This is just a couple of images to give a feel of the 'frozen jungles' of the Eastern Siberia...
Art by Gennadyi Pavlishin, the best ethnic artist I know of.
Sometime between 20 000 and 200 years ago. Hunters' life
Life of little Onoko orphan girl
Onoko was the only child in her family. No son had her father no other daughter had her mother.
Little girl took the boy's toy - to learn to be a good hunter when she becomes older, to help her father.
Little laika-dogs and little reindeer carved of wood were her best friends, and little narta-sledge were her favourite doll.
Boy-child bow was her best toy.
Quickly grew Onoko-girl, father and mother loved her dearly. But one day amban'-merchants came from the south to the little taiga village.
Black plaque came with them. Every one died in the tribe. Little Onoko got left alone in this world.
Old beldame of the next tribe let Onoko live with her in her chum - as a family slave.
- Do not you harm me, Oh Great Amba, I have no one to ask for help.
- I shall not kill you now, little Onoko. Iron-Birch tree is protecting you and the crows are squeaking into the ears of the Heaven Shaman. But wander away from your people no more, little orphan girl.
Hard was life in this middle world for the little Onoko. The older she grew the more fierce the beldame became. One day Onoko came to the great Amur river and pleaded - Oh, gentle spirits of flowing water and the cunning spirits of the endless taiga and stern spirits of the cold mountains - let me go the next world to my father and mother - and she pleaded and pleaded.
And she then saw her little toy laika-dogs and her toy narta-sledge coming to her swiftly.
- Little Onoko you called us and we came - her Laika-dogs barked ringingly - quickly jump onto the narta sledge we shall take you from the evil beldame and illnesses of this world. And they left to the next life, happy life where the river is always kind and winter is warm and taiga is full of game and people are good.
Onoko saw her mother and father and built her house there and lived forever on a happy life.
13th Century AD.
Nanai Shaman is dancing fiercely in his taiga stronghold to ward-off the Mongol invasion.
13 century AD. Mother's village burnt to ashes, father being killed. Floating away alone on the mighty Amur river.
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