Военное дело чукчей (середина XVII—начало XX в.) - [138]

century).

Religious realm of warfare. Making war man suffers from great psychological burden, Chukchi tried to reduce pressure with the help of narcotics. Probably, before fight they were eating flyagarics to reach light intoxication. Chukchi were not afraid of death, contrary they crave for it. This could be explained by their belief in afterlife and transmigration. This belief, however, did not exclude bearing of numerous amulets, which protected person from evil spirits. In the war was used special military magic: different kinds of spells, bedevil the enemy, sorcery in finding the right road or bringing fog or storm. Before fight Chukchi sacrificed some reindeer to the spirit of the area. In the 18^th —beginning of the 19^th century occurred human sacrifices, but in extraordinary situations.

Prisoners. Women and children were taken prisoners, as males including elders were annihilated. At the end of the 18^th century coastal inhabitants had women slaves from Eskimos of Alaska who were captured in sea raids. These women married poor men or they were sold to the Reindeer Chukchi. For example, one slave for either twelve young female reindeer or ten female reindeer and two riding reindeer; children were even cheaper. Usually, there were just few slaves in kin group because of the ransom. Few days after the raid relatives were visiting victors and ransom prisoners. Sometimes there were cases when killer rendered his relative to the family of dead man, and who fulfil family needs instead of the killed. Chukchi did not yield themselves, they preferred to perish or commit suicide together with their families. Captured enemy was tortured. Probably, originally these tortures had a ritual nature but already in folklore they were explained by vengeance. Usually captured enemy leader was tortured because he was the one who was responsible for the damage and prejudice to Chukchi.

Translated by Anthon Xenophontov