Memory and Oblivion in the Metis Rural Community

Memory and Oblivion in the Metis Rural Community


Galindabaeva V.V.

Cand. Sci. (Sociol.), Senior Researcher Sociological Institute, Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint-Petersburg, Russia. vgalindabaeva@gmail.com

Karbainov N.I.

Researcher Sociological Institute, Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Saint-Petersburg, Russia. nkarbainov@gmail.com

ID of the Article:


This research was supported by the RFBR, project No. 17-33-01151.


For citation:

Galindabaeva V.V., Karbainov N.I. Memory and Oblivion in the Metis Rural Community. Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2019. No 7. P. 48-55




Abstract

Memory actualizes events and traditions that unite members of the group. Oblivion, in turn, helps them to hide those events and memories that undermine the integrity of the group. In the article, we consider how oblivion influences historical representations. We analyze historical representations of the two metis groups (Semeyskie and Karymy), that have common ancestors and the history of cohabitation in one rural community. Oblivion not memory helps to maintain ethnoreligious boundaries between these groups. The fieldwork was conducted within the framework of the case study strategy that included the use of the following methods: questionnaire survey, semi-structured interview, observation, document analysis. 30 interviews were conducted and 169 questionnaries were filled in. The results of a research show that oblivion in this village is associated with the passing of the older generation, as well as with the processes of formation of subethnic identity of Semeyskie in Buryatia. Bogardus scale analysis demostrates that the longest distance is between Semeiskie, Karymy and Buryats. The minimal social distance Semeyskie and Karymy show with Russians.


Keywords
historical memory; collective memory; oblivion; ethnoreligious borders; metis community

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Content No 7, 2019