Sergei Aleksandrovich Tokarev and Contemporary Yakut Studies

Abstract

The article examines the contribution of Sergei Tokarev, a prominent Soviet ethnographer, to the field of Yakut studies. It discusses the part he played in the development of historical and ethnographic thought in Yakutia, taking various academic discussions and debates as case studies, and pays particular attention to his views on ethnic origins and social structure of the Yakut in the 17th century. I attempt to look at Tokarev’s contributions against the backdrop of the political climate that developed in academia in the 1930s–70s, and show the role of Yakut studies in his scholarly career, touching on twists and turns of his relationships with leading scholars of Yakutia, such as G.V. Ksenofontov, G.P. Basharin, A.P. Okladnikov, Z.V. Gogolev, and others. I argue that the significance and relevance of Tokarev’s legacy for contemporary research continue to grow. The difficulties and contradictions that were arising during the development of Yakut studies did not affect the academic objectivity and high professionalism of the scholar. The scrupulous use of historical and ethnographic methods allowed him to develop his own theoretical views on the patterns of ethnic and cultural processes among the Yakuts, as well as on the development of their social organization and religious beliefs.