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Teleuts
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Teleuts
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Teleuts (Altay: тэлэңэт, тэлэңут, тадар, romanized: Telenget, Telengut, Tadar) are a Turkic Indigenous people of Siberia living in Kemerovo Oblast, Russia.[1] According to the 2010 census, there were 2,643 Teleuts in Russia. They speak the Teleut language/dialect of Southern Altai language.[2][3]

Key Information

In the Soviet years and until 2000, the authorities considered the Teleuts to be part of the Altai people. Currently, according to the Resolution of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 255 dated March 24, 2000, as well as 2002 and 2010 Russian Census, they are recognized as a separate ethnic group within Indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East.

History

[edit]

The Teleuts were once part of the Tiele people. They came under the rule of the First Turkic Khaganate. Near the end of the 16th century, the Teleuts wandered the steppe between the Irtysh and the Ob' rivers. They became nominal subjects to the Oirats at this period. Their population at this time numbered 4,000 tents.[4]

The Russians gained control of the region in the mid-eighteenth century and the Teleuts subsequently became their subjects.[5] The Russians called the Teleuts "White Kalmyks" in their documents despite the ethnic and linguistic differences between the Kalmyks and Teleuts.[4]

The Teleuts consider themselves to be a distinct people and many do not accept being labeled as Altaian.[6] The majority of the Teleuts live along the Great and Little Bachat Rivers in Kemerovo Oblast. However, a few Teleuts also live in the Altai Republic.[4]

Culture

[edit]

Most Teleuts used to be nomadic or semi-nomadic livestock herders and horses, goats, cattle, and sheep were the most common types of animals they raised. Some Teleuts were hunters and relied on animals living in the taiga for subsistence.[5]

Traditional Teleut dwellings included conic yurts made out of bark or perches.[5] Traditional Teleut dress was composed of linen shirts, short breeches, and single-breasted robes.[5]

Religion

[edit]

Most Teleuts are Orthodox Christians. However, there is a minority that practice shamanism.[5] Burkhanism was once widely practiced by the Teleuts but was effectively eliminated during the Soviet era. Contemporary revivals of the religion among other Altaian groups have not affected the Teleuts.[7] A group of Teleuts known as Kalmaks are Muslims. Around the 17th century, these Teleuts moved up to the north of Kemerovo Oblast and interacted with local Siberian Tatars and became Sunni Muslims. Today they number around 500 and have mostly assimilated into Tatar culture while retaining their Teleut roots. They speak a local dialect of the Siberian Tatar language heavily influenced by the Teleut language.[4][8][9]

See also

[edit]

References

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[edit]
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Teleuts

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from Grokipedia
The Teleuts are a small indigenous Turkic ethnic group native to southern , , primarily inhabiting the along the Bachat River valleys in the western Kuzbass region. Numbering 2,217 according to the , they represent one of the minor of the North, with about 94% residing in districts such as Belovsky, Guryevsk, and . The Teleuts speak the Teleut language, classified in the South Altai subgroup of the Turkic family, though it is endangered with only 975 speakers recorded in 2010, predominantly among middle-aged and older individuals. Their origins trace to ancient nomadic Turkic tribes of the Upper Ob region, related to the Altaians, who by the 17th century had settled in the amid Russian colonial expansion into . Incorporated into the as tribute-paying "inorodtsy" (aliens) in the , they shifted from semi-nomadic herding, hunting, fishing, and gathering to more sedentary lifestyles while maintaining a distinct ethnic identity through various self-designations like bayattar and telenget. Teleut culture centers on , with reverence for nature spirits, earth, sun, mountains, and rivers, alongside a rich oral tradition featuring epic poems recited by kaychy (storytellers), such as Altai Kuuchun and tales of heroes like Shyunu, Mamyt, and Balyk. Traditional holidays including Pardakai, Ilin Day, St. Nicholas Day, and Pelmeneek involve communal rituals, dances, songs, and dishes like , reflecting their heritage. In the Soviet era, Teleuts were categorized as national minorities and subjected to , but post-1989 recognition as an indigenous group has supported revival efforts through organizations like the Ene-Bayat Association, amid ongoing challenges from industrialization and .

