The Oroqen Nationality

The Oroqen nationality with a population of 6,900 has its own oral language but no written script. The Oroqen live mainly in China's Oroqen Qi, Hulunber League of Inner Mongolia, Huma and Aihui counties in Heilongjiang province. The indigenous people used to depend on hunting for a living and still lead a nomadic life. However, nowadays the Oroqen people have begun to settle down at a fixed place and lead a comfortable and happy life, rely not only on hunting, but animal husbandry and other economic endeavors.

The Major Xinganling and Minor Xinganling Mountains in the northeastern part of China are beautiful and rich in resources. The courageous and valiant Oroqen people have been living in the virgin forests generation after generation, making their life by hunting. They have been called "forest people," "folks in the forests," and "people on the summit" - names that reveal their close connection with the forests and mountains.

Several decades ago, hunting was a basic means of survival and it was common for people even in severe cold. Each hunter had a gun which would be carefully polished before the hunt. It was with the gun that they won their clothes as well as food.

Women fed horses, which would accompany their masters to stand the test of hunger and cold. Inscribed on the birch is the Mountain God of the Oroqen people. Hunters pray to the god for a good harvest.

An experienced hunter would organize the hunting expeditions, delegating each hunter's responsibility according to animal tracks. In the past, the Oroqens would run after animals with a gun, a horse and a hunting dog in the boundless forest year in and year out.

The Oroqens are a hunting ethnic group, which is evidenced by their clothes, food, housing as well as their song and dance. The indigenous people's traditional residence, Xierenzhu, is a simple house built of timber, birch bark or furs. The building materials are easily found in the local area and, in fact, are available everywhere in the forests. This kind of housing meets people's constant need to move for hunting, making it much easier to change residences and settle down quickly.

Due to their need to move constantly, their houses are simply furnished. In the room, apart from beds, there are only basic necessities for daily life and production. Over time, xierenzhu have been put up in museum and the Oroqen people have moved into bright spacious houses.

The Oroqen staple food used to be animal meat, like roe deer, elk (moose), deer and wild boar. Meat can be boiled, baked or stewed. With the development of agricultural production, dishes made of grain are appearing on the table more frequently. White spirits and liquor made from mare's milk are also men's favorites.

The traditional handicraft of fur processing is another important component of the hunting culture. The hunting is done by the men and the fur processing is the job of women. The Oroqen women have long been able to buff the fur and remove the hair with only a stick and their clever hands. Various beautiful designs and patterns can be found on everything they wear. Fur coat is still the most popular type of clothing. In the past, it has helped hunters withstand the severe cold; while today it gives the Oroqen people a valiant and brave bearing.
Birch can be found anywhere in the mountains of Major Xinganling and Minor Xinganling. The birch bark is a generous gift from nature which is ingeniously used by the indigenous people. The moisture content of the birch in early summer is high so it is a good season to peel off the bark which is inexhaustible - new bark will grow next year. Many dailyª²use objects are made from birch bark, such as sewing kits, storage boxes, buckets and cradles.

The Oroqen like to carve beautiful patterns and designs on birchª²made instruments, giving them a primitive beauty. Spring Festival is the most important festival, when people are busy preparing goods and new clothes for the New Year. On New Year's Eve, they burn incense and kowtow to their god, to the old, and wish everyone good fortune in the coming year. Various entertainment activities - like wrestling matches, horse racing and archery - are held from the first to the sixth day of the New Year. The Oroqen primitive religion is called Saman (a type of Shamanism). They believe their own fate and the esoteric acts of nature are in the hands of god; diseases are thought to be caused by the magical power of devils or ghosts. When people fall ill, witch doctors would be invited to dispel the devils. Now, this kind of ceremony can only be found in some documents.

The Oroqen people began to leave the forests in the 50s, ending their nomadic life to settle down. The old tribes, which had only several houses, had been replaced by beautiful villages and towns. Since the Open Door and Reform Policy was adopted, agriculture and animal husbandry have been got under way in this region and seen new developments. Industry and manufacturing have been in progress as well.

A new economic development pattern has been formed with agriculture as the dominant sector. At the same time attention is given to the development of forestry, animal husbandry, hunting and sideline production. The wandering life of hunting has become a myth of the past for the Oroqens, who are striding towards a better future at the turn of the century.