Rebellious Chukchi: How the Russian Empire for 150 Years Tried to Defeat the Aborigines of Chukotka

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

The Russian conquerors of the new lands could not even imagine that a proud and courageous people lived far in the east, who could resist a powerful army. The Chukchi were not afraid of the formidable guest. They took the fight and almost managed to win.

Civilization against savages

The development of the Far East by the Russian Empire was difficult. Many negative factors affected: the remoteness from the civilized world, and the lack of roads, and stubborn aborigines. But the Chukchi were especially troublesome.

In 1727, the captain of the dragoon regiment Dmitry Ivanovich Pavlutsky arrived in distant Chukotka. He received four hundred soldiers and an order that he must impose tribute on all local residents. It may seem that four hundred warriors are too few, but this is not so. In fact, in those days and in those lands, such a number was a formidable force, because then in Chukotka there were a total of about ten thousand aborigines at war with each other.

Pavlutsky was not the most important commander; Colonel Afanasy Shestakov was above him. He was a Cossack, was a brave man, but too straightforward. Instead of diplomacy, Shestakov preferred brute physical strength. This approach in the development of the Far East worked only at first. Aborigines (Karyaks, Evens and others) recognized the authority of the Cossack, but they were extremely reluctant to support it. Afanasy Fedotovich forced them with his fists. This approach was not shared by Pavlutsky. He had known Shestakov for a long time and they treated each other extremely negatively.

Dmitry Ivanovich and Afanasy Fedotovich, together with the soldiers, set out from Tobolsk. They needed to get to Yakutsk, that is, to overcome about six thousand kilometers. They coped, but the relationship was completely ruined. The conflict ended with the fact that Shestakov, along with his people, simply silently left. He set out to conquer the Pacific coast, piously believing that several dozen Cossacks and a hundred "volunteers" from Yukaghirs, Yakuts and Evens would allow him to carry out this venture.

First, Shestakov met with the Koryaks. The aborigines unexpectedly refused to pay the established yasak to the Russian Empire, considering it too burdensome. In addition, the Koryaks thought that the Russian army would not come to them. But they were wrong. Shestakov, with his characteristic anger, defeated the natives and once again imposed a tribute on them.

Then he made a short stop in Okhotsk, after which he moved north. And in March 1730 the Cossack met a large (several hundred) army of the Chukchi. They were not subjects of the Russian Empire and, accordingly, did not pay tribute. Afanasy Fedotovich decided to fix it. He was not embarrassed by the fact that the enemy army was several times larger than his. He was used to the fact that the natives never offered fierce resistance. It was enough just to frighten them with firearms. The Chukchi did not flinch. They quickly dealt with Shestakov's army, killing almost all the soldiers. Afanasy Fedotovich himself died. And the satisfied natives, having plundered the wagon train (they captured guns, grenades, armor and a banner), went on a raid on the Koryaks.

Soon they learned about the death of Shestakov in St. Petersburg. And from there the order came: from now on, Pavlutsky became the main one in the Chukchi campaign.

In the early autumn of 1730, Dmitry Ivanovich reached the Anadyr prison. At that time, it was the only Russian military base on the entire peninsula. Ostrog became the place from which Pavlutsky periodically made punitive campaigns against the Chukchi. Dmitry Ivanovich was the Yakut governor, to whom all the peoples of Chukotka were subordinate, except, of course, the Chukchi.

Within two years (from 1744 to 1746) the major went several times with the army to beat the natives. Pavlutsky was well aware of what a strong and self-confident opponent he was dealing with. After the death of Shestakov, Dmitry Ivanovich began collecting information about the mysterious people, the mere mention of which made the Koryaks, Evens and other aborigines panicky.

"Real people" and savages

Shestakov found out that the Russian Empire had already come into contact with the Chukchi, although it was a very long time ago - in 1641. Then the aborigines suddenly attacked the wagon train carrying tribute. The raid was successful, in contrast to the punitive expedition of Semyon Dezhnev. He simply did not know where to go and with whom to fight. Then, however, the situation cleared up, Dezhnev found out who opposed him. He decided to act according to a well-oiled scheme, which worked flawlessly with all the peoples inhabiting the Far East. The Cossacks simply kidnapped the relatives of the leader, and then demanded obedience from him. But this did not work with the Chukchi.

Toyons (leaders) believed that life was worthless, their priority was military honor. There was no sense in the local women. They just went to all sorts of tricks to commit suicide. More often than not, they simply refused to eat and died of hunger.

Pavlutsky also learned that the Chukchi do not surrender. In case of defeat, the warrior asked to kill him. The old people also turned to their closest relatives with the same request when they realized that they were becoming a burden to them. The Chukchi considered themselves "real people", and everyone else - ordinary wild animals. They believed that after death they go to the world where "heavenly people" live. Also among the Chukchi the practice of suicide was widespread due to an unsuccessful hunt or some other "shame". The harsh living conditions tempered the natives, turning them into tough people who were not afraid of anything. But they were afraid. All other peoples of the peninsula feared in panic, considering the Chukchi to be a real natural disaster.

