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Fierce hunters from the north
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EWENKIS people are often hunters who have traditionally lived in the mountains.
With a population of 30,875, the Ewenkis mostly live in the Ewenkis Autonomous Banner, Hulun Buir League of Inner Mongolian Autonomous Region. Some are sparsely scattered in the other six banners of Hulun Buir League and Neibe County of Heilongjiang Province.
Over the years they have been called “Suolun,” “Yakute” and “Tongu,” depending on the dynasty. The name changed to Ewenkis in the 1950s.
There are different opinions on the origin of the Ewenkis ethnic group. Some believe they originated from the Bei Shiwei people of northeastern China, while others believe they originated from the Anjugu tribe, one of the seven Mohe tribes along the Wusuli River.
The Ewenkis speak their own language though they do not have a written script. The language belongs to the Ewenkis branch of Manchu-Tungusic Group of the Altaian Language Family. Manchu language was once used by the group. Many Ewenkis in pastoral areas today can speak Mongol and Han languages, while Han languages are more widely used in farming and mountainous areas.
The Ewenkis people often make a living hunting. Those in the Ergun primitive forests usually dwell in zuoluozi, which means “fairy pillar” in their language. It is a tent 3m high with a diameter of about 4m. Three timbers are usually used to form the triangle stand of the conical tent, while about 20 rods crosswise compose the top, which is covered by birch bark or animal hides.
The Ewenkis often build a separate “warehouse” away from the tent. Food, quarries, clothes, and tools are stored in the warehouse. But it is never locked. If the host isn’t in, passers-by can get whatever they need from the warehouse, on condition of returning whatever is taken later.
Fur garments are the traditional dress for the Ewenkis living in the cold northern regions of China. The furs for men are usually right-buttoned, with vents at the front and back, and a long waistband. And the men often carry a dagger and smoking paraphernalia with them. They also often wear a cone-shaped cap made of blue cloth, with a red tassel at the peak.
Long gowns worn by women are mainly made of cloth, with no vents, but long or short sleeveless jackets. Both in summer and winter, Ewenki women of Chenba’erhu Banner wear loose, pleated dresses.
Women wear earrings, rings and bracelets. Their headband is often a black-cloth sleeve with silver chains on it.
The Ewenkis’ traditional diet is much influenced by habitat. Meat is the staple food for the Ewenkis living in the mountains and forests, while they also eat soups, bread and noodles.
Fender milk tea and reindeer cream are among their specialties.
Ewinkis dwelling on plains mainly live on meat, milk and flour. They like dairy products like cheese, cream, dried milk and milk dregs. They have milk tea at every meal. Their wheaten food includes deep-fried twisted dough, pastry and noodles. The herdsmen often enjoy an alcohol brewed from fermented milk.
Buckwheat, barley, oats and various vegetables are also common.
“Nizhuxi’e” is a unique tobacco popular among Ewinki hunters because it is a mild stimulant.
The Eweinkis celebrate the Spring Festival, Lantern Festival and Tomb-sweeping Day.
They also celebrate the Mikuolu Festival on the 22nd day of the fifth month in the lunar calendar.
Stamping horses and giving female lambs to the young are popular activities during the Mikuolu Festival.
The Ewenkis mostly believe in Shamanism although some are Buddhists.
Shamanists worship the gods of ancestors, mountains, fire and others.
The Ewenkis consider fire a perpetual deity and do whatever they can to keep a fire burning.
Before meals, they throw a piece of meat and sprinkle a cup of wine onto the fire. On weddings, the couple will salute the fire. They have many taboos concerning fire. For example, touch firing with sharp ironware is forbidden, as is dousing a fire with water, throwing garbage into fire and extinguishing a fire with the feet.
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