Description

This booklet summarizes the work of Nikolai Ivanovich Il’minskii (1822–91) among the Yakut (Sakha) people. Il’minskii was a linguist and educator who spent much of his career working as a missionary for the Russian Orthodox Church among the native people of Siberia, including the Yakuts. At the time, Christianizing the native Siberian groups was seen as a way to expand the influence of the Russian state over the region. Il’minkskii’s educational method involved developing alphabetical systems for native languages so that people could learn about ...