Overview

Ethnic Identity and Recognition

The Teleuts are a Turkic indigenous people of Siberia, recognized for their distinct ethnic identity rooted in historical and cultural continuity within the Altai region. They self-identify primarily through endonyms such as Telenget or Telengit in their Altai language, reflecting a deep connection to their ancestral territories and traditions; these terms appear in shamanic texts and inter-ethnic communications, emphasizing their autonomy as "people of the Bachat" (Payattar). Historically, the Teleuts trace their ethnogenesis to ancient Turkic tribes known as the Tele, part of the Tiele confederation that emerged in Central Asia during the early medieval period, blending nomadic pastoralist practices with interactions among steppe peoples. Russian colonial records introduced the exonym "White Kalmyks" for the Teleuts, distinguishing them from other groups due to perceived lighter complexions and their affiliations with Oirat Mongol tribes under the in the 17th–18th centuries, despite linguistic and ethnic differences from the proper. This naming highlighted their semi-nomadic lifestyle and alliances in the southern Siberian steppes, where they maintained horse-breeding and warfare traditions akin to Oirat confederations. In the Russian Federation, the Teleuts received official recognition as a separate ethnic group and indigenous small-numbered people through Government Resolution No. 255 on March 24, 2000, granting them legal protections for cultural preservation and land rights; prior to this, Soviet censuses had classified them under the broader Altaian category, obscuring their distinct identity. Anthropologically, the Teleuts belong to the South Siberian type of the race, exhibiting typical traits with influences from absorbed Mongol populations. This physical profile underscores their hybrid from Turkic-Mongol interactions, contributing to their unique position among Siberian indigenous groups.

Demographics and Distribution

The Teleut population in Russia totaled 2,643 according to the 2010 All-Russian Population Census conducted by Rosstat, decreasing slightly to 2,217 by the 2021 census, reflecting ongoing demographic challenges for this small indigenous group. Over 95% of Teleuts live in , with 2,520 recorded there in 2010, concentrated mainly in rural settlements along the Great and Little Bachat Rivers. Smaller communities exist elsewhere, including 37 in the and 14 in as of 2010. Teleuts predominantly inhabit rural areas in districts such as Belovsky, Guryevsky, and Novokuznetsky, where traditional settlement patterns persist amid some urban migration and assimilation into broader Russian populations. Within the Teleut community, subgroups like the Kalmaks—Teleut Muslims estimated at around 500 individuals—have experienced partial assimilation into Tatar groups.

History

Origins and Early History

The Teleuts trace their origins to the ancient Tiele (or Tele) tribes, a confederation of Turkic-speaking nomadic groups that emerged in Central Asia and southern Siberia following the decline of the Xiongnu Empire in the 5th century CE. These tribes, including subgroups such as the Aba, Dubo, and Chiks, are documented in Chinese historical annals like the Sui-shu (compiled around 636 CE) and Tang-shu (7th-10th centuries), which describe them as semi-nomadic herders of cattle, horses, and sheep, residing in regions south of , along the Selenga and Tola rivers, and near the Khangai and Altai mountains. The Tele tribes played a significant role in the First Turkic Khaganate (552-744 CE), initially serving as subjects who provided military support to the Ashina rulers, but later participating in revolts—such as the 627 uprising against the Eastern Khagan—that contributed to the khaganate's fragmentation and the Eastern Khaganate's fall to Tang Chinese forces in 630 CE. This period marked the beginning of their ethnogenesis through intermixing with other Turkic elements, including the Uighurs and Kipchaks, while maintaining distinct clan-based structures tied to pastoral mobility. In the medieval period, following the collapse of the in the 9th century, Teleut ancestors integrated into larger Oirat (Western Mongol) confederations, particularly the Dzungar Khanate that dominated the Altai region from the 17th century onward. Under Dzungar rule, the Teleuts paid in furs, such as six sables per person annually, and adopted elements of Mongol administrative practices while preserving their Turkic linguistic and . By the late , they had migrated northward, settling in the steppe territories between the and Ob rivers in southern , where they engaged in seasonal herding and raiding. Historical estimates from the early , just prior to intensified Russian incursions, place their population at approximately 20,000 individuals, organized into about 4,000 wagon-yurt households, reflecting a robust tribal society divided into seoks (clans) like the Toro, Ochu, and . Pre-Russian Teleut society was characterized by a semi-nomadic , centered on transhumant under broader Mongol-Oirat influence, with clans wintering in river valleys and summering in upland pastures for grazing livestock. This mode of existence fostered close interactions with neighboring groups, including Kazakh tribes to the south and west along the frontier, through trade in horses and furs, as well as occasional alliances against common threats, and with Tuva peoples in the eastern Altai, sharing ritual and kinship networks. Key events in their pre-modern history include participation in localized resistance against Mongol overlords, such as skirmishes against Dzungar expansion in the , which prompted migrations and reinforced tribal . Early adoption of shamanistic practices was integral to this structure, with shamans (kam) serving as mediators between clans and spirits, conducting rituals for herd prosperity and warfare guidance, rooted in ancient Tengrist beliefs adapted from Tiele-era traditions.

