Shevchenko Vladislav (Vladivostok, Russia)

Settlement of Nanaian Kins in the works of Y. A. Sem (XVII)

(57th Annual Meeting of the PIAC Vladivostok, 2014)

Yu.A. Sem was a scholar who studied the Tungus-Manchu of the Far East in 1950 – 1990. He gathered and partly published materials (sources) on the Nanaians. Special attention was paid to the ethnic history of the Nanaians, social processes, kin organization. On the written sources he determined the settlement of the Nanaian kins in the 17th c.

Yu.A. Sem regarded the Natki, Achans and Gol’diki being mentioned in written sources of the 17 th c. as names of three groups of Nanaian tribes. The researcher revealed that in Chinese and West-European literature the Nanaians are known under the name hechzhe (in Nanaian – hechzhe nai) – Lower people. This name was spread over all nationality. He also revealed that Kile and Samar are the Tungus and Tungus-Manchu branch of the Nanaians.

Yui-ni-da-ji and Shi-juan-bu are the names of the Amur-Sungari nationalities. It is translated as “fish-skin natives” and “peoples using dogs”. As we see these names were given according to the type of economy, e.g. fishermen and hunters.

Kin names of the Nanaians are known only since the second half of the 19 th c. Yu.A. Sem fixed the following kin groups: Bel’dai, Gahir (Gaer), Geiker, Jakson, Digor, Donkan (Dunkai), Kilen, Luire, Udynkan, Hedzher,Yukaminkan, Samar, Boral, Al’chuka, Jiher, Morial, Jyelor, Aimuka, Futer, Devzhak, Koyar, Manhala, Kumara, Mengir, Shimuru, Manyahir, Haitanin, Sunmun, Perdaki.