Chukchi

Member of a people of northeastern Siberia, Russia, numbering approximately 14,000. Although primarily reindeer herders, individual Chukchi stalk seals, and larger groups hunt whales from boats.

Historically, the Chukchi were the predominant people of their region and were known to have raided neighbouring groups. Russian Cossacks first reached them in 1644. They fought for independence from Russia and were finally subdued in the 1930s. Their seminomadic life continued during collectivization.