Russian Colonization and Integration

The Teleuts were incorporated into the Russian Empire in the mid-18th century amid the collapse of the Oirat Dzungar Khanate, which had previously dominated them. Following the Qing Dynasty's decisive victories over the Dzungars in 1755–1757, approximately 10,000 Teleuts fled across the border into Russian-controlled Siberia, seeking protection and swearing allegiance to Empress Elizabeth by June 1756. This mass migration marked their formal subjugation, as Russian authorities registered them and integrated them into the imperial administrative framework, transitioning many from vassals of the Dzungars to subjects of the Tsar. In exchange for protection, Teleut leaders offered military support, including up to 2,000 warriors, and some, like the zaisan Baigor, actively served as border guards defending Russian outposts and treasuries against Kazakh raids in the Altai region. Russian expansion prompted significant shifts in Teleut settlement patterns, enforcing sedentarization and territorial reconfiguration. By the late , authorities relocated thousands of Teleuts—around 7,000 by —to fixed settlements in the Kuznetsk and districts, particularly along the Large and Small Bachat rivers in what became the Bachat . This policy curtailed their , a heritage rooted in Oirat confederations, confining them to river valleys for easier governance and taxation while their expansive lands were appropriated for Cossack forts and Russian agricultural colonies. By 1859, official records noted 2,991 Teleuts in these areas, reflecting a stabilized through such enforced transitions. In the , imperial policies deepened Teleut integration through economic and social mechanisms. Classified as inorodtsy (aliens) under Mikhail Speransky's Statute on the Management of Inorodtsy, they received a distinct that segregated them administratively while imposing obligations like the yasak fur tribute, which evolved into annual monetary taxes by mid-century. Military further bound them to the empire, with Teleut detachments deployed in Siberian garrisons. Intermarriage with Russian settlers and neighboring groups fostered mixed communities, particularly in volosts like the Teleut Allogeneous Volost of the District, accelerating amid ongoing land pressures from colonization.

