Return the "fifth point": how we can preserve the ethnic diversity of the country

Sergey Baimukhametov

The word "nationality" is foreign. In my opinion, and in connection with this, too, when translating it, as a result of adaptation to our life, there was confusion, substitution, confusion in interpretation, in public policy, and in the mass consciousness.

In the Romano-Germanic languages, the term natio, nationality means nationality - citizenship, nationality. To denote blood origin, there is the term ethnicity - ethnos.

In Russia, the term "ethnos" did not take root, and over the centuries and years, "nationality" began to denote ethnicity. Marxist communists in Russia and the USSR tried to divide the "nation" as a "state community" and "nationality" as a "national community", but nothing came of it. There was only a fusion, and "nation" sometimes began to replace "nationality" as a more convenient, shorter word. So they said among the broad masses: "What nation will you be?"

And nevertheless (and maybe in many respects and therefore) the question remains acute. After the “nationality” column in the passport was abolished in the 1990s, every 5-7 years at the state-political level, there are proposals to restore the “fifth point”. Most often - from the Communist Party faction in the State Duma.

Some media also contribute to the confusion. For example, information has recently been circulated under the heading "Most Russians opposed the mandatory indication of nationality in their passports." And the authors did not seem to have sinned against the truth. According to the opinion poll, 17% of the respondents were in favor of the mandatory introduction of this item, and 27% were against it.

But at the same time, 37% - for the restoration of the column "nationality" on condition of its voluntary filling.

That is, together - 54% for the restoration of the column "nationality" in the passport.

To a certain extent, the expression of these sentiments was made by the State Duma deputy, chairman of the committee on nationalities Ildar Gilmutdinov:

“This is a kind of connection, including with ancestors ... A number of small indigenous peoples would like to have their nationality in their passports. They have certain preferences stipulated by law, for this they need to present documents that would indicate their nationality. Now the problem of KMN is solved by a special register ... Someone can enter the register, someone does not, someone has submitted the documents correctly, someone does not. And this should not diminish their rights. In this part one would think. Will we be able to solve this eternal problem of theirs - belonging to this or that nationality only through the register? "

There is some inconsistency here too. A resident of Moscow with the entry “Aleut” in the column “nationality” cannot have any preferences. The preferences are not personal, but territorial and ethnic. But still there is a connection, the themes intersect. And already at the global, world level.

In the 90s, I turned to various authorities, organizations, and could not find the money to make a film about a unique small people, in which at that day there was only one (!) Person who knew his native language and remembered customs. If it does not become, there will be no people. All others are just physical bodies. To capture it, to keep it even on film. It did not work out, all the authorities and organizations were “not up to it” back then.

Now in Russia there are less than 2 thousand people Kamchadals, Kets, Sami, Tubalars, Todzhins, Udege, Chelkans, Chuvans.

As of 2015, Aleuts - 482 people, Alyutors - 12, Vodi - 64, Izhorians - 266, Kereks - 4, Nganasans - 862, Negidals - 513, Orocs - 596, Oroks - 295, Sets - 214, Taz - 274 , Tofalars - 762, Chulyms - 355, Entsys - 227.

There are 193 nationalities living in Russia. During the post-Soviet period, 5 languages have disappeared. 18 languages are endangered.

“2019 has been declared the year of indigenous languages in the country. And even in this short period, a lot has been done, - says Vladimir Sobolev, director of the Fund for the Preservation and Study of the Native Languages of the Peoples of Russia. - Through the joint efforts of linguists and scientists, about seventy textbooks have been prepared in the native languages of the peoples of the North. I believe that every nation should have its own textbook of its native language, even if there are only four descendants left ”.

The future of small indigenous ethnic groups is under threat all over the world. According to the UN, there are about seven thousand languages in the world, of which 40 percent are on the verge of extinction. Every two weeks one of the languages dies on the planet. Only 4 percent of the world's population speaks Aboriginal languages. And “96 percent is in 4 percent of the world's languages. This means that the linguistic heterogeneity of humanity is provided by a tiny minority, ”- says the report of the expert group of UNESCO.

Humanity is moving towards unification in everything. In the historical future, it is quite possible that several hundred languages of numerous ethnic groups will remain on the planet, as a rule, having their own statehood. Out of seven thousand. That is, we are irreparably poorer, humanity is losing color, multicolor.

And therefore, let's talk more, more actively, not about the column in the passport (often pursuing party, political goals), but about the preservation of Russian ethnic groups, their language, history, and culture.

On the preservation of the unique diversity of Russia.

In the photo: Herzen University students - participants in the annual youth forum of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. Moscow, 2020.