The Nenets Autonomous Okrug
The settling of the Izvatas over the territory of the modern Nenets Autonomous Okrug was a direct result of reindeer herding practiced by the Izvatas in the Bolshezemelskaya tundra.
Having adopted reindeer husbandry from the Nenets and improved it, in the 18th century the Izvatas came to the tundra. By the beginning of the 20th century, the Izhma Komi dialect became the language of interethnic communication between the Izhma and Nenets reindeer herders. As a result of the formation of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug in 1929, many Izvatas, together with their families and reindeer, were torn away from Izhma. However, due to the presence of pasture lands for reindeer husbandry in the Okrug, they decided to stay here. In the 1970s, many families of reindeer herders began to lead a sedentary lifestyle. Sedentary life has brought many changes. On the one hand, it made life easier for women and children who were previously roaming the tundra. On the other hand, Russian became the language of interethnic communication; communication in the native language started to decrease.
The Izvatas founded several settlements in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Among them are the village of Haruta (founded by an Izhma peasant F.A.Kanev in 1892) and the village of Volokovaya (founded in 1907 by an Izhma reindeer herder Artemy Terentyev).
Still nowadays, the Izhma dialect and traditions are guarded by the descendants of the Izhma reindeer herders living in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Many Izvatas families have preserved and are still using traditional clothing. There is a local representative office of the Interregional public movement Izvatas in the Okrug. The Ethnocultural Center of the NAO has the Komi Culture Department, which organizes a large number of events aimed at preserving the Izhma traditions, language and culture. Texts in the Komi language are being published, also in the Bulletin of Culture of the Ethnocultural Center. The days of the native language Izva kyy are being held. Since 2000, the regional festival of Komi culture Vizula yu has been held every two years. About 10 creative Izhma Komi groups were formed in the Okrug.
The local Izvatas stay in close contact with their ancestral home. They participate in the Lud festival, are actively engaged in various exchanges and joint projects.