Soviet and Post-Soviet Periods

During the Soviet era, the Teleuts experienced significant disruptions to their traditional nomadic lifestyle through forced collectivization policies implemented in the and 1930s, which integrated them into state farms and sedentary agricultural systems while providing limited support for sustaining some customary practices. These measures, part of broader efforts to modernize 's indigenous economies, often resulted in the loss of and communal lands, exacerbating economic hardships for Teleut communities in the region. Concurrently, the Soviet state classified the Teleuts as part of the larger Altai ethnic group, subsuming their distinct identity into a unified Altaian to streamline administrative control over Turkic-speaking peoples in southern . The 1930s marked a period of intense repression, including purges that targeted indigenous leaders, shamans, and adherents of traditional beliefs, with many arrested, imprisoned, or executed as part of anti-religious campaigns aimed at eradicating "superstitions" like and . Shamanic rituals were banned, and sacred items such as drums and costumes were confiscated, effectively driving Teleutian spiritual practices underground. , a nativistic movement that had gained traction among Teleuts in the early as a reformist rejecting certain shamanic elements while incorporating prophetic visions of ethnic revival, was labeled bourgeois-nationalist and suppressed by Soviet authorities, leading to the execution or of its proponents by the mid-. policies in the late Soviet period shifted from initial 1920s–1930s efforts to develop written forms of minority languages and provide in them to a dominance of Russian, marginalizing Teleut linguistic vitality. During , Teleuts contributed to the Soviet war effort through military service and labor support, alongside other Siberian indigenous groups, though specific records of their involvement remain limited. In the post-war decades of the to , limited cultural revival occurred through state-sanctioned ensembles and ethnographic studies that preserved non-religious aspects of Teleut heritage, such as epic and crafts, within the framework of Soviet nationalities policy. Following the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991, Teleut communities faced profound economic transitions amid market reforms, which disrupted rural livelihoods by privatizing collective farms and intensifying industrial activities like in , leading to increased and migration from traditional territories. These reforms in the amplified and social challenges for indigenous groups, including the Teleuts, as subsidies ended and market competition favored larger enterprises over small-scale . recognition of the Teleuts as a distinct indigenous small-numbered people in 1993, reaffirmed in the federal list by 2000, enhanced their claims for cultural autonomy and resource rights, fostering renewed ethnic mobilization. In the , ongoing industrialization, particularly extraction as of the 2020s, has continued to pose environmental and challenges to Teleut communities, prompting further advocacy for .

Language

Linguistic Classification

The Teleut belongs to the Turkic , specifically within the Kipchak subgroup and the Kyrgyz-Kipchak group of the eastern branch. It was historically regarded as a southern dialect of the Altai until around 2000, when linguistic differences in lexicon, , and led scholars to classify it as an independent . Teleut exhibits typical Turkic phonological and morphological traits, including and agglutinative structure, where suffixes are added to roots to indicate . The vowel system comprises eight s—/a/, /e/, /ı/, /i/, /o/, /ö/, /u/, /ü/—which can occur as short or long forms, with long vowels often resulting from the loss of intervocalic s. The inventory includes 21 s, such as stops (/p/, /t/, /k/, /q/), fricatives (/s/, /ʃ/, /x/), affricates (/tʃ/), nasals (/m/, /n/, /ŋ/), liquids (/l/, /r/), and glides (/j/, /w/), with additional marginal consonants appearing in loanwords. The /a/ displays notable allophonic variation, including [ä], , [ɑ], [ɐ], and others influenced by adjacent consonants and position, such as fronting after palatal sounds or lowering in back-vowel contexts. The core vocabulary of Teleut is Turkic, reflecting shared roots with other , but it incorporates loanwords from neighboring languages due to historical interactions. Mongol influences, particularly from Oirat dialects through prolonged contacts in southern , appear in terms related to and administration, such as adaptations of words for and governance. Russian loanwords, introduced during and intensified in the Soviet era, dominate modern , including everyday items like qalaš ('') and pel'men ('dumplings'), often replacing native terms. Evenki (Tungusic) borrowings, stemming from interactions with northern indigenous groups, include lexical items like say ('pebbles'), evidencing substrate effects in the regional environment. Teleut maintains an as its primary mode of transmission historically, with no indigenous script until external influences. A Cyrillic-based was developed in the 1840s by Altai missionaries for religious texts, later adapted more broadly in the post-1930s period following Soviet standardization efforts for in ; however, this writing system remains limited in use and lacks full normalization due to the language's endangered status.

