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Background. The article provides a general description of the activities of the mobile units of the Russian Red Cross Society (ROKK) and their role in organizing a system for ensuring the health of small ethnic groups in the Far East in the 1920s, an assessment of their activities in the framework of the Soviet national policy is given. Purpose. The article identifies and examines the importance of a mobile type of organizing medical and sanitary care for aborigines as the first stage in the formation of the Soviet health care system in remote regions.Materials and methods. The material for the study is the archival documents of the State Archives of the Russian Federation and the State Archives of the Khabarovsk Krai. The traditional methods of historical research were used through analyzing the material, such as chronological, historical-systemic and comparative-typological.Results. Due to the activities of the ROKK units, the data are significantly refined, and in some regions, statistics are obtained on the spread of various diseases, on the peculiarities of the lifestyle of indigenous peoples, primary medical care is provided to the indigenous population, and basic sanitary and hygienic skills and first aid techniques were trained.Practical implications. The scientific results of the research can be used in the educational process (in the form of textbooks, lecture courses) on ethnography, history of the Russian Far East, etc.

This article deals with the history of cultural transformation of the small-numbered peoples of the Far Eastern region in pre-revolutionary period based on the set of published and unpublished materials. The increased focus is put on the problems of advancement of Christianity among the indigenous population of the national areas of the Far East where orthodox missionaries played a key role. The origins and initial processes of interaction between indigenous and alien population in the Far East during the period of accession of the region to the Russian Empire are investigated. A brief description of social and cultural life foundations of aborigines before the arrival of the Russians is given. The influence of Russian policy has extended to all spheres of life of the aboriginal population – household activities, religious views and national crafts. Social and economic contacts with the Russians have predetermined the life of the indigenous population of the Far East in all aspects. The religion turned out to be the most affected by the Russian government. The work includes the comparative study of the influence of Christian missionaries on different small-numbered peoples: the Chukchi, the Chuvans, the Evens, the Orochis, the Yukagirs etc. In general, Christianity was not predominant among the aborigines. On frequent occasions Christianity was adopted in view of benefits from interaction with the Russians. Christianization of traditional ethnic groups was superficial. Heathen beliefs had retained their influence. Multiform contacts with outnumbering alien population resulted in penetration of Russian culture into all spheres of life of the small-numbered ethnic groups - from economic to cultural and general. Economic, social and cultural development of the indigenous population resulted in unusual combination of traditional and innovative forms of living.

The article deals with the history of socialistic modernization of traditional ethnic groups of the Russian Far East in 1920s-1930s on the basis of the unpublished documents from federal and national archives introduced for scientific use for the first time. The increased focus is put on the problems of transformation of ethnical and cultural processes in the national areas of the Far East where the role of the Committees for Affairs of the North was fundamental. The key areas of radical changes included educational and fostering institutions, medical, sanitary and hygienic services of the native minorities of the Far East. Outreach centers, innovative schools, northern branches of the leading Institutions of Higher Education became the institutional basis for moderniztion. The main problem at this stage was training of teaching staff. Lack of teachers in the first instance created a considerable obstruction to modernization activities. A lot of efforts were spent to development of a hospital system in national areas. However this goal had not been achieved in pre-war period. The conclusion on critical consequences of these activities for further development of intellectual and material culture of aborigines including the formation of national clerisy was made. The development of clerisy among the peoples of the North was considered the most effective way of their integration into the Soviet system. The Soviet government did not always take into account special aspects of life and traditions of the native minorities of the Far East, the peculiarities of their material and intellectual culture. The forced modernization of the country resulted in unrecoverable damage to the traditional culture of the indigenous peoples who had just reached the primitive communal system breakup stage and created on its ruins the new socialist culture acceptable to the Soviet state.