Gilyaks

Gilyak or Nivkh is a language (or small group of closely-related languages) spoken on Sakhalin and on the northeast Asian mainland near the lower Amur River. It has not been proven to be related to any other language. 'Gilyak' is the Manchu appellation, 'Nivkh' their autonym. After the Russian revolution, a Gilyak autonomous okrug was created during the 1920s. The language was encouraged and Chuner Taksami is the most prominent figure of Gilyak literature.