Current Status and Vitality

The Teleut language, spoken primarily by the Teleut people in the of southwestern , , faces significant . According to the , there were approximately 975 native speakers, though estimates of fluent speakers range from under 250 to fewer than 500, reflecting a sharp decline in proficiency among younger generations. Intergenerational transmission remains low, with children rarely acquiring the language as a first tongue, leading to its classification as critically endangered by , where the youngest fluent speakers have largely passed reproductive age and the speech community is very small. Usage of Teleut is predominantly oral and confined to rural domestic settings, particularly in intergenerational communication within families in villages like Bekovo, where older and middle-aged speakers maintain conversations. Its presence in formal domains is minimal: Russian overwhelmingly dominates media, administration, and public life, while educational integration is limited to elective classes in select schools starting in the early , often as optional subjects rather than core curriculum. The data underscores this trend, revealing declining proficiency across nearly all indigenous minority languages, including Teleut, with speakers increasingly shifting to Russian for daily interactions. Vitality is further supported by targeted documentation initiatives, such as grants from the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (ELDP), which funded fieldwork from 2013 to 2014 to create audio corpora of narratives, songs, and conversations, aiding linguistic analysis and preservation. However, key challenges persist, including urban migration that draws youth to cities like , eroding traditional rural domains where Teleut was once used for cultural practices and daily life. Despite the Teleuts' recognition as a distinct indigenous ethnic group in 2000—separating them from the broader Altai identity—the language lacks co- status, limiting institutional support and exacerbating its vulnerability.

Traditional Culture

Economy and Lifestyle

The traditional economy of the Teleuts centered on semi-nomadic , with families herding horses, cattle, sheep, and goats across southern Siberia's steppes and zones in the . By the mid-18th century, Teleuts transitioned to more sedentary lifestyles under Russian influence, while maintaining elements of , , and gathering. Seasonal migrations followed the availability of pastures, allowing to graze on summer highlands before returning to river valleys for winter, a practice that sustained household wealth measured by herd size. This system was supplemented by limited using wooden plows and hoes to cultivate and millet in lowland areas. Hunting and gathering provided essential supplements to the pastoral diet, particularly in the forested taiga environments of southern Siberia. Men pursued elk, deer, sable, ermine, and squirrel using traditional methods like skis for mobility and leather bags for carrying pelts, yielding meat, hides, and furs vital for clothing and exchange. Women foraged for berries, edible roots, and plants during summer months, contributing to food stores and medicinal needs. Teleut society was organized around patrilineal clans known as seok, with approximately 20 such groups including Dieti-As (Seven Ases), Tert-As (Four Ases), and Tumat, each regulating exogamous marriages, resource allocation, and mutual aid. These clans formed the basis for social and economic cooperation, often under hereditary leaders within tribal confederations. Gender roles were distinctly divided: men managed herding, hunting, and external trade, while women oversaw household tasks, dairy processing from cow udders, child-rearing, and gathering activities. Pre-industrial tools reflected adaptation to the nomadic , including felt-covered yurts (kerege) for portable during migrations and wooden carts pulled by oxen for transporting belongings and goods. focused on exchanging furs, , and products with neighboring and Kazakh groups, facilitating access to metal tools and grains while integrating Teleuts into regional networks.

