People of the Yakute tribe, the last hunting tribe in China, have begun to move out of the virgin forest, to their new home in Genhe City of north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. From now on, they will live in civilized society and abandon their previous hunting lives.

People of the Yakute tribe used to live on hunting and reindeer breeding.

According to experts in ethnic nomad of north China, the Ewenki ethnic group is mainly distributed over Ergune County in Heilongjiang Province and Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The Yakute tribe is quite different from other Ewenki ethnic groups. It is one of three branches of the Ewenki ethnic group. The Yakute tribe is called a living fossil of ethnic north China. With a population of 232, they lived in the virgin forest of Aoluguya Village, the Greater Hingan Mountain. They are the last hunting tribe in China.

The Yakute tribe is also called 'the Reindeer Tribe' for they live on hunting and reindeer breeding generation after generation in the Greater Hingan Mountain. In recent years, some Yakute people only lived on reindeer raising, and only some aged Yakute hunters still lived in the forest and lived on hunting, just like their ancestors. This time, about 133 people will move out of the area.

The reason for the hunters move is that the environment of the Aoluguya Village has been damaged. It is no longer good for their development if they stay living in the area.

Now more and more hunters change their living methods to reindeer feeding owing to the sharp decline in wild animals. However, the adverse nature of the environment is not good for overgrazing reindeer.

Meanwhile, Aoluguya Village is located in a remote area. It is very hard to develop its water, electricity supply, communication, education and medical facility. The decision to move was made by both the local authority and the Inner Mongolian Hulun Buir Union for recovering the environment and the development of the tribe.

The new home is located in the north of the Greater Hingan Mountain railway.

The previous Aoluguya Village was 260 kilometers away from Genhe City. The hunters seldom communicated with the outside world because the road was rough and uneven. However, the new Aoluguya Village is located in the western suburb of Genhe City. It has advantageous transport facilities.

Now the new houses and new fences for feeding reindeer have been built with modern facilities. Schools, hospitals, and a post office and telecommunication office have also been built for convenience. Local government would like to develop the new Aoluguya Village as a base of reindeer raising and reindeer products.

The move helps the Yakute tribe to transfer to civilized society.

The relocation of Aoluguya Village has just changed the geographical location and the living condition of the villagers. Their living style and unique culture will be well protected and developed according to relevant policies. 

(china.org.cn by Wu Nanlan August 11, 2003)