On the Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of Russia
The National Digital Library and RUWIKI are launching an educational project about the indigenous small-numbered peoples of Russia.
A new holiday has been added to the calendar – on 30 April, the Day of the Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the Russian Federation will be celebrated for the first time. The date highlights Russia's multinational character and the importance of preserving cultural heritage.
The online encyclopaedia RUWIKI and the National Digital Library (NDL) have announced the launch of a joint educational project, ‘Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of Russia’. The aim of the project is to reveal the history, culture, languages and traditions of Russia's indigenous peoples on the basis of authoritative sources, and to make this knowledge accessible to a wide audience.
The first materials in the project focus on the Aleuts and the Veps. By the end of 2026, materials on other indigenous small-numbered peoples of Russia are also due to be published. Each publication consists of a short description based on RUWIKI materials verified by the Russian Academy of Sciences, along with archival materials, dissertation abstracts and photographic documents from the NDL archive. Particular attention is paid to the reliability of the information. Articles include links to primary sources – scientific research, archival documents and rare editions.
NDL special projects can be found on the corresponding pages of the Russian encyclopaedia: Aleuts and Veps.
The Aleuts and the Veps are among the indigenous small-numbered peoples of Russia. According to the 2021 census, 399 Aleuts and 4,534 Veps live in the Russian Federation.
The publication on the Aleuts uses notes by the journalist and traveller Vasily Nemirovich-Danchenko, as well as the work of the linguist and Aleut language specialist Yevgeny Golovko. The special project also features books in the original language, such as the 1848 edition of the 'Gospel of Matthew' in the Aleut Kodiak language.
The materials on the Veps are based on the works of the Soviet historian and ethnographer Stepan Makaryev, who produced over seventy scientific publications on Finno Ugric themes. It is worth noting that Stepan Makaryev himself was of Veps nationality. Another source of information is the research of the ethnographer Zinaida Malinovskaya, who devoted a significant part of her work to studying the culture and way of life of the Veps.
Background
The project is being implemented in stages: the first materials were prepared by 30 April 2026, and the thematic scope is due to be expanded during the course of the year. The initiative aims to create a unified cultural space in which knowledge about the peoples of Russia is presented systematically, reliably and accessibly to millions of users.
RUWIKI is a modern Russian internet encyclopaedia. The project combines automation and artificial intelligence with expert fact-checking, relying on collaboration with the country's leading scientific and cultural organisations. This approach provides a unique combination of speed and accuracy: users receive a rapid neuro-response based on verified materials from the encyclopaedia. RUWIKI provides users with information on a wide range of topics and helps to popularise knowledge.