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irithnova · 7 months

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Sakha

In this post, where I use "Sakha" and "Yakutia", they are interchangeable

If you just want headcanons, it's right at the bottom of this post

Name: Erchim Basygasov

The reason why I gave him this name:

Erchim, in the Sakha language means vigorous/active/energetic. I think it suits him well as I see him as being quite outgoing/a busy body.

Basygasov: I know it seems like I gave him a Russian last name but there is a reason behind this. Many common Sakha surnames are either Russian in origin or are modelled after Russian names. I chose to go with the "Sakha name that was modelled to sound like a Russian name" route. The nickname "Bahygas" comes from the adjective meaning "able to draw" in Sakha, and so this Sakha nickname is then modified to sound like "Basygasov" as a surname. I chose this surname because I see him as actually being quite artsy!

Origins

His exact birthdate is extremely uncertain as its said that the Sakha people may have settled in the area around the 9th-16th centuries

I'll say that he emerged from 1300-1400 as a distinct group to try and find a balance between those dates.

The ancestor of the Sakha before they migrated Northwards are said to be the Kurykans, who moved from Yenisey River to Lake Baikal in the 7th century, and likely had some level of mixing with Mongolic peoples.

Specifically Sakha's origins were most likely during the great migrations in the 13th century (obviously he existed a little bit before these migrations occurred)

Some of the native inhabitants of the Lena (Evenki, Eveni, Yukagir) assimilated with the migrants (him) from the Lake Baikal region/Southern Siberia who were pressured to move because of the Buryats/pressure from the expanding Mongol Empire (according to Sakha's own legends)

The migrants from Southern Siberia, brought language, oral history, and livestock herding. In fact it is these things which is what suggests that Sakha's origins are due to this migration from the south to the north, especially the horse and cattle breeding which was a Southern economy. Unlike Sakha's reindeer herders neighbours, the Sakha farmed horses and cattle, assimilating Eveni and Evenki (Tungusic) cultures in the process, and we can see this especially through Sakha's shamanic traditions.

It was this mixture of cultures that brought about the Sakha people. I actually think Sakha first represented these migrant groups from Lake Baikal as a child and formed his stronger identity as he migrated and assimilated other groups.

This is because the Sakha people greatly tie their origins to these migrations, and as mentioned before, according to their own legends, they were "driven out" by the Buryats/expansion of the Mongol Empire to move Northwards, centring the origins of their history to these migrants and the migration.

These migrants are speculated to be of Turkic/Turko-Mongol origin. Possibly even Khakas to an extent

Mfw Sakha sounds like Khakas 🤒

But in all seriousness, the origin of the ethnonym Sakha was seen as linked to the Sagay Khakas of Abakan River however this cannot be seen as certain

So Sakha settled in areas with grazing along the Lena, Vilyuy, and Aldan rivers. Again this differed from the smaller, original populations like Even, Evenk, and Yukagir (reindeer herders), who either assimilated or relocated to uplands due to their hunting and reindeer herding economies.

So... Sakha 🤝 Chukotka when it comes to assimilating people

Sakha oral epics mention leaders like Tygyn, the most powerful among them, who formed a chiefdom in the 17th century by subjugating other clans.

So in the late 16th to early 17th centuries, Kangalastsy tribe, led by Tygyn was the most powerful and respected.

They lived in the central steppe area of the Middle Lena valleys, enabling them to excel in cattle farming and gain economic and military advantages.

The Kangalastsy were significant in shaping the Sakha culture, and it's somewhat speculated that they are linked to an ancient tribal union called kangly, which opposed the Hunnic State in the Syr Darya region centuries before (cannot be certain).

According to Sakha folklore, Tygyn was a descendant of Badzhei.

He was the son of Munn'an Darkhan and the grandson of Tyusyulge Darkhaan. Tygyn was notably tall and became the Chief King after his father.

And again, he united various Sakha clans.

So he was kind of like... The Sakha version of Genghis Khan?

However, in 1628, Tygyn's forces were defeated by the advancing Russians, armed with firearms. He was captured and imprisoned, where he suffered from a skin condition and passed away in 1632.

