Every culture has a unique worldview, and for the Selkup people of Russia, the world is divided into three realms: the upper, middle, and lower worlds. Trees and rivers serve as the axis that connects these realms, and “passageways” link them. For example, a whirlpool in a stream is thought to be a portal between the middle and lower worlds. According to their mythology, the first human emerged one day from the moss and grass, marking the dawn of humankind.

The name “Selkup” literally means “people who live in the forest and tundra regions.” According to 2010 data, there are around 1,000 to 2,000 Selkup people spread across regions like Tyumen Oblast, Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, and Krasnoyarsk Krai, with over 200 living in northern Tomsk Oblast. Based on territorial and cultural differences, the Selkup are divided into northern and southern groups. The southern Selkup have largely assimilated into Russian culture and, according to records, had mostly adopted Orthodox Christianity by the 19th century. The northern Selkup, however, have preserved more of their traditional culture, including reindeer herding, living in dome-shaped tents, and practicing shamanism.

Immersed in their traditions, the Selkup believe that a woolly mammoth guards the gate between the lower and middle worlds. This guardian also serves to protect shamans, which is why the mammoth’s image is often found on their shamanic breastplates. The Selkup funeral rites follow the direction of rivers, symbolizing the significance of water, while smoke from fire is considered a medium for communicating with ancestors, as it can freely travel through the three realms.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, we praise You for the vivid imagination the Selkup people have for the world You created, even though they have yet to know You, the Creator behind it all. We ask You to lift the veil that obscures their understanding and reveal Your truth to them. May they encounter You in their northern homeland and praise You as the Lord of the universe, the King of kings! Father, Your love for the Selkup is deep and steadfast, so we pray that You ignite the hearts of believers to intercede and bring the gospel to this distant land. Raise up laborers to translate the Bible into their language and establish churches in their cultural context. In Jesus Christ’s name we pray, Amen!