The Practices of Appropriation of Space by East-Siberian Evenkis: Pragmatic Use of Anthropogenic Landscape and Infrastructure
This article uses the examples of resources' recycling to explain Evenki practices of the appropriation of infrastructure, which was created within the projects of industrial development. It also describes general principals of space appropriation by Eastern Siberian hunters, fishermen and reindeer herders. The author suggests that within Evenki everyday practices the border between the anthropogenic and natural landscape is a relative one. The use of infrastructure by Evenkis is a part of a set of movements, which are a result of a reflexive process. In the last years the practices of mobility of Evenkis dramatically changed. A specific paradox of modernity has appeared. Even though the new equipment could potentially intensify mobility, the quantity of actual moves has decreased. At the same time the number of pendular movements between the places of intensive use has increased - hunters and reindeer herders started visiting settlements, bases and other hubs for keeping things and distribution of resources. As a result, material objects and property became concentrated in such places that created the necessity of periodic returns to these places. In many places the role of such distribution centers was played by settlements, which were abandoned by geologists and shift workers. Evenkis actively utilized the remaining infrastructure, adapting it to perform their daily tasks.