Tofalaria (; ) is a small cultural and historical region in Irkutsk Oblast, Russian Federation. It is located in the southwestern part of Nizhneudinsky District.Google Earth
The main town is Alygdzher, with a population of 526 inhabitants. Other populated localities in Tofalaria include the towns of Verkhnyaya Gutara () and Nerkha (). Tofalars were originally divided into three groups. Those of the Northwestern group were settled in Verkhnyaya Gutara, those of the Southeastern group were settled in Alygdzher, and those of the central group were settled in Nerkha. The name of the village Alygdzher, translated from the Tofalar language, means “wind”.
Tofalaria is located in the Eastern Sayan mountains. The main river is the Uda.
Symbols The reindeer is one of the main symbols of Tofalaria. Historically, the reindeer has been very important to the Tofalar people. Reindeer were used traditionally as a form of transportation, and also to make food and clothing. Other symbols of Tofalaria include the mountains and the cedar branch.
History In the 17th century, the Russian Empire annexed the territory of Tofalaria. In 1939, at the time of the USSR, Tofalaria was part of the Tofalar National Region, a Soviet administrative division with a total surface of which was disbanded in 1950.РСФСР. Административно-территориальное деление. — 3. — М.: Информационно-статистический отдел при секретариате Президиума ВС РСФСР, 1945. — С. 136—139. — 504 с. — 15 000 экз Административно-территориальное деление Союза ССР. — М.: Власть Советов, 1931. — p. 172 In 1948, gold mining was stopped in Tofalaria and the region became part of the Nizhneudinsky District. The indigenous people of this little mountainous region are the Tofalar, a much reduced, formerly nomadic people group speaking the Tofa language.
Expeditions to Tofalaria Bernhard Eduardovich Petri organized an expedition to the Eastern Sayan region from 1925-1928, where he documented the lives of the Tofalar people. Petri wrote detailed reports about the economy, living conditions, and relationships with neighboring peoples in Tofalaria. Petri supported the right of Tofalars to preserve their own culture and advocated for improved living conditions in the region. In his reports, Petri described the construction of a cultural village, where initially, many poorer Tofalar families were settled. Petri sought to move this village away from Russian settlements in order to limit contact between Tofalars and Russians. As a result of Petri’s expedition, the Tofalars were granted member status of the Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the North.
There were several expeditions to Tofalaria in the 1990s organized by the Regional Scientific and Methodological Center of Folk Art. Expeditions sought to record and photograph aspects of Tofalar culture, including Tofalar art, music, games, and traditional clothing. Researchers also sought to restart the Argamchiyri holiday tradition.
Land Tofalaria has a land area of 27,000 square kilometers. The geography of the region is made up of two main features: approximately 90% of the territory belongs to the taiga and the other 10% is classified as alpine tundra. The territory has several large lakes. Agul'skoye Ozero is the third largest lake in the region, with a length of more than 10 kilometers. The 1.5 kilometer long Kusurgasheva glacier is also found in the region. The region has reserves of gold, lead, uranium, tantalum, and polymetals. Several industrial mining companies operate in the region.
Climate Tofalaria has a continental climate. The region experiences precipitation in the form of snow throughout most of the year. Snow cover lasts approximately 180 days of the year.
The Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve
The Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve was established on August 12, 1971. It is found in the Eastern Sayan Mountains in Southwestern Tofalaria. The nature preserve was formerly part of the Sayan Natural Federal Preserve.
129 vertebrate and 30 invertebrate species can be found in Tofalaria. The region is home to eight endangered animal species, including the black stork, golden eagle, lesser white-fronted goose, osprey, white-tailed eagle, peregrine falcon, eurasian eagle-owl, and caribou. It is also home to seven endangered bird species.
According to an inventory of fauna completed in 2012, Tofalaria has 123 vascular plant species, 5 species of lichen, and 20 species of Bryophyte. Two species of vascular plants – Cypripedium macranthos and Common butterwort – are endangered. Cedar and deciduous vegetation dominates plant life in the region. Squirrels and sables rely on pine cones from cedar trees as one of their main food sources.
In 2018, the Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve constructed 14 artificial nests in the region to combat habitat loss of the local osprey.
Tofalaria is considered the best habitat for snow leopards. Snow leopard spoor has consistently been observed in the region.
The local government has placed limits on the hunting of musk deer in the region.
In 2022, it was reported that, for the first time ever, a couple of whooper swans stayed in the Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve for the winter.
Regulation
In 2013, the Irkutsk Oblast Court prohibited gold mining at two mining sites located within the Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve. The court’s decision came after a 2012 investigation completed by the West Baikal Environmental Prosecutor's Office and the Krasnoyarsk Prosecutor's Office. The investigation determined that the Agul River watershed was heavily polluted with suspended solids and petroleum products. The company “Granul”, which was conducting gold mining operations in the area, was implicated in the pollution of the local watershed due to improper waste disposal and deforestation in the local ecosystem. This led to widespread fish death and the destruction of the benthic zone in the Agul River Watershed. The investigation concluded that the company “Granul”’s gold mining operations in Tofalaria were illegal. The court ordered the company to stop its operations in Tofalaria and restore the area.
