On the Singularities of Reindeer Breeding of Oka Soyots
The article deals with the history and present state of reindeer breeding of Oka Soyots. Modern Soyots restored reindeer breeding 50 years after it had been concealed by the decision of the Government of Buryatia. The research of the reindeer breeding of the Sayan peoples was conducted previously. There are many works of anthropologists, historians, but the present state of reindeer herding of Oka Soyots has not yet been studied. Modern Soyots assimilated with the Buryats. Most of the appropriate vocabulary was rather Buryat than Turkic as the result of this process. Deer are used as a source of food, materials for making clothes, pack and riding means of transportation during hunting and moving. Soyots reindeer breeding is similar to Tsaatan of Mongolia. In general terms, reindeer breeding of Oka Soyots, Tsaatans, Tofalars and Tuvinians Todzhans can be combined into unified type of Sayan reindeer breeding