Traditions and innovations in the worldview of Northern peoples

Indigenous peoples of the North form an integral part of ethnic and cultural diversity of the global civilization: in many parts of the contemporary world, there are enclaves of indigenous peoples that make their unique contribution to the regional and global development. The authors conduct a theoretical analysis of Russian and foreign scientists’ approaches to the study of the traditional worldview of indigenous peoples of the North. This study revealed the ideas that form the basis of the traditional culture of indigenous peoples, such as the four-element structure of the worldview, which includes cognitive, value-normative, emotional-volitional and practical elements that together determine a person’s readiness to a certain type of behavior in specific circumstances. The authors show on the empirical data that the hallmark of the traditional culture of indigenous peoples of the North is a strict adherence to the previous generations’ patterns of behavior - customs, rituals, forms of activity. The article concludes that the traditional culture of indigenous communities is syncretic, which is manifested in integrity, indivisibility of all forms of life, and recognition of the absolute equivalence of three major elements of the universe - “nature-society-man”.

aborigines, indigenous peoples of the North, traditional worldview, traditional culture, religion, customs, ceremonies, Khanty and Mansi