Tomponsky ulus (district)
Tattinsky, Verkhoyansky settlements and two settlements of Ojmjakonsky region formed Tomponsky region on May 20, 1931. On their geographical position, on population these settlements were to form a new national region where a great bulk of the population was evens. They led a nomadic life, engaged in reindeer breeding and hunting.
It is no coincidence that the region was named Tomponsky (by the name of the river in the northeast of the Yakut republic). The territory of the region is basically located in the middle current of the Aldan river and in the river basin of the mountain river Tompo, therefore the name correctly represents the location of Tomponsky region.
Tomponsky is one of the hopeful regions of the republic. It is connected with development of some valuable and economically profitable deposits and geographical position of the region center - settlement Handyga. It is one of the largest transport units of Yakutia.
The settlement Handyga was based in 1939 in connection with the beginning of a road building from the river Aldan up to Oimyakon. This building had a big importance.
The necessity of this road was caused by the opening of a deposit with industrial contents of gold in the area of the Kolyma River. Development to commercial level of the production capacity of gold deposits was impossible without transport development of this territory.
On November 11, 1931 the decision of Political bureau TsVKP ( б ) on a question of northeast development was issued. In two days the Council of Work and Defense resolved to organize a trust on industrial and road building in the territory of Verkhnyaya Kolyma and mining with extraction and processing of all minerals of the territory. The trust took an abbreviated name "Dalstroy". The activity of this trust captured the territory from the Bering Sea in the east and up to the Lena river in the west. Thus, all eastern Yakutia was included in the system "Dalstroy". The government of the country decided to develop this region, rich with minerals. But there were no roads, there were only pack tracks.
The construction of the railway was originally planned, but then it was decided to build an automobile one. There were several variants for future roads, but the final project was prepared by the road - prospecting expedition headed by Karpov Michael Konstantinovich. He is also the founder of the settlement Handyga. Firstly the initial picket of the road was the village Krest Khaldjay, but M.K.Karpov decided to build from a new point with the purpose of reduction of the road. Thus he chose the coast of Aldan, which was situated at 80km upwards to Krest Khaldjay . Moscow gave OK to M.K.Karpov's initiative and he decided to carry out the redislocation of his expedition on a new place named Khandyga by the name of the river. M.K.Karpov wrote the following about this: «
the moving was settled, and in the middle of December, 1939 the first group of people with tents left for khandyga from Krest Khaldjay. Five tents, established in two lines, settled down on coast. At once they started preparation of wood and construction of a bath - house. » In the beginning of May Moscow and Magadan were informed about the change of the expedition location. Soon on the coast of Aldan the inscription « The dock Khandyga - « of Dalstroy People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs » appeared on two columns.
From this event the settlement Khandyga takes its beginning, but the present construction and development of the settlement is connected with later time, namely with 1941. In December, 1940 M.K.Karpov left for Moscow for the confirmation of the project of the road and the estimate. Soon the order issued by the deputy minister of internal affairs V.V.Chernyshev followed: on transformation of road expedition into management of road building with a constant location of the management base in Khandyga. Simultaneously the order on M.K.Karpov's assignment as the chief of a new Aldansky management of road building was issued.
On February 3, 1941 M.K.Karpov by V.V.Chernyshev's order left for the station Bolshoy Never to accept the management from temporary closing - down.
In April, 1941 the column of motor vehicles moved to Khandyga by Ayamsky road and they arrived at Khandyga on May, 1. It was the autumn of 1941 when barges with prisoners started to arrive at Khandyga from BAM. This prisoners were to build Khandyga and road Khandyga Kadykchan. Khandyga road expedition was reorganized into Aldan road building management in September, 1941. The building of 733 km auto travel was completed in August, 1943 not far from Verkhoyansk pass.
Road management, a motor depot, a power station, a radio station, a post-office, a bank, a canteen, a drugstore and a school appeared in Khandyga since 1941. After the road was built the road building management and motor depot management were transferred to Kolyma, Adygalakh, Magadan territory.
Thus, in 1943-1944 the major part of the population moved to Adygalakh and Khandyga became deserted. In 1948, the geologists of Dalstroy started to arrive at the settlement to carry out geological works, and organized Aldan prospect district. In 1948 Adygalakh road building management was transferred back to Khandyga; now they were planning to build a road to Batagay (Verkhoyansky region
In the beginning of 40s Khandyga belonged to Tattinsky region, but in 1954 due to integration of the region it became the part of Tomponsky region and became its administrative centre.
Our guests from other republics and our regional specialists, ethnographers and historians inquire about etymology of place names: Tomponsky, Khandyga, Krest Khaldjay, the Aldan River etc. Every person wants to know the history of his native settlement, village, region or republic.
In 1931 Tomponsky region was established from 4 settlements as national Even region: Tattynsky, 2 settlements of Oymyakonsky, and one of Verkhoyansky region. By geographical position and population structure these settlements were to form a new national region, where the basic part of the population was Evens. They led a nomadic life, were engaged in reindeer breeding and hunting. It is no mere chance that the region was named as Tomponsky (by the name of the known river in northeast part of the republic). If we look at geographical position of the region its territory basically is located in the middle current of the Aldan River and in the river basin of the mountain river Tompo. Therefore the name correctly represents the location of the region Tomponsky.
