▁“ pi ke ” — “ which ▁was ▁a ▁large ▁kn ife ▁on ▁a ▁long ▁handle ▁used ▁instead ▁of ▁an ▁ax e ▁when ▁passing ▁through ▁the ▁thick ▁ta iga ▁or ▁as ▁a ▁spe ar ▁when ▁hunting ▁bear ” ▁( 6 2 6 ). ▁The ▁Even ks ▁have ▁deep ▁respect ▁for ▁animals ▁and ▁all ▁elements ▁of ▁nature : ▁" It ▁is ▁forb idden ▁to ▁tor ment ▁an ▁animal , ▁bird , ▁or ▁insect , ▁and ▁a ▁wounded ▁animal ▁must ▁be ▁finished ▁off ▁immediately . ▁It ▁is ▁forb idden ▁to ▁sp ill ▁the ▁blood ▁of ▁a ▁killed ▁animal ▁or ▁def ile ▁it . ▁It ▁is ▁forb idden ▁to ▁kill ▁animals ▁or ▁birds ▁that ▁were ▁saved ▁from ▁purs uit ▁by ▁pred ators ▁or ▁came ▁to ▁a ▁person ▁for ▁help ▁in ▁a ▁natural ▁dis aster ." ▁( S ir ina , ▁ 2 4 ). ▁ ▁Even ks ▁of ▁Russia ▁ ▁The ▁Even ks ▁were ▁formerly ▁known ▁as ▁t ung us . ▁This ▁design ation ▁was ▁spread ▁by ▁the ▁Rus si ans , ▁who ▁acquired ▁it ▁from ▁the ▁Y ak uts ▁and ▁the ▁Si ber ian ▁Tat ars ▁( in ▁the ▁Y ak ut ▁language ▁tong us ) ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 7 th ▁century . ▁The ▁Even ks ▁have ▁several ▁self - design ations , ▁of ▁which ▁the ▁best ▁known ▁is ▁even k . ▁This ▁became ▁the ▁official ▁design ation ▁for ▁the ▁people ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 1 . ▁ ▁Some ▁groups ▁call ▁themselves ▁oro chen ▁(' an ▁inhab it ant ▁of ▁the ▁River ▁O