Chud - Use of Term in Historical Times

Use of Term in Historical Times

Later, the word "Chudes" was more often used for more eastern Finnic peoples, Veps and Votes in particular, while some derivatives of "chud" like chukhna or chukhonets were applied to more western Finns and Estonians. Following the Russian conquests of Finland 1714–1809, and increasing contacts between Finns and Saint Petersburg, Finns perceived the word Chud to be disparaging and hinting at the serfdom that the Russians were believed to find fit for the Finns. However, as a disparaging word, it was rather "chukhna" that was applied also to Finns (and likewise to Estonians) as late as during the Winter War, 1939–1940, between the Soviet Union and Finland.

In present day Russian vernacular the word chukhna is often used to denote Veps. The name Chudes (or Northern Chudes) has been used for Veps people also by some anthropologists.

The mytho-poetical tradition of the Komi the word chud' can also designate (1) Komi heroes and heathens; (2) Old Believers; (3) another people different from the Komi; (4) robbers—the latter two are the typical legends in Sámi folklore. In fact, the legends about Chudes (Čuđit) cover a large area in northern Europe from Scandinavia to the Urals, bounded by Lake Ladoga in the south, the northern and eastern districts of the Vologda province, and passing by the Kirov region, further into Komi-Permyak Okrug. It has from this area spread to Trans-Ural region through mediation of migrants from European North.

Chudes are also associated with the region Biarmland.

The Chudes are the villains in Sámi director Nils Gaup's Sami award-winning film The Pathfinder.