In 2017, government investigators discovered unauthorized construction by poachers on the western border of the Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve. The poachers first entered the preserve in 2014. They cut down twenty-three cedar trees in order to build log cabins, where they stayed while illegally hunting in the area. The poachers were arrested in February 2017 for illegally hunting the endangered Siberian Musk Deer in the boundaries of the federal preserve. Damages to the forest as a result of the illegal logging by the poachers totaled 500,000 rubles.
In 2022, the Russian Federation opened a criminal case against the Irkutsk gold mining company “Yangoz” for environmental destruction in Tofalaria and the Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve. The company constructed several homes, a bathouse, and a road within the boundaries of the Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve. Additionally, Yangoz engaged in illegal logging and fishing operations in the preserve. As a result of the company’s activity in the region, approximately 40,000 square kilometers of fertile soil was lost. There was also a significant loss of invertebrate habitats in the preserve. Additionally, in a police raid, more than 700 Thymallus tails were discovered in the company’s base. The total environmental damages to the preserve are estimated to be approximately 3.5 billion rubles. The company claims to have been conducting a geological survey of the area, having received a license to explore land near the boundary of the Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve in 2020. The company has agreed to pay a fine to cover the damages incurred due to its illegal fishing operations.
The government has previously fined tourists for illegally visiting the Tofalaria Natural Federal Preserve.
Cultural Festivals The Argamchiyri Games The Argamchiyri () holiday celebrations are regularly held every year in Tofalaria. Traditionally, the Argamchiyri holiday had an economic function: the Tofalar people sold and purchased goods during the celebrations. Now, the central goal of this holiday is to preserve and celebrate Tofalar culture. Celebrations include sports competitions, traditional rituals, and cultural fairs. The festival opens with a shamanistic ritual, where a shaman beseeches the spirits of the taiga for good weather and happiness during the holiday celebration.
The Day of the Hunter and the Reindeer Herder Traditionally, “The Day of the Hunter and the Reindeer Herder" was held in Tofalaria in the spring following the end of the hunting season. It was recently revived and is still held annually in the region. During this holiday, Tofalars hold a variety of reindeer races. They also host several other sports competitions, including throwing tynzians at trochees, jumps over sledges, cross-country skiing, triple jump, ax throwing, and the hunter’s biathlon. Other traditions include the construction of “chums", a traditional nomadic dwelling of the Tofalars. The chums are divided into two sides, the men’s side and the women’s side. The women’s side is decorated with cradles and sewing materials, while the men’s side is decorated with animal skins. Buhler and reindeer milk flatbread is served to guests to the chums. By tradition, a dog can be found in every chum.
Star of Tofalaria Every year, Tofalaria holds the national holiday "Star of Tofalaria" (). One of the main events of this holiday is a national children’s contest. The contest includes events like the performance of traditional dances, songs, and poems in the Tofalar language. The event is sponsored by the Regional Center of Folk Art and Leisure and the Alygdzhersky Rural House of Culture. The purpose of the holiday is to celebrate and familiarize young people with traditional Tofalar customs. Events during the celebration include the screening of films about the history of Tofalaria, round table discussions about topics relating to Tofalar culture, photo exhibitions, concerts, and masterclasses.
Reindeer Herding
Reindeer herding is a traditional form of subsistence in Tofalaria. According to local residents, over 600 reindeer were historically herded in Tofalaria. During the time of the Soviet Union, there was a reindeer herding state farm in the region. Following Perestroika, few reindeer remained in the region. In 2023, in the town of Verkhnyaya Gutara, according to local accounts, only one family still continued to herd reindeer. The family has approximately 60 reindeer. As of 2022, in Alygdzher, the local community maintains 300 reindeer. Local residents face challenges in herding reindeer due to the high operating cost and low profit from herding. Many reindeer herders are supported by private enterprises.
During the time of the Soviet Union, reindeer herding was a required subject in the region’s schools. Changes to local schools’ curricula that have excluded reindeer herding have prompted concerns over the possible loss of the practice in the region. This has led to several local cultural revitalization efforts in Tofalaria. There also exist state-sponsored programs to create a gene bank for the Tofalar reindeer.
Education
The first school in Tofalaria finished construction in 1923, following the Soviet Union’s forcible settlement of the Tofalars. The school was located in the town of Sasyrka. In 1926, a school opened in Alygdzher. At the time, education was conducted fully in Russian.
Impact of Flooding The school in Alygdzher has experienced several floods over the course of its history. In 2019, floods forced the temporary closure of the school, with water levels in parts of the building reaching up to 40 cm high. In 2024, the construction of a new boarding school in Alygdzher was completed. The construction of the school was financed in part by the government of Moscow.
Education in the Tofalar Language