Traditional economic entities of indigenous population of Baikal Siberia: challenges and new opportunities

The aim of this study is to identify optimal pathways for integrating the traditional economic activities of the indigenous peoples of Baikal Siberia into the modern economy. The research involves an analysis of scholarly works addressing the transformation of traditional economic practices of indigenous peoples and associated challenges, as well as a review of documents from UN forums on indigenous development, regulatory legal acts issued by federal and regional authorities of the Russian Federation, and data from statistical agencies. The methodological framework is based on the method of actualization, complemented by historical-comparative and systemic approaches. Particular attention is given to the contributions of the Irkutsk School of Archaeology led by Bernhard Petri, who examined ethnography and the economy of small ethnic groups as an integrated system within ethnographic research. This has enriched contemporary theoretical and methodological approaches to the development of the tourism sector and the creation of tourism facilities. The study investigates the historical transformation of the economic practices of the indigenous peoples of Baikal Siberia, spanning from the establishment of Soviet power through the Soviet and post-Soviet periods up to the present day. The analysis focuses on the specific features of traditional economic practices of autochthonous ethnic groups, their adaptive capabilities, and their inherent characteristics. The study established that the transformation of traditional economic practices throughout the 20th century was accompanied by a range of challenges, including the loss of traditional lifestyles, subsistence systems, and sources of income. It also showed that traditional economic practices, due to their combination of material and non-material components, possess significant adaptive potential in the face of diverse socio-economic changes. The formation of clan-based associations among indigenous peoples is interpreted by the author as a consequence of the decline in traditional activities within state-sector industries. The study substantiates the possibility of integrating traditional economic practices into the modern economy through the development of tourism in indigenous territories. It is concluded that the most promising pathway for the reproduction of traditional economic practices, through their integration into the modern economy, lies in the demonstration of authentic tourism sites in indigenous areas.