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Dukha (Tsaatan)
A small Turkic people living with reindeer in the northern taiga of Mongolia. Their Mongolian name means "those who keep reindeer"; they are kin to the Tuvans.
The Tsaatan, who call themselves Dukha, are a Turkic people living in the taiga forests of Khövsgöl Province in northern Mongolia. "Tsaatan" means "those who keep reindeer" in Mongolian, and they are among the last nomadic reindeer-herding communities in the world.
The Dukha crossed into these lands from Tuva in the early 20th century, and their language is a dialect of Tuvan. They number only about two hundred people, and their reindeer culture and ancient shamanic traditions are under threat.
Updated: September 28, 2026