The Keriya people, a mysterious group living in the Taklamakan Desert, often referred to as the “Sea of Death”。
In 1959, reports emerged of “wild people” deep within the Taklamakan Desert, 26 kilometers north of Yutian County.
These mysterious people were rediscovered in 1982 by an oil exploration team, who were startled by their long beards, hair, and what appeared to be tails.
It was later revealed that these “wild people” were the Keriya, who had migrated to the Darya Buyi region over 400 years ago and lived in isolation. The “tails” were actually long-handled axes they carried.
Early Encounters by Explorers
The Keriya people were first documented by foreign explorers:
– Sven Hedin (Swedish explorer) in 1896, who discovered their mysterious forest dwelling and described the inhabitants as “semi-wild people”.
– Marc Aurel Stein (British scholar) in 1901, who conducted anthropological measurements and identified them as Indo-European.
Traditional Lifestyle
For centuries, the Keriya lived a secluded, primitive life, earning them the title “the last primitive tribe in the desert”.
They primarily raised sheep, using long-handled axes to cut poplar leaves for their flocks and gather firewood.
Poplar trees were crucial for their survival, providing food for sheep, firewood, and building materials.
Their homes were constructed from poplar wood, with different designs for summer and winter to adapt to the extreme climate.
Their diet mainly consisted of lamb and charcoal-baked flatbread, as they had no knowledge of grains, fruits, or vegetables due to the harsh environment.
They had no written language, couldn’t write their names, and didn’t know their birthdays.
Their society had no wealth disparity, and food was distributed based on individual contribution.
Families lived dispersed to be near water sources and poplar forests, with distances between neighbors ranging from a few kilometers to tens of kilometers.
Mysterious Origins
The origin of the Keriya people remains a mystery, with several theories:
– Descendants of the ancient Guge Kingdom of Tibet, who fled war and crossed the Kunlun Mountains.
– Indigenous people of the desert, forced to relocate due to environmental degradation and war.
– Descendants of the ancient Khotan Kingdom from a thousand years ago, who escaped the control of the Karakhanids.
– A branch of the Uyghur ethnic group, with some Uyghur farmers migrating to the area 400 years ago.
Modernization and Preservation
Since the 1980s, with government support, the Keriya people’s lives have significantly changed.
They now have access to education, with a primary school in Darya Buyi and opportunities for higher education in the county seat.
Many Keriya people are gradually relocating to new government-built homes with modern amenities like electricity, water, hospitals, and transportation.
However, some, especially the elders, prefer to remain in their traditional homes, which have been equipped with solar panels for electricity and television transmitters.
Today, most Keriya households own motorcycles and smartphones, a stark contrast to their past reliance on camels and donkeys for communication.
