14 Facts About Buryats

1.

Buryats are a Mongolic ethnic group native to southeastern Siberia who speak the Buryat language.

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2.

The Buryats joined the Oirats challenging the imperial rule of the Eastern Mongols during the Northern Yuan period in the late 14th century.

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3.

The ancestors of most modern Buryats were speaking a variety of Turkic-Tungusic dialects at that time.

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4.

The Buryats were defeated, though they attempted to revolt a few times.

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5.

The Buryats rebelled against the communist rule and collectivization of their herds in 1929.

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6.

All Buryats traced their lineage to a single mythical individual, with the particular ancestor varying based upon geographical region.

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7.

Buryats traditionally practised shamanism, called Tengrism, with a focus on worship of nature.

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8.

The Buryats converted to Tibetan Buddhism in the early eighteenth century under the influence of Tibetan and Mongolian missionaries.

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9.

Some Buryats converted to Christianity for material incentives while others were forcefully converted.

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10.

Buryats relied greatly on local resources to supplement their diets.

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11.

Buryats located in Siberia are still largely focused on raising livestock due to the shortness of the growing season.

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12.

However, the Buryats located in Buryatia are more focused on the agriculture aspect of farming and not the livestock raising aspect.

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13.

Medical schools were soon established and Buryats studying in these schools learned about medical and prescription techniques.

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14.

Buryats have a diverse pool of mitochondrial DNA, with about 83.

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