The leaders of the Yukaghirs, Evens, Itelmens, Koryaks and Yakuts warned Pavlutsky many times against war with the Chukchi. They told him terrible stories about how "real people" skillfully handle spears and knives made of whalebone, how strong their armor, how cunning their warriors. Pavlutsky was especially impressed by the stories about the ambushes that the Chukchi staged. They could wait for the enemy for several days, merging with the surrounding relief. And no scout has ever been able to locate them like that. The leaders also told that the Chukchi are always helped by spirits. The fact is that during the retreat, the Chukchi were able to literally dissolve in the air in a matter of seconds. It is clear that it could not do without the intervention of otherworldly forces.

But from all these stories Pavlutsky managed to extract important information. The Toyons unanimously assured that the Chukchi were insidious and cruel only in war. They never touched the negotiators, considering it unworthy of a warrior. Dmitry Ivanovich decided to use this nobility.

But he did not succeed in immediately implementing the plan, since the Chukchi toyons refused to negotiate. I had to fight with them. Both sides suffered a large number of losses, but Pavlutsky managed to achieve his goal - the leaders agreed to meet with him. They were impressed with his strength and courage.

But Dmitry Ivanovich wanted to try to resolve the conflict peacefully, but did not have time. Just a few days before the scheduled meeting, he was recalled to Yakutsk. The major in the Anadyr prison was replaced by the centurion Vasily Shipitsin. He did not stand on ceremony with the guests, but simply ordered the Cossacks to kill every one of them.

When Dmitry Ivanovich returned to prison, he was beside himself with anger. He understood that now there was no way to end the war peacefully. The Chukchi will begin to take revenge and they certainly had to strike at the most unexpected moment.

And he decided to act first. To his surprise, Pavlutsky practically did not meet with resistance. It turned out that the death of the leaders broke the people. Dmitry Ivanovich moved deeper and deeper into the peninsula. At the same time, Vitus Bering, who commanded the Saint Gabriel bot, helped him on the water. He destroyed the settlements of savages located on the coast of the ocean.

It seemed that just a little more and that's it, the Chukchi would submit and become subjects of the Russian Empire. But suddenly they fought back. And, of course, this happened at a time when no one expected a retaliatory strike, not even Pavlutsky. He sincerely believed that he had managed to break the proud people. And I was cruelly mistaken.

The weapon against which the Chukchi were powerless

The Chukchi, led by the new leaders, suddenly attacked several winter quarters of Russian industrialists, and also raided the Yukaghirs, who were considered Pavlutsky's main allies. Dmitry Ivanovich responded with a punitive campaign. But there was essentially no sense from him. The Chukchi adjusted to the enemy and stopped engaging in open battles. They chose guerrilla warfare.

On March 12, 1747, the aborigines attacked the Koryaks. They killed many men and drove away almost all of their reindeer. Pavlutsky had no choice but to go in pursuit of the Chukchi.

Cossacks and Koryaks soon caught up with the enemy. After a short skirmish, Pavlutsky took up the defense of a fortress built of sleds. He expected that the Chukchi would storm it, but he did not guess. The natives managed to lure the Cossacks out of hiding, forced them to fire a gun shot, and then attacked. Pavlutsky and his people did not have time to retreat to the fortress. A hand-to-hand fight ensued. Since there were much more Chukchi than the major expected, he had no chance of winning. The natives deceived him and lured him into a trap, but Dmitry Ivanovich realized this too late. He realized late that the Chukchi had allowed themselves to be caught up, that they had prepared in advance for the battle and covered the main forces in the snow. Pavlutsky paid for his mistake with his life.

The Chukchi, inspired by the victory, began to fearlessly attack the Russian settlements. Their allies also suffered a lot. The Chukchi won one victory after another and there was no person able to stop them. As a result, the war, which lasted one and a half hundred years, ended with the victory of the aborigines. And in 1771 the Anadyr prison was destroyed. The Russian Empire decided to abandon the idea of colonizing Chukotka. It was too expensive and useless.

But the story of the conquest of Chukotka did not end there. As soon as the Russians left there, the British and French appeared. They wanted to take "no-man's" lands for themselves. Russia could not allow this to happen. Alexander I was not going to fight the European powers. Chukotka could be annexed in another way - to enlist the support of the Chukchi. This was done. Instead of fire and sword, the Russians came to the leaders with gifts. The natives accepted them. And soon the coast of the peninsula began to be decorated with Russian flags. The French and British, realizing that they were late, preferred to retire.

But friendship with Russia ended for the Chukchi much sadder than the confrontation with Pavlutsky. They received a previously unfamiliar alcohol. And the natives were powerless against this weapon. Another problem followed - syphilis.

In a short time, the Chukchi degraded. From formidable and harsh warriors, they turned into weak, stupid people addicted to alcohol.

The situation worsened during the Soviet years. Children were taken to collective and state farms, where they studied in schools. And then they came back. The natives knew how to read and write, knew the history of the party, but were absolutely not adapted to life in harsh conditions.

The Chukchi were also drafted into the army. It was when ordinary Soviet guys met them that numerous anecdotes began to be born. In them, the Chukchi always appeared in the form of stupid and naive people in whom no one would have recognized the once formidable warriors who defeated the Russian Empire.