“Power of the Land”: The Formation of New Otherness under Frontier Conditions. Translation from Russian

Abstract

The article is devoted to a very important issue of the cultural transformation of a settler or a colonist who finds himself in the new natural and cultural conditions of frontier heterotopia. The new space absorbs and consumes the subject, forcing one to constantly transgress. Coming into contact with the Alien, the subject constantly transforms, becoming the Other for the representatives of his indigenous culture. An external observer finds in one more common features with the Alien, the bearer of the local tradition, than with the representatives of the ethnic community from which one came. A settler demonstrates his closeness with this Alien everywhere, dressing like him, speaking his language, adopting his alimentary traditions, etc. All this leads to the settler developing a new worldview that brings him closer to the local peoples and distances him from his own ethnic group. As a result, a new regional sub-ethnic community is formed, aware of its special identity.  We find such a model of integration into new natural and cultural realities everywhere, be it the American continent, the Caucasus, or Siberia. This was especially evident in Siberia, where contact with local peoples and a special natural environment gave rise to a new sub-ethnic community — the Sibiryak (Siberian), who is clearly aware of the exclusivity and differences from Russians. Without separating themselves from Russians in general, Siberians nevertheless declare their differences from other peoples, which is manifested in a special mentality, special behavioral patterns, etc.