ftneb@aurora.alaska.edu (BUNCE NORA E) writes:
> Si Yu Sahuna,
> It would be better for you to go spend time with these people that you
> are doing your research on and ask them about themselves. I hope you are
> planning on spending some time with them and that you produce something
> that will be useful to THEM, and not just something that satisfies the needs
> of an instution and provides you with your degree.
> Noqua
I just thought I would assure you that I have done exactly this. When I
posted the letter, I was merely trying to establish contact with other
people who had either done research in the area, wished to do research in
the area, or who had an interest in the area in any capacity. My posting
was not, however it might have appeared, my first and only effort in
trying to learn more about the region, its peoples, and the experiences,
wishes and priorities of those peoples. I have been back in Canada now
for about 2 months, working on my thesis. Previous to this, I spent four
months in the Sakha Republic (Yakutia) doing field research and trying to
absorb as much as I could from the local experience. Although my thesis
is concerned primarily with the experience in terms of relations with the
Russian, Soviet and Sakha Republic's governments of the "Small Peoples of
the North"(minority indigenous groups and not the Sakha (Yakut) per se, I
was able to spend time with people of differing (and mixed) ethnic
backgrounds, including Sakha (Yakut), Evens (Lamuts), Evenks (Tungus) and
Yukaghir as well as well people of Russian background whose ancestors
have lived in Siberia for several hundred years (Sibiriaki) and other
Russian and other (Ukranian, Korean) relative newcomers to the region.
Saying that, I just wanted to qualify for you that although I tried to
learn as much as I could from this end (North America) about the region
and its peoples, I realize that one can only go so far with this; hence,
my field trip to different regions of the Sakha Republic. Knowing that I
would gain a fuller understanding of their current situation upon
spending some time there, I drafted a tentative proposal for my thesis
topic, which still allowed me enough flexibility to alter or completely
change my research focus and direction if I chose to do so in the field.
In determining what shape my thesis would take, I did take consideration
of what type of research (coming from my end) would be valued by the
people about which I was writing. Both my supervisor in Yakutsk (he is
Even) and other mentors I had the pleasure of meeting with (Evenk, Sakha,
Yukaghir) all seemed to point me in the one direction which now is the
focus of my thesis (and to which I am convinced my PhD will also be
related when I eventually get to that stage).
I think your concerns that I might have overlooked this possibility is
quite valid. Most Master's students focussing on far away regions do not
have the priveledge of doing such field research in their areas of study.
I was fortunate enough to receive a research grant from the Dept. of
Indian Affairs and Northern Development (Canadian governmental ministry),
without which such research might either have not been possible, or very
short lived. I will not forget these people, hope to continue doing what
I can to further their socio/economic/political goals from this end, hope
to continue doing work with them (collaborative work included), and
realize how lucky I am to have had the pleasure of such an awakening
experience in the Sakha Republic.
So the show goes on. Thanks for your response.
Sincerely,
Shauna McLarnon