Material Culture and Arts

The material culture of the Teleuts, a Turkic-speaking people of southern , reflects their historical adaptation to the and forest-steppe environments through nomadic and semi-nomadic lifestyles. Traditional Teleut emphasized functionality for harsh climates, with men's attire consisting of kaftans (telen), quilted robes, coats, and boots, while women wore long dresses (kyunek) adorned with breastplates, kaftans, , colored woven belts (kur), sheepskin or boots, and coats (ton or kaptal). These garments were often supplemented by winter hats trimmed with or for women and conical headdresses with tassels. Women's braids were characteristically decorated with beads and silver ornaments, a practice that highlighted ethnic identity and has seen efforts toward cultural revalorization in contemporary contexts. Teleut dwellings were designed for mobility and seasonal migration, primarily featuring stationary conical frame buildings or semi-underground frame-and-shell houses with rectangular bases, flat or gabled roofs, and central stoves for heating. Interiors typically included household structures like barns and sheds, with sleeping platforms arranged around the area to optimize in units of about five people per dwelling. Folding felt yurts (kerege), constructed from felt coverings over wooden frames, served as portable homes during migrations, often transported via wooden wagon-yurts with high wheels. Crafts among the Teleuts centered on processing natural materials to support daily needs and trade, including leatherworking for boots and harnesses, felt-making for yurt coverings and protective gear, and for vehicles and tools. was prominent, with Teleut artisans skilled in iron items such as arrowheads, pots, weapons, and armor, as documented in 17th- and 18th-century records of production for regional powers. , wicker-work, and further enabled the creation of belts, clothing, and household items, often using , , and hides sourced from their nomadic economy. Teleut arts and oral traditions emphasized narrative and performative elements, with epic storytelling forming a core of their through hero tales and historical narratives recited during gatherings. Key examples include epics such as Chara-Batyi, Edige, and Toktamysh, which draw from broader Kypchak Turkic motifs, alongside tales of beks like Mamyt and Balyk chronicling migrations and conflicts. Musical traditions incorporated stringed instruments like the topshur, a two-stringed , and elements of in performances, often tied to seasonal festivals and communal dances that celebrated rites of passage and harvests. These practices, preserved through oral transmission, underscore the Teleuts' cultural resilience amid historical disruptions.

Religion and Beliefs

Traditional Practices

The traditional spiritual life of the Teleuts was deeply rooted in shamanism and animism, with shamans known as kam serving as essential intermediaries between the human world and the spirit realm. Selected through a process often initiated by a "shamanic disease" around ages 15-18, where spirits symbolically dismembered and reassembled the candidate—sometimes marked by the discovery of an "extra bone"—shamans conducted rituals to address communal and personal needs. These included healing ceremonies to retrieve lost kut (soul energy doubles) from malevolent spirits, and invocations for hunting success, employing oval drums (tüür or chaluu, approximately 180 cm in perimeter and adorned with cosmic motifs) struck rhythmically alongside frenzied chants (alkysh) and ritual sticks (orbu). Animistic beliefs permeated Teleut cosmology, viewing the as comprising five worlds, with the earthly realm (pu jer) as a precarious plate supported by four oxen and encircled by the "earthly path" (jer joly) inhabited by protective payana spirits. Reverence extended to nature spirits, such as those of rivers, lakes, and forests (yiyk), as well as mountain deities, fostering taboos against overhunting or environmental disrespect to avoid incurring the wrath of these entities. The (tier-alys), structured in nine strata and teeming with evil spirits like körmös and edü (or euphemisms such as soqor-neme to avert summoning them), required appeasement through sacrifices of animals like sheep or calves, and libations of homebrew (abyrtka), to prevent illnesses or misfortunes. Life cycle rites underscored these beliefs, integrating communal rituals to honor transitions. Birth ceremonies involved animal sacrifices to deities like , invoked for and the granting of children or , ensuring the newborn's protection and swift development. Funerals involved to release the soul, though shamans were interred in regular cemeteries with their spines ritually broken post-mortem to neutralize lingering spiritual influence and safeguard community health. In the late , Burkhanism emerged as a syncretic faith among the Teleuts, blending indigenous with monotheistic elements centered on a single supreme god, Burkhan, who emphasized moral purity, ethical conduct, and spiritual cleanliness over elaborate shamanic excesses. This "white faith" encouraged rituals focused on purification and communal harmony, though it retained ties to traditional customs like sacrifices and chants, distinguishing the Teleut variant through local ethnic features. By the 1930s, Soviet authorities suppressed , curtailing its practice amid broader assaults on indigenous religions.

Modern Religious Affiliations

The majority of Teleuts are nominally affiliated with the Russian Orthodox Church, a legacy of 18th- and 19th-century missionary efforts that established formal divisions between Orthodox adherents and traditional believers, though active participation remains limited. Churches serving Teleut communities are present in Bachat settlements in Kemerovo Oblast, reflecting the integration of Orthodox practices into local life since Russian colonization. A small number have converted to Protestant denominations, such as Pentecostals ("New Way" since 1998) and Baptists (since 2003). A small minority among the Teleuts, particularly the Kalmak subgroup, practices , adopted in the mid-18th century under Tatar influence and reinforced through cultural alignment with by the late . This group maintains mosques and traditions, comprising approximately 500 individuals within mixed Siberian Tatar communities. Remnants of persist informally among rural Teleuts, involving animistic rituals tied to ancestral spirits, despite no organized post-Soviet revival. These practices coexist with Christian influences but have not seen widespread institutional resurgence. is prevalent due to the Soviet-era emphasis on and education. In diverse communities of , interfaith tolerance prevails, allowing nominal Orthodox, Muslim, and shamanic elements to blend without significant conflict.

