Koryak knife from Kamchatka

[Ren Ren]

Such knives are quite rare - I had a chance to see them only once, at the ethnographic festival in 2007. I received this knife recently and I want to introduce my forum colleagues to it.
In the north of Kamchatka, near the border with the Magadan region, there is a small village called Paren, which has been known for its blacksmithing for over 100 years. The first scientific report about it was left by Vladimir (Waldemar) Jochelson, who visited it in 1900-1901 as part of the famous Jesup North Pacific expedition. I do not know how much of the research has been published in English, but Jochelson's ethnographic collections are divided between the American Museum of Natural History, New York and the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) in St. Petersburg, Russia. There are Koryak knives from Paren.
My object is similar to a tourist one, but it is not a tourist one - firstly, the village of Paren is far from tourist routes, and secondly, there are traces of active use on the blade. The length of the blade is 165 mm (another 5 mm of the tip is broken off), the width is 31 mm, the thickness is 5 mm. The total length of the knife is 285 mm. Sheath 235 mm. I will be happy to answer any questions that come up.

[gp]

beautiful decoration, real artwork on the grip portraying the seal and dear or elk!
Even far away from well known routes, the maker is more than talented ;
a real painting-like realistic image on the handle.
The tribal like figures / ornaments/ decorations do remind me of something,
but I can't remeber what or where I did see a similar kind of tribal decoration.
My compliments dear friend on this excellent knife and piece of art!.

[kai]

Clearly an elk.

[Interested Party]

Moose

[Edster]

It's both, depending on which language you speak. As per Wiki.. "Alces alces is called a "moose" in North American English, but an "elk" in British English."

[Interested Party]

Originally Posted by Edster

It's both, depending on which language you speak. As per Wiki.. "Alces alces is called a "moose" in North American English, but an "elk" in British English."

Opps. Thanks, I forgot that. The American elk are migrating here now. So, I guess I have them on the brain. I found a trail where a small herd and then a straggler (maybe a bull) came through day before yesterday.

The knife looks very similar to a Scandinavian pattern. Almost no metal to keep the hand happy while you work in the cold. It is a shame about the point or is that an optical illusion? The hilt/sheath is antler?

I was originally scheduled to visit Kamchatka for work this year, but then the whole Ukraine thing. The best laid plans...often go awry.... Maybe in 10 years, when the dust settles, I will get a chance to put that childhood dream to rest. Hopefully I will still be able so ski and backpack then. Now I know where to go for knives!

[Edster]

Good article in today's Washington Post on re-introducing American Elk (with fotos) into VA.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md...west-virginia/

[Ren Ren]

Originally Posted by gp

beautiful decoration, real artwork on the grip portraying the seal and dear or elk!
Even far away from well known routes, the maker is more than talented ;
a real painting-like realistic image on the handle.
The tribal like figures / ornaments/ decorations do remind me of something,
but I can't remeber what or where I did see a similar kind of tribal decoration.
My compliments dear friend on this excellent knife and piece of art!.

Thanks a lot! I was also amazed by the art of the ornament! These people have an innate sense of ornamental composition and rhythm and can easily decorate any object. At the end of September there will be an ethnic festival in Moscow and I hope to be able to take photos of the art of the indigenous peoples of Kamchatka.

[Ren Ren]

Originally Posted by Interested Party

Opps. Thanks, I forgot that. The American elk are migrating here now. So, I guess I have them on the brain. I found a trail where a small herd and then a straggler (maybe a bull) came through day before yesterday.

The knife looks very similar to a Scandinavian pattern. Almost no metal to keep the hand happy while you work in the cold. It is a shame about the point or is that an optical illusion? The hilt/sheath is antler?

I was originally scheduled to visit Kamchatka for work this year, but then the whole Ukraine thing. The best laid plans...often go awry.... Maybe in 10 years, when the dust settles, I will get a chance to put that childhood dream to rest. Hopefully I will still be able so ski and backpack then. Now I know where to go for knives!

The American elk in Russia is usually called wapiti. Therefore, we often get confused in the names that we meet in English texts.
You saw correctly that about 1/5 inch of the point was broken off, unfortunately. The hilt and scabbard are made of light soft wood, probably birch. It is also known that willow and alder wood was used.
I am sincerely sorry that your plans this year will not be able to come true. In Russia, believers in God pray, while atheists simply hope that the current situation will end quickly and safely.

[Ren Ren]

Originally Posted by Edster

Good article in today's Washington Post on re-introducing American Elk (with fotos) into VA.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/dc-md...west-virginia/

Thank you! It's really interesting!

[gp]

I also was thinking of reindeer ( who actually suffered a similar fate due to climate change in Scandinavia the last decade ) .

Now checking on this people I found the following :

"the Koryak are typically split into two groups.
The coastal people are called Nemelan (or Nymylan) meaning 'village dwellers', due to their living in villages. Their lifestyle is based on local fishing and marine mammal hunting.
The inland Koryak, reindeer herders, are called Chaucu (or Chauchuven), meaning 'rich in reindeer'. They are more nomadic, following the herds as they graze with the seasons."

source : Chaussonnet, Valérie (1995). Crossroads Alaska: Native Cultures of Alaska and Siberia. Smithsonian, National Museum of Natural History. ISBN 978-1-56098-661-4. 7 October 2020.

[Ren Ren]

Oh yeah! The hunters and fishermen of the sea coast and the reindeer herders of the interior have different ways of life and speak different dialects (some linguists even consider the Alyutor/Nymylan dialect to be a separate language).