09.12.2025
New ethnographic material has been added to the RSUH project Interactive Atlas of the Small-Numbered Peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East. The documentary footage tells about traditional Udegean beliefs regarding the afterlife — “buni”.
The video presents a narration by V. T. Kyalunzyugi, a tradition bearer. He reveals the concept of a mirror underworld where life flows similarly to the earthly world but in reverse temporal rhythm: winter in “buni” corresponds to summer in the world of the living, and vice versa. These beliefs demonstrate how the Udegeans viewed the inseparable connection between all worlds.
The Atlas is a large-scale resource for preserving and popularizing unique cultural and spiritual heritage.
You can explore the video story about the world “buni” on the Interactive Atlas website. More detailed information about the history and culture of the Udege is available on the project’s page.