In that same hear, the Yakutsk fort was built, forming Yakutia's link to Russia.

However this was not at all peaceful. The Sakha rebelled seven times (1633-1684) and was met met with harsh suppression.

But before this, Tygyn did manage to be a pain in the arse for the Russian Cossacks - it is mentioned that in 1631 they could not collected fur tax from him

Further: In Legends, Russian Cossacks met Tygyn and praised the power of the Moscow Tsar. They asked Tygyn and the Sakha people to submit, promising mercy, wealth, and rewards. However, Tygyn declined, challenging the Cossacks to a fight instead.

In 1634, Cossack chief Ivan Galkin noted that Kangalas princes (Tygyn's sons/descendants?) controlled vast land and people, even other princes.

They avoided paying taxes for a while. But by 1637, Tygyn's sons submitted, paid taxes, gave hostages, and showed loyalty. Many Sakha people followed, making the Sakha territory part of Russia.

The fact that a majority of the other Sakha people submitted along with Tygyn's sons goes to show how influential Tygyn's lineage was/links to what I said previously about how influential they were in shaping Sakha culture

In the next year, 1638, the Yakutsk district was created, becoming Yakutsk province in 1775, and later Yakutsk region in 1784

So....Sakha was essentially on a pretty strong grind before Russia came along. Tygyn put up a good resistance but his sons on the other hand... 🤒 He malds about it but he also knows it was kind of inevitable

Still kind of glorifies Tygyn to this day

Before Russian colonisation, Sakha was pretty enthusiastic/strong willed. His strong willed nature still followed him however the enthusiasm waned a little under Russian colonisation. A large part of his early enthusiasm can be chalked up to his new found wealth and strong leader, so it was a pretty drastic change of mood once it was abruptly ended by the colonisation period. He didn't take it too well because it was, well, unexpected. He (rightfully) held on to a lot of anger/resentment for a while.

I've mentioned other people who he had contact/relations with such as the Even, Evenk and the Yukagir. Major parts of Sakha culture were derived from these peoples. I see those three as almost being his mentors in a way because of this. On one hand, they were annoyed at this kid who suddenly moved there out of seemingly nowhere which is now forcing them to move more North >:( but on the other hand it was also "Well... He's here so we might as well try and teach him some things if he wants to survive 🙄". I see Evenkia as being his main kind of mentor as Evenki culture influenced Sakha culture more majorly.

On average, Sakha has a good relationship with all of them (especially when they ask him for advice on legal troubles.)

To be fair though, Yukagir is probably the most annoyed by Sakha (when she does feel in the mood to be annoyed at someone) because mass-assimilation affected her the most.

Life under Russian colonisation

In the 17th century, Sakha people fought fiercely against Russian control until 1642. Then, Russian missionaries tried to convert the Sakha to Christianity between 1651 and 1700.

During the 18th century, the Sakha had to move due to political and environmental reasons. Russians took advantage, taking control of Sakha areas.

By 1773, the Imperial mail system reached the Sakha regions. Political opponents of the Tsarist regime were put in prison camps. In the 19th century, Yakuts switched to sedentary farming and Orthodox Christianity.

In 1846, gold discovery led to Russian immigration, changing the demographic of the population.

In the early 20th century, Yakuts were involved in the Russian Civil War, supporting both Red and White armies. In the aftermath of World War I, the Russian Revolution, and the Civil War, the Soviet government established the Yakut Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic in 1922.

While Sakha was somewhat... Appreciative of this move, it still wasn't enough. By appreciative I don't mean he kissed Russia's ass on got on his knees thanking him, absolutely not. More like, he saw it as a push in the right direction in general.

Sakha is always one to push things to get his way, and though some things from the Russians were inevitably accepted such as orthodox Christianity and sedentary farming - this is not a testament to Sakha keeling over easily. As I will talk about in my next bullet points, Sakha played a prominent role in not only protecting his own interests, but other Siberian interests too.

