History of the Siberian Husky (continued..)
The fate of the Chukchi dog...and the birth of the Siberian Husky
breed... are tied to several historical events, primarily in
Russia. In the eighteenth century, Russian Cossacks began a march
across Siberia to conquer the land and thereby attain all its
resources, primarily fur. Most of the people living in the
northern area were rather primitive tribal groups unable to
compete with the advanced weaponry of the invading Russian army.
The Chukchi people were able to withstand conquest, however,
because their sled dogs always kept them ahead of the advancing
military forces. They could not fight, but they could run -
efficiently. The Chukchi were accustomed to the Siberian weather;
the Russian soldiers were not, and suffered great losses.
The Chukchi actually forced the Cossacks to give up their quest to
conquer all of the northern Siberia. The Chukchi lured the Russian
forces into a mountain pass, in which all escape routes were
blocked. Using only sharpened rocks and spears, the Chukchi
inflicted substantial casualties on Russians, who subsequently
withdrew from the area.
The Chukchi people and their dogs existed peaceably in Siberian
for many years after this conflict. By the close of the nineteenth
century, the Chukchi dog had been discovered by Alaskan traders,
imported into the Northwest Territory, and renamed the Siberian
Husky. The importation proved to be a very important event for the
survival of the breed.
In the early 1900's the monarchy in Russia was overthrown and
replaced by a Communist regime, vowing to do away with all
"bourgeois" and elite aspects of Russian life. By the 1930's, the
forces of Communism reached the Arctic North. Because Chukchi dogs
were revered highly and desired by the Chukchi people, those in
the tribe that bred and maintained the finest dogs had assumed a
leadership position and measure of wealth. Such people were viewed
as hindrances to the forces of collectivization, and most were
imprisoned or killed. In a matter of a few years, the Chukchi dog
breed all but disappeared from Siberia.
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Female and Dog
Chukchi Elders
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