Topic: Russians are descended primarily from Finno-Ugric tribes Posted By: Dan Korolyshyn Date: 07 Jul 1998 11:08 PM
The Kyivan "Rus Chronicles" which contain the famous "Povist Vremenykh
Lit" by Nestor tells very clearly that the Russian nation is descended
primarily from Finno-Ugric tribes and not Slavic tribes. These
Finno-Ugric tribes are identified as the Chud, Ves, Meria, Muroma,
Cheremysy, Mordva, Perm, Pechera, Yam, Zymyhola, Kors, Narova, and Lib.
These Finno-Ugric tribes were the indigenous tribes which lived in the
area which is now European Russia into which the Slavic tribes of
Slovenes and Kryvychi slowly pressed in and eventually became absorbed.
It was only because of Kyiv's suzerainty over this small area of
today's Russia that the Finno-Ugrians were Slavicized and Christianized
and eventually became the heart of what is today Russia, but what was
then called at first Suzdalia-Vladimir and later Muscovia. The
subsequent rule of the Mongols over this area had according to some
Russian historians as much or greater impact on the Russian culture and
psyche than did the period of Kyivan rule. These Slavicized
Finno-Ugrians at first were called Muscovites during the Mongol rule
and later during the reign of Peter I changed their name to Russians.
I find the notion of Russians having ancient Finno-Ugric origin very
interesting. Estonians, for example to this day in Russia are
sometimes referred to as "Chudy" which translates as "strange" or
"wonderous." Chuda in Russian language means "miracle". When I first
became familiar with this nickname when applied to me and my countrymen
in the army, I found it funny and irrelevant. It may, however, have
really long history behind it. Who's "chudy" now I wonder?Does anybody
have good references where to learn more about this issue?
Subject: Russia From: Rafal Kowal Date: 10 Oct 1999 12:35 AM
It is both sad and unfortunate to see todays Russians trying
desperately to fing new identyti no matter how radiculus or funny they
sound. Anybody who has ever had any kind of contact will be able to see
that Russians in no way resemble finns or any other scandinavian
people. They look act speak and behave totally different. The author
should even gone further and argue that russians are related tu lucy
and probably thweyu are as much as they are to finns.
I find the notion of Russians having ancient Finno-Ugric origin very
interesting. Estonians, for example to this day in Russia are
sometimes referred to as "Chudy" which translates as "strange" or
"wonderous." Chuda in Russian language means "miracle". When I first
became familiar with this nickname when applied to me and my countrymen
in the army, I found it funny and irrelevant. It may, however, have
really long history behind it. Who's "chudy" now I wonder?Does anybody
have good references where to learn more about this issue?
Subject: Chud' From: C. Mills Date: 05 May 2000 11:53 PM
I'm citing the Russian translation of Vasmer's (1950-58) Russisches
etymologisches Woerterbuch, which larger libraries or university
libraries in your area my carry. In volume 4, page 378, the entry for
"chud'" says it was a name for an ancient Finnish people in the Pskov,
Novgorod, Arkhangelsk (inter alia) region. Apparently the name was
adopted by East Slavic settlers in the region. (think of the "French"
adopting Frank or Prussians adopting the name of the population they
displaced.) One etymology has been to conflate "chud'" with the
cognate of "teut(onic)" or "deutsch", i.e. as originally indicating
Germans (cf. Czech "cizi", Russian "chuzhoy", etc.). Others relate it
back to Scandinavian tribal names. Etymology is a messy business, but
I thought some people might like to see what one dictionary says.
Either way, if you don't have a lot of expertise in the specific area,
my advice is to take it all with a huge grain of salt; A lot of
obscuring time seperates now from then, us from them.
Ot koho ya iskal vsu moyu zhizn. Ot koho moya sabelka iskala. Uh
napyotsa moya sabelka krovushki poganya...
Subject: I do believe that! From:Sidney Date: 11 Nov 1999 2:37 PM
Personally I think morden Russian nation are mixed eastern Slavic
tribes, Finno-Ugric people and many Turks origin people. but dominated
influence was by Slavic people.
