Samoyedes

Samoyedes or Samoyeds (both: săm'uyedz") [key], partly nomadic, partly settled agricultural tribes found in N Siberia and the Taimyr Peninsula, especially in the basin of the Ob and Yenisei rivers. Traditionally they hunted reindeer and held shamans in high repute. The Samoyede language, included in the Uralic family, is distantly related to Finno-Ugric. The Samoyedes today live mainly by raising reindeer and fishing.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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