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Preface
- University of Nebraska Press
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Preface This book participates in an intellectual tradition embedded in Boasian anthropology, which started with a focus on Native Americans but quickly became curious about connections between the cultures and peoples of North America and North Asia from a perspective where Asia lies to the west across the Pacific and America lies in the east. I attempt to make some comparisons of the cultures and histories of Native Americans with those of Koryaks, continuing a line of inquiry first developed by Franz Boas, Waldemar Bogoras, and Waldemar Jochelson. Bogoras and Jochelson referred to Chukotka and Kamchatka as parts of Siberia, and I continue that tradition. Following Stalin’s reorganization of the Russian empire, what had been referred to as eastern Siberia was designated the Soviet Far East. In most contemporary Russian language descriptions of Kamchatka it is referred to as being part of the Russian Far East, and Siberia is often thought of as ending somewhere far from the coast, although I should note the title of an excellent book co-authored by Russian and American anthropologists: Russian Old-residents of Siberia is based in Chukotka (Vakhtin et al. 2004). While Kamchatkans often make a distinction between the Russian Far East and Siberia, they also often talk of similarities, especially in sociopoliti- xii | Preface cal terms, with other Siberian indigenous peoples. I do not think anything is gained by maintaining a rigorous distinction between Siberia and the Russian Far East, so I often talk of Kamchatka and Siberia, assuming that the Russian Far East is part of Siberia. This book emerged out of the work of my PhD dissertation, written under the supervision of Richard Handler and Dell Hymes, with Peter Metcalf, Roy Wagner, and Robert Geraci also serving on my committee at the University of Virginia. I want to thank especially Richard and Dell for reading not only several drafts of that dissertation but also this book manuscript. Many teachers and fellow students in Charlottesville helped me along the way, and I would like to thank Michael Uzendoski and Amanda French, in particular, for personal and intellectual support. Edith Turner and Virginia Hymes have been important teachers and intellectual models throughout my career. Marjorie Mandelstam Balzer and Igor Krupnik have long been helpful teachers and colleagues, generous with their time. My colleagues at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology taught me a lot about other parts of Siberia and what makes Kamchatka interesting in comparison and contrast. Chris Hann, Patty Gray, John Ziker, Erich Kasten, Aimar Ventsel, Florian Stammler, Deema Kaneff, Otto Habeck, and Brian Donahoe all commented on previous iterations of the material presented in this book. I want to thank David Anderson for suggesting that I come to Aberdeen, and he read the entire manuscript. Tim Ingold also read the entire manuscript and provided very helpful advice as well as wonderful collegial support. Many colleagues and students at the University of Aberdeen have taught me much about the circumpolar north and how Kamchatka fits into that broader frame, especially Nancy Wachowich, Rob Wishart, Hiroko Ikuta, and Donatas Brandisauskas. Much of my skill at writing English prose was [3.238.161.165] Project MUSE (2024-03-29 01:38 GMT) Preface | xiii developed under the tutelage of my mother, Lillis King. I thank her and my father David for their support, especially with trip logistics and many rides to the Seattle airport. My wife’s parents, Bob and Joan Kincaid, also have provided help and inspiration, and Joan adeptly handled my power of attorney while I was living in Kamchatka for nearly a year and a half. Without her help managing grant income and bill expenditures I would not have remained solvent. David Koester has been most generous with his time and advice from my first e-mail full of ignorant questions about Kamchatka. He generously gave me the name of his friend and colleague in Kamchatka, Viktoria Petrasheva, and told me to simply call her up. Vika, as she is known to her friends, is boundless with her generosity, hospitality, and good advice. Many, many people in Kamchatka have helped me learn about the place and their lives. I am most indebted to the friendship and collegiality of Valentina Dedyk and the deep friendship of her family, especially Igor, her husband. Sergei Kutinkavav, Andrei Kosygin, Nikolai Bondarenko, and Alexsandra Urkachan have all been generous with their hospitality, knowledge, and warm friendship. The families of Tatiana and Vladimir Yatylkut and Anna and Dima Kechigilan in Middle Pakhachi...