Dolgan - Marriage and Family

Marriage. Formerly parents arranged marriages for their children. The groom's family sent a matchmaker to the family of the bride, where the bride-wealth was discussed, as well as what the bride would bring to her future husband's family. The wedding was held at the home of the bride's parents' family. Then the newlyweds moved to the residence of the family of the groom. Ideally, only after the birth of the first child did they, with the help of their kin, establish their own dwelling and household.

At present, young people enter into mutual agreement between themselves but consult their elders about the permissibility of their union. The marriage is registered according to (Russian) law, and a feast is given that is attended by very many and lasts for two to three days. Weddings are attended by kinsmen living in other settlements.

Domestic Unit. Certain nomadic Dolgan groups formerly had their own lineage (Russian: rodovye ) names. As a rule, children were numerous. The head of the family, a man, was universally respected, but the women, too, had a considerable degree of independence. The practice of taking orphans or children from poor families with many offspring into a related family was widespread in the past and remains so. Today, the nuclear family predominates. In reindeer-breeding brigady each family has its own portable dwelling. Single young persons live with the families. Trapping is conducted occasionally by work crews whose members are linked by ties of kinship. In such cases the members live in a relatively large single-room house constructed in the hunting territory. Trap lines, however, were assigned to each individual. In the settlement, each family belonging to a work crew has its own quarters. Children of school age live in the settlements, either with relatives or in the school dormitory.

Inheritance. The traditional property—personally owned reindeer—is inherited by the children who, at the time of their parents' death, live together with them. This principle is generally adhered to even today.

Socialization. Formerly all customs with respect to maintenance of household economy, intergenerational relations, and knowledge of behavioral norms were acquired by the young within the family or the nomadic group, wherein there was a strict gender- and age-based division of labor. At present, education and socialization are effected primarily through state general-educational institutions, which frequently leads to the loss of traditional household and economic norms and customs. Members of families that work in traditional occupations, however, often return to their families and adopt the same way of life. In the western Taimyr such individuals are becoming increasingly rare. Other young people prefer not to adopt this traditional life-style but to reside in the settlements permanently. A number of them migrate outside of their ancestral area, motivated by, among other things, the desire to seek suitable employment.