Anna Reznik's The Last Nivkh Chieftain

The Last Nivkh Chieftain presents an interesting debate on preserving a small indigenous group on Sakhalin and the program to preserve it. There are two sides to this debate. One side is that of Vladimir Sangi, the Nivkh Chieftain, who holds on to ideas of language preservation and patriarchy to define his people in his efforts to preserve the Nivkh with a well-thought-out program. However, Sangi holds misogynistic views that disregard any cultural preservation efforts of the women who married out of the Nivkh population. The women of the Nivkh disagree with Sangi and his opinion, as they see the preservation of tradition as the preservation of the Nivkh and discuss the lack of eligible Nivkh men to marry. Unlike Sangi, they do not hold on to

TLNC: They preserve their traditions in many ways. In addition, Anna Reznik felt compelled to learn the art techniques of the Nivkh and pass them down. TLNC: Their efforts are in good faith to support the preservation of their culture. Anna acknowledges the potential issue of not knowing the language but states that it is because they did not grow up with it that she justifies their actions. The other crux of their argument comes in inter-cultural marriages, an idea Sangi disapproves of for women. Olga Reznik believes that idea to be cruel, believing it her prerogative to marry who she pleases. When asked about the potential of her family disappearing, she stated, “What matters is not pure Nivkh blood. The important thing is preserving traditions and handing them down to your kids” (TLNC, 18:59). When asked about Sangi’s idea that Nivkh women should marry Nivkh men to have Nivkh children, Lybov answers that they are all married out and argues that if Nivkh men had stable jobs, they would be married. Lybov continues the argument presented by Olga Reznik about passing on traditions and even argues that women should get married to guarantee the passing of traditions to the next