Evolving Identities Among Russian-Born Buriat Mongolian Children in a Chinese Bilingual School

Valerie Sartor

doi:10.1017/jie.2016.4

Authors

Valerie Sartor St Mary's University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2016.4

Keywords:

Indigenous multilingual youth, Chinese bilingual education, cultural identity, Buriat Mongolian, North China, Bakhtin

Abstract

This article addresses identity issues among a specific group of Indigenous youth, young Buriat Mongolian students, born in Russia, who struggled to understand their sense of cultural identity while living and studying in Chinese Inner Mongolia. This qualitative research project employed ethnographic methodology. Sociocultural theory, specifically Bakhtin, was employed to analyse findings. Results indicated that ties to the land, family practices and spiritual practices are significant identity markers for the Buriat youth involved in this study and Buriat parents and elders taught young Buriats about the moral dimensions of living upon Buriat lands.

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