pursuits. In the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, 35% of respondents were reindeer herders, associated with a nomadic lifestyle. In Kamchatka, only 16% of the respondents were reindeer herders. The primary traditional occupations and whether the way of life is settled or nomadic are major influences on the nature of traditional knowledge and the prevalence of its use by indigenous peoples in their lives.