Contemporary Society

Cultural Preservation Efforts

Efforts to preserve the Teleut language have included educational initiatives in local schools, particularly in the Belovo district of , where elective Teleut classes have been offered since the early 2020s. In the Bekovo village school, for instance, Teleut lessons are integrated into the curriculum for grades 2 through 7, with a weekly one-hour elective available for grades 8 through 11, focusing on basic vocabulary, grammar, and cultural context. These programs aim to counteract the language's endangered status by engaging young learners in immersive activities. Complementing school-based , the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme (ELDP) has supported comprehensive projects since the 2010s, resulting in digital resources such as an online dictionary containing approximately 5,000-6,000 words and multimedia archives of spoken Teleut, including oral narratives and traditional texts. Cultural events play a vital role in maintaining Teleut heritage, with annual festivals serving as platforms for community gathering and tradition-sharing. The Pardakai festival, recognized as the patronal holiday of the Teleut people, is celebrated each June in the Teleut microdistrict of Belovo, featuring traditional music, dances, and storytelling that highlight historical epics and folklore. Folklore ensembles, often community-led, contribute to the preservation of epic narratives like those rooted in Turkic oral traditions, performing them at these events to transmit knowledge across generations. ELDP initiatives have further aided this by archiving audio recordings of such performances, ensuring their accessibility for future revival efforts. Institutional support in includes indigenous centers and cultural institutions dedicated to Teleut heritage. The regional Association of the Teleut People, operating under federal programs for small-numbered indigenous groups, coordinates preservation activities, including workshops on traditional practices and advocacy for . The Tomskaya Pisanitsa Museum Reserve has undertaken museification projects to safeguard intangible cultural elements, such as interpretations tied to Teleut cosmology, through exhibits and educational outreach that promote community involvement. Although formal listing for Teleut intangible heritage remains pending, these efforts align with broader pushes for international recognition of Siberian indigenous traditions. Youth engagement is prioritized through targeted programs that blend and hands-on learning. Summer language schools, funded by ELDP grants since 2010, offer multi-week programs or camps where participants of various ages learn Teleut through interactive lessons on history, readings, and basic crafts like patterns inspired by traditional motifs. Online platforms developed from these projects, including the ELDP digital repository, provide access to oral histories and recordings since the 2010s, enabling remote learning and youth-led initiatives via community-shared videos and transcripts.

Environmental and Social Challenges

The Teleut people in face severe environmental degradation from intensive operations, which have polluted key water sources such as the Bachat River with industrial effluents and sediments. This contamination has led to the death of fish populations and the silting of waterways, severely disrupting traditional practices essential to Teleut livelihoods. Additionally, has razed forests, blocking access to hunting grounds and hindering and wild game pursuits, as vast areas are converted into spoil heaps and extraction sites. In response, Shor and Teleut communities have formed coalitions since the early , collaborating with organizations like the Russian Association of of the North (RAIPON) to advocate against these impacts and seek corporate accountability from European coal importers. Social challenges exacerbate these environmental pressures, with high rates of youth outmigration to urban centers driven by limited economic opportunities in rural Teleut settlements. among Teleuts remains above the regional average, perpetuating cycles of economic marginalization. Ongoing processes further dilute ethnic identity, as Soviet-era policies and contemporary assimilation trends erode traditional cultural practices and language use, leaving younger generations disconnected from their heritage. Health issues linked to pollution are prevalent, including respiratory problems caused by inhaling and airborne particulates from nearby pits. Teleut communities have engaged in legal battles under Russian indigenous rights laws, including Federal Law No. 82-FZ on Territories of Traditional Natural Resource Use, to reclaim and protect ancestral lands from further encroachment, though enforcement remains inconsistent. Gold extraction activities compound these threats through river operations that devastate aquatic ecosystems and sacred sites revered in Teleut , such as groves and springs tied to ancestral beliefs. In , these practices have polluted rivers with sediments and chemicals, killing fish and rendering water unsafe for consumption or ritual use. Protests against coal corporations like Kuzbassrazrezugol for mining impacts include community demonstrations and shamanic rituals to highlight the cultural , though activists often face repression. operations have also prompted opposition through similar actions.

