How Siberians' Lifestyle and Culture Differ from Other Russians

Siberians' Lifestyle 

When you think of Russia, what comes to mind? Stereotypes of vodka, Putin, and the Red Army are all relatively accurate, but they only scratch the surface of one of the largest countries in the world. 

While Russians typically share cultural characteristics and lifestyle elements with other Russians, there are many differences between those who live in Siberia and those who don’t. Discover how Siberians’ lifestyle and culture differ from other Russians with these nine things about the Siberian culture that is different from other Russians.

Siberians' Lifestyle

Differences in mentality

Siberian culture is quite different than the culture of other Russians. Siberians are more self-sufficient, due to their harsh conditions, which is why they tend to be less trusting of outsiders. They have a strong connection to the land and have a unique culture that revolves around nature. Sabers also have a very different lifestyle than other Russians.

Reasons for differences in behavior

Siberians have a different culture, lifestyle, and mentality than other Russians because their culture revolves around the Siberian taiga. 

Their lifestyle is based on hunting, fishing, and gathering which is radically different from that of the urban dwellers. The language spoken by people who live in Siberia is called Yakut or Sakha. The dialects vary greatly so it is difficult for outsiders to understand what they are saying.

Differences in Language

Not only do the two cultures differ in their lifestyle, but they also speak two different languages. In Russia, the alphabet is Latin with a number of additional letters; while in Siberia the alphabet is Cyrillic. 

The Cyrillic alphabet was originally devised by Saint Cyril during his trip to present-day Ukraine during 989-992. The major difference is that letters have straight lines as opposed to Latin which has curved lines.

The difference between northern and southern Siberian dialects

The dialects of the North and South are influenced by the culture of their respective regions. Northern Siberia is home to nomadic peoples, such as the Yakuts, who live off herding livestock animals. 

The lifestyle is most closely related to other nomadic cultures in the region. The languages of these regions have a number of Turkic loanwords that come from languages spoken by their neighbors.

Personality traits

Siberian culture is a lot different than that of the rest of Russia. It has a more laid-back lifestyle, with many towns not having any traffic lights or stop signs because they are so small. 

There is also the mentality that hard work is what's important, not how much money you make. This can be seen in their lifestyle, which includes things like fishing for their own food and reindeer herding.

Common sayings

Siberian culture is influenced by the country's harsh climate. Many sayings in Siberian folklore center around the cold: The winter was so cold that you could make a needle out of ice, for instance. 

In general, the people of Siberia have a more stoic outlook on life, valuing hard work and pragmatism over overindulgence and pleasure-seeking. The lifestyle in Siberia is different than other parts of Russia because it has harsher weather conditions.