A Geological Expedition As The Multispecies Venture. 9 November 2023.

The presentation is part of the online workshop "Hunting for Hope: New Perspectives on the History of Game and Fish Management", Online and Live Events of the Helsinki Environmental Humanities Month, 9 November 2021. Supported by Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science HELSUS, University of Helsinki.
Chaired by:
Mikko Saikku (researchportal.helsinki.fi/en...)
Filmed by: Viktor Pál (palviktor.com/about)
Originally shared • Hunting for Hope: New ...
A Geological Expedition As The Multispecies Venture
This study investigates a history of the human-nonhuman animal relationships drawing on the archival materials-photographs, diaries and publications-which were gathered and produced by the past scientific expeditions. I focus on the archive of the 1917 Finnish Geological Expedition to Uriankhai (currently-the Tyva Republic, Russia) and the region where the Finnish researchers worked-the Sayan and Altay Mountains of Inner Asia. Numerous photographs and observations which feature domesticated and wild animals allow me to approach the historical expedition as the multispecies venture.
In addition to numerous observations about their main means of transportation-riding and pack horses-Finnish researchers paid attention to, for instance, farming the red deer (Cervus elaphus sibiricus) in the Upper Yenisey river region, frequent wolf attacks, diversity of wild species and, in particular, game. The latter was mentioned in frames of hunting (one of the expedition members was tasked with securing fresh meat supplies) and visits to local households where researchers were often offered meat of a game animal. The 1917 expedition’s archive is the important source on a history of multispecies relationships in Inner Asia because in the following decades the major geopolitical, social, and economic transformations took place in the region. These transformations drastically affected human-nonhuman relationships too. This research is a result of long-term collaboration with the Sjundby Traditionsförening community organisation, Siuntio, Finland.