The residents of Aoluguya Ewenki Ethnic Township, in Genhe, a city under the prefecture-level city of Hulun Buir, in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, are known collectively as the "last reindeer-herding tribe in China." Given the unique folk customs of the Ewenki people, who live in the township, many people from around the world consider the township a mysterious place. Thanks to the rapid development of Aoluguya's transportation system, and its tourism industry, an increasing number of people, the world over, have visited the township, and they have gained firsthand experiences in both Aoluguya's primitive ecological civilization, endowed by nature, and the Ewenki people's rustic customs. Genhe Municipal Party (Communist Party of China) Committee and Genhe Municipal Government have lost no time in encouraging and helping farmers and herdsmen open businesses, which sell tourist products, and/or provide homestay services. 

Developing Tourism Industry

Seeing business opportunities within Aoluguya's tourism industry, Bu Dongxia, a resident of the township, learned tourism-related national policies and etiquette. She also increased her knowledge about how to popularize scenic spots, to create more economic benefits. In 2008, she took the lead in Genhe in initiating a project ("Bu Dongxia's Tribe," in a scenic spot established by her), under which Ewenki people display their primitive folk customs to visitors. The spot, covered by dense trees, is acclaimed as a natural oxygen bar with a sea of trees. 

Within a short time, Bu began popularizing, online, tourist attractions in Aoluguya. As an increasing number of visitors, from home and abroad, have been attracted to her scenic spot in recent years, Bu has earned a considerable profit from the spot. 

During the past several years, she has attended various training programs to increase her knowledge about tourism and the Ewenki's folk customs, so she can provide better services to visitors. She has also applied what she has learned when entertaining customers. As soon as they arrive in her scenic spot, the visitors are greeted by Bu, who wears an Ewenki costume and adornments. In addition to feeding and/ or playing with reindeer, visitors may gain a firsthand experience of Ewenki people's lives. For example, as they live with farmers and herdsmen, visitors may be involved in various activities, including roasting venison, baking bread, creating traditional crafts, picking wild fruits and mushrooms, and/or looking for reindeer in the forest.

Promoting Cultural, Economic Development

During the past several decades, Bu has devoted her life to promoting her hometown's traditional culture, and to taking care of reindeer. Treating the animals as if they were her children, Bu has had many intimate interactions with the reindeer. Every time she puts her hands over her mouth to call the reindeer, the animals gather around her immediately. As the animals rush to her, she hears the sounds of the reindeer's bells reverberating in the forest. 

While developing her business, Bu has tried her best to help other farmers and herdsmen attain wealth by developing scenic spots (in Genhe). She has also led them in developing trademarks of various tourist and cultural products, especially with ethnic characteristics. She has also led them in developing the courtyard economy, contributing her wisdom in developing reindeer-related products and scenic spots in the forest, and in providing various services (to customers), including ethnic catering and simulated hunting. 

Throughout the years, Bu has adhered to the principle of being honest when she has provided services to customers. As a result, she has gained a good reputation among customers. 

In 2021, Bu's family was selected an autonomous-region-level rural family that performed exceedingly well in promoting the cultural and economic development of a pastoral area (in Inner Mongolia). 

Earlier this year, during the city's ice and snow season, a large number of tourists, from home and abroad, visited Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. Harbin Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism organized various activities (on Harbin Central Street) to promote the ethnic culture of the Oroqens and Ewenki people. Bu was a hit when she and a reindeer "debuted" (on the street), as an autonomous-region-level inheritor of reindeer-herding custom. 

"Now, my family has more than 70 reindeer, which helps us earn an annual income of more than 600,000 yuan (US $84,507)," says Bu. "The Party and the Chinese Government are both concerned about us. We have been provided with tents, a motorhome and a photovoltaic power system, thus securing both our production and lives." 

The younger generation of the Ewenki people, in Aoluguya, have more and better ideas to promote their hometown's culture. Given Genhe's rich natural resources and splendid reindeer culture, Xiao Chenhao, Bu's son, has devoted much effort to promoting the development of the township's cultural tourism industry in recent years. He has tried his best to display the unique charm of the Ewenki people's ethnic culture via new media and/or live online shows. 

"We should strive to not only preserve our historical and cultural heritage, but also to promote and pass on the heritage to our younger generation," says Xiao. As a member of the Genhe Municipal Committee of the CPPCC, Xiao in 2023 made a proposal to strengthen the protection of the historical and cultural heritage of the Ewenki ethnic group, and to attract more visitors to Genhe, which is called "China's Cold Pole," or "Reindeer's Hometown," by promoting the township's natural resources and reindeer culture. 

Photos from VCG

Sources: Department for Women's Development and Liaison Department of the ACWF, China Women Publishing House and the Women's Federation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region

(Women of China English Monthly January 204)