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  29. https://lenguasdearagon.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Atlas-of-the-World-Languages.pdf
  30. https://rm.coe.int/5th-sr-russian-federation-en/1680a2234b
  31. https://languagemagazine.com/2023/04/14/activists-warn-russian-languages-are-disappearing-faster-than-data-suggests/
  32. https://joshuaproject.net/people_groups/15323/rs
  33. https://www.diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:372615/FULLTEXT01.pdf
  34. https://haubooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Charles-Ste%25CC%2581panoff_Journeys-into-the-Invisible_HAU-Books_2025_-9781912808908.pdf
  35. https://ansipra.npolar.no/english/indexpages/ethnic_groups.html
  36. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/382140984_REVALORIZATION_OF_CULTURAL_HERITAGE_IN_THE_ENVIRONMENT_OF_THE_EXISTENCE_OF_AN_ETHNIC_GROUP_ON_THE_EXAMPLE_OF_GIRLISH_BRAID_DECORATION_OF_TELEUTS
  37. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2kQXoKq3gc4
  38. https://mobile.atlaskmns.ru/page/en/people_teleuty_spirit.html
  39. https://www.academia.edu/70720795/The_Materials_of_Andre%C4%AD_Anokhin_on_the_Evil_Spirits_in_Teleut_Shamanic_Beliefs
  40. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.2753/AAE1061-1959450301
  41. https://www.academia.edu/33312778/Teleutian_Shamanism_In_Mariko_Namba_Walter_and_Eva_Jane_Neuman_Fridman_eds_Shamanism_an_encyclopedia_of_world_beliefs_practices_and_culture_Santa_Barbara_Denver_Oxford_ABC_CLIO_2004_Vol_II_p_632_637
  42. https://ling.tspu.ru/en/archive?year=2021&issue=1&article_id=8136
  43. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/352829640_TELEUT_ALLOGENEOUS_VOLOST_UPRAVA_OF_THE_TOMSK_DISTRICT_IN_18TH_-_EARLY_20TH_CENTURIES_TERRITORIAL_DEMOGRAPHIC_AND_RELIGIOUS_CHANGES
  44. https://www.academia.edu/78650879/Shamanism_and_Christianity_on_the_Russian_Siberian_Borderland_Altaian_Responses_to_Russian_Orthodox_Missionaries_1830_1917_
  45. https://www.belovo42.ru/officially/nacionalnaya-politika/
  46. https://www.indigenous.ru/modules.php?name=Content&pa=showpage&pid=141
  47. https://research.amanote.com/publication/ZI7a03MBKQvf0BhiBlw6/museification-of-intangible-cultural-heritage-of-the-teleut-people-tomskaya-pisanitsa
  48. https://www.earthaction.org/blog/2010/09/29/projects-supported-by-endangered-languages-program-in-2010
  49. https://iwgia.org/images/publications/0595_Coal_Mining_in_Kemerovo_Oblast_Briefing_note_Sept_2012.pdf
  50. https://adcmemorial.org/en/articles/coal-vs-indigenous-siberia/
  51. https://ansipra.npolar.no/english/bulletin/Bulletin07E.pdf
  52. https://adcmemorial.org/en/publications/violations_of_the_rights_of_indigenous_peoples_resulting_from_coal_mining/
  53. https://therussiaprogram.org/dead_rivers
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