This is why earlier I talked about the likes of Even, Evenk and Yukagir asking him for help with certain legal troubles. I think Sakha has always been quite outgoing and you can see this even before Russian colonisation. So this skill of his stuck through, which is why he's such a prominent player in these types of affairs but also very keen on getting himself out there, as seen later under my "Business brained?!" subheading of this post.

Collectivisation and sovereignty

From 1925 to 1960, Sakha agriculture was collectivised, leading to resistance and subsequent repression.

Sakha organisations, schools, and publications were banned, and Stalin's industrialisation policies led to significant Russian immigration into Sakha .

Throughout this period, Yakuts fiercely clung to their language, which became a symbol of resistance under Soviet rule. It was one of the only ways in which they could resist

In the late 20th century, amid Gorbachev's reform policies, Sakha nationalism resurfaced.

In March 1990, an Association of Peoples of the North was formed, with Sakha playing a prominent role.

This association aimed to protect the interests of 26 ethnic groups, including the Sakha, and increase their bargaining power in economic and political negotiations with Moscow.

In August 1990, Yakutia increased its autonomy within Russia by issuing a declaration of sovereignty

Sakha proclaimed its sovereignty within the Russian Federation in September 1990, adopting the formal name Yakut-Sakha Soviet Socialist Republic, aligning with the traditional name of the Sakha people.

In August 1991, Sakha's parliament passed a law, transferring control of all state enterprises from the USSR central government to the republican authority.

By December of the same year, Mikhail Nikolayev secures a resounding victory, becoming Sakha's first president with over 70 percent of the vote

Further push for greater Sovereignty

In January 1992, Sakha parliament aimed for more independence, proposing a treaty with Moscow. The treaty would give Sakha control over precious metal reserves for global sales. But this sparked criticism from local Russian legislators, calling it secessionist.

In May 1992, a new constitution established Yakut-Sakha, declaring local natural resources as owned by the people.

During this time, the Sakha parliament accused the Russian Central Bank of withholding funds, causing economic issues. This led to worker payment problems and threats of strikes, risking disruptions in diamond, gold, coal, and other exports.

...Sakha is definitely not afraid to speak his mind and outright call Russia out on his bad behaviour, but this goes for anyone who behaves badly in general too. He cares little for sparing peoples feelings when his interests are being obstructed - especially if it's Russia doing so. This doesn't mean that he's not open to working with Russia, just that he places importance on emphasising his own interests. If it doesn't benefit him somehow in some way, he doesn't want to deal with it.

This attitude is reflected in a point I make later on in this post, which talks about an incident that took place in December 1997 in which the Sakha Republic refused an agreement with the Russian defense ministry.

Business brained?!

This may seem like a random subheading but I have talked about the contents of this previously so hear me out.

In June 1992 Sakha's President Nikolayev visited Latvia for economic ties.

Then, in August of the same year, Presidents of Sakha, Tatarstan, and Bashkortostan warn Moscow about regional sovereignty plans.

In February the following year, Sakha and Irkutsk Oblast sign an economic cooperation agreement.

In May 1993, Sakha and Mongolia agree on cooperation in science, culture, and trade.

The next month, Sakha and Kazakhstan sign a five-year economic cooperation pact.

In January the following year (1994) Sakha and Ukraine agree on a five-year economic cooperation deal.

Sakha was very eager to #grind and get himself out there after being declared the Republic of Sakha in late December 1991. As I said before, Sakha has always been quite goals driven even before Russian colonisation, so it's not really a surprise that he did this.

I see him as being a big organiser of events between the Siberian peoples and is always one to lend an ear out/a helping hand out if someone is in need of some assistance.

Examples of him not taking shit but also being business brained™:

In March 1997, Sakha opposed a military rocket launch from Svobondy Space Center due to safety concerns. The government doubted the environmental impact and technical safety of the rocket. Despite objections, the Ministry launched the rocket, and its second stage fell near a Sakha village.

This incident led to a lawsuit against the Military Space Force, causing Sakha to cancel its 1996 agreement.