Also there is a question why the river is named as Tompo? The word "tompo" occurs from even toponym "tomka" to twist threads. In the Nanaian language to twist threads - "tompo", and in the Udegey language - "tompoly". And our tomponsky Evens use the word "tomka". And the Tompo river is the mountain river, originating in the Verkhoyansk ridge. Therefore it differs by rough current, sharp turns in a channel where deep whirlpools are formed. When you look at this river from the top, it reminds a twisted thread from sinews of deer and elk. Evens and Yakuts usually name areas, lakes and small rivers figuratively. Obviously, ancestors of the present Even people who lived in the river basin of this mountain river, named it "Tomka" in great antiquity. And the language of any tribe is the expression of all its life; it is a museum in which all treasures of its cultural and supreme intellectual life are collected (see « Russkaya mysl», 1886, #10).
It seems to me that there were good reasons to name the river Tompo by even toponym "tomka". All Evens of our region still name the river Tompo "Tomka". But Yakuts name this river Tompo.
Now let's discuss a question why the regional center is named Khandyga, from what toponym this word occurs? The settlement Khandyga is one of the youngest regional centers of Yakutia. It became the regional center in 1954. In 1938, the first tent of geologists was put in a mouth of the Bolnichny stream. Thus the settlement appeared on a completely new, uninhabited place by the name of the Khandyga River. But the settlement is located in 18km from it.
The basic road to Oimyakon and Verkhoyansk crossed through the Khandyga River. The traces of winter and summer roads are remained. The summer road was laid on coasts of this mountain river. For a long time Yakuts, and later Russian merchants, had trade relations with Evens, with northeast of Yakutia through this road. Yakuts named this river « Khaan tygar»; the literal translation blood spurts. Why Yakuts named it like this? There is no answer to this question in the scientific literature. There was a legend about Yakut merchant with pack horses (with cargoes) who died crossing this mountain river. And really there were four cases of tragical death of the merchants, travelling through this river. That's why people were afraid of it. The river originates in the tops of the Verkhoyansk ridge, and runs through high mountains. When there are heavy rains or hot summer days, then suddenly water begins to arrive, its level rises. It's very dangerous. When it is sunrise or sunset, dirty makes it red- brown colored. And because of this fact Yakuts named it « Khaan tygar ». But not only this river has such name. « Khaannaakh uruye » flows into Aldan not far from Khandyga. The literal translation - « a bloody streamlet », which dries up in hot summer days, and water becomes red brown colored, because of soil of the coast. Now, having determined the Yakut name of the Handyga River, it is possible to define its origin from Yakut toponym « Khaan tygar ». Obviously map makers redused these two Yakut words "khaan" (khan) and "tygar" (tyg),and this gave a word Khaandyga.
Krest Khaldjay is one of the most ancient settlements of our region and the republic. There are no exact data about the foundation of the settlement in scientific literature. It is known that the first church was built in 1821. It is still there. There is « Kyrgys otokhtoro» in vicinities of Krest Khaldjay. The settlement is located near to the coast of the Aldan River. This explains its early development by ancestors. All these facts prove that Krest Khaldjay concerns to one of ancient settlements of Yakutia.
By the translation of academician E.Pekarsky: "Kerges" a will, a precept, a legend, memory of event; "Khaldjaayu" - a hill; kiriesteekh khaldjaayu - a hill with a cross. From this we can draw a conclusion: from toponym of Yakut words « kiriesteekh khaldjaayu » occurs « Krest - Khaldjay».
The ancient legend why Krest Khaldjay was "Kiries - Khaldjaayu" is remained up to now. There is a record of stories of Krest Khaldjay old residents. They say that in hoary antiquity, in days of kyrgys (interstine bloody struggle) a struggle went between tribes: between Yakuts and Evens. After a long bloody struggle nobody won. According to this legend the meeting of leaders of two conflicting tribes took place on the hill and peace was made forever. They swore not to be at war anymore and to live in peace as brothers. They bequeathed it to the descendants. Since then Yakuts began to name the hill where the precept and the will of their ancestors are left, « Keries Khaldjaayu » - « the hill of will ». Now some people assert that Yakuts began to name it as Krest Khaldjaayu since one master of a new building of church put a seven-meter wooden cross on the middle of Ebee Alaaha on the occasion of the constriction ending. There was such a fact in history. The cross is still there.
The name Krest Khaldjay appeared much earlier. We can see it from « The Dictionary of the Yakut language »of the academician E.Pekarsky, published in 1894-1896. In 1894, before the putting of a wooden cross, the present Krest Khaldjay had a name « Kiriesteekh Khaldjaayu» (look at « The Dictionary of the Yakut language » of E.Pekarsky).
The name of the settlement Sasylsky occurs from Yakut word "Sasyl" (fox). Keeping a root of the Yakut word "sasyl", they got the name "Sasylsky". Probably this settlement was one of the richest places of Yakutia for the furs and that's why it is named « Settlement with foxes ».
Why the river is named Aldan? This name occurs from Yakut toponym "alan" (if translate into Russian it means "inflated"). In this word a letter "l" was replaced with "d" and they get Aldan. Some people assert that the name of this river occurs from Yakut word "Altan" (copper). But this does not proved scientifically.
Translated by Elena Osipova, a YSU student
Resource (in Russian): http://khandyga.ya1.ru/ |
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