In October 1997, Yakutia's Parliament members expressed concern to national deputies about insufficient support for the Far North residents in the upcoming winter. They stated that 80% of Sakha's resources come from outside the republic, but government support for these deliveries had drastically reduced to 20%.

The deputies argued that the proposed 1998 federal budget lacked a separate allocation for delivering products to the Far North, leaving the state neglecting its responsibility to support this region.

In December 1997, Sakha's government refused an agreement with the Russian Defence Ministry for using its territory as a rocket dumping ground due to lack of examination and compensation. The agreement was later signed after agreeing to share revenue from commercial launches.

In July 1998, Sakha passed a law allowing various entities, including foreign citizens and legal entities, to use mineral deposits if registered in the republic and authorised by Russian and Sakha laws.

What's important is that the law also banned using these resources for nuclear weapons, mass destruction weapons, and radioactive substance burial.

Sakha isn't necessarily 100% against working with/co-operating with Russia of course as it does have it's benefits and it's not his goal in life to just purposefully antagonise. However his more outspoken nature and willingness to bluntly point things out has given him a bit of a reputation - despite him actually being quite co-operative/amicable for the most part. He's willing to co-operate, but not to bend over and shut himself up if he disagrees with something.

Quick sidenote on the Dolgan: I see Sakha as being quite close with Dolgan. Dolgan culture incorporates aspects from different groups, including reindeer herding from the Evenki, herd dogs from the Nentsy, and women's fur coats from the Sakha.

In fact, the Dolgan people originated from a few Evenk clans that later adopted a dialect of the Turkic-speaking Sakha (Yakut).

So Sakha does try to look out for Dolgan and imagining him like. Dressing her up/giving her clothes and jewellery is so cutee. He's a lot more involved with her than Evenkia is, much to his annoyance.

Headcanons summarised and some more headcanons:

He is actually quite interested in art! There's the National Art Museum in Sakha which I think he likes to go to to unwind

It's also the largest Art Museum in North East Siberia

Is quite good at drawing himself and is quite crafty. Doodles often when he's bored during a meeting

Big organiser of get togethers/events

Quite outgoing/approachable

Smoker 🤒

Saul Goodman of Siberia I guess

Proud father™ to Dolgan😍

Considers Evenk, Even and Yukagir his mentors however acknowledges that Evenk was the major one, even if he slightly annoys him these days

Sakha produces 1/4 of the world's diamonds yet little of that wealth has tricked down to him. Which is something he malds about

Unfortunately diamond mining has disproportionately affected Sakha's neighbours. That being, the Even, Evenk, Yukagir and Chukchi.

He does feel guilty about this, especially considering how 3/4 of them were his former mentors. This is a point of tension in their relationship

Lowkey intimidated by Chukchi/Chukotka..

His life isn't consumed with hating Russia 24/7 however he'll never truly care for Russia or like/love him. He tolerates him most days and that is probably the most positive feeling he'll be able to feel for Russia (this can be said for a lot of the other Siberians to be honest)

Sure, he likes when Russia is co-operative and he benefits from it but that's not him liking Russia himself

Funny relationship with Buryatia/Mongolia like wow a huge part of my identity was formed because of you guys pushing me out.

Some... Not so healthy coping mechanisms but he's gucci for the most part

Debate club vibes

Russia can be quite chauvinistic at times and tries to paint himself as some sort of mentor to Sakha. As you can guess Sakha despises when he does this and reminds him who he actually considers his mentors

"I'd let Evenkia leave me with another baby again before -"

Lowkey tries to be sort of a big brother to other Siberians despite being younger than quite a few of them

This sort of irks the older Siberians at times

Was baptised at some point in the 18th century and was given a Russian name that he went by for a period of time (only in front of Russia tbh). Has since dropped the Russian name completely.

Gets extremely agitated when Russia calls him his former Russian name

Workaholic 👎 but is always willing to lend a hand with helping someone if they really need him

Good legal advice 👍

Has his own little art projects that he barely has time to finish. A lot of which is just making cute jewellery for Dolgan -

Diplomacypilled™ unfortunately