I have receieved a request from the Netherlands, but, unfortunately, the author mentioned incorrect email address, so I post an answer here on the blog.

His question was:

What are the exact dates of the Ysyakh festival in 2012 and 2013?

The answer:

In the city of Yaktusk, Ysyakh takes place annually during the last weekend of June. So, this year it must be on June 30th and July 1st.

What is Ysyakh? It is the Sakha people’s major national holiday. To get an idea, slide through my photographs above.

Sakha Sire is one of Sakha language websites.

A week or two ago, I received a message from Nikolay Pavlov (he is also known as Halan and Cyber Sakha). He is a very popular person on the Yakutian Internet. It’s him, who works hard together with his like-minded friends on Sakha Wikipedia.

He asked me about a favour. In his email, he said that in the early summer there was one of UNESCO conferences held in Yakutsk (Yakutia / Russia), and there were Japanese speakers Mikami Yoshiki and Tanaka Nakahira, who monitor the Internet in search of websites done in rare languages.

So, according to Nikolay, Mikami Yoshiki and Tanaka Nakahira said an interesting statement. They said that there were websites even in the Yukagir language, but the Sakha language was not represented online…

Nikolay and all other people, who do their best in promoting the Sakha language on the web, were confused a little. How come? There are many of such Internet resources. Maybe, they got words in a wrong way.

When they talked to Japanese speakers, the latter said that they monitored mainly websites in .com domain zone!

So, to render justice, Nikolay asked me to publish the list of the well-known Sakha language web resources. Proceed reading to check the top.

List of selected, checked websites in the Sakha language:

1. http://www.sakhaopenworld.org/media/ – The Sakha National Broadcasting TV Programs (selected).
2. http://uhhan.ru/ - The website of Ivan Uhhan, writer, public speaker. Some texts in Russian
3. http://www.sakhatyla.ru/ – SakhaTyla.ru, the Sakha language website with Russian-Sakha and Sakha-Russian online dictionaries, Pekarsky’s Sakha Language Dictionary (graphic), a text-book for the Russian-speakers, the Sakha language grammer book, samples of the Sakha folklore texts and songs.
4. http://www.kyym.ru/ – The Kyym Sakha-Language News Agency. Do not mix up with the newspaper of the same name. This one is a seperate online project. Kyym.ru publishes stories in the Sakha language from different media outlets.
5. http://sakhasire.ykt.ru/ – the online version of the Sakha Sire republic governmental newspaper.
6. http://news.iltumen.ru/ – IL Tumen News, online version of the republic parliament newspaper. Published in Russian and Sakha languages.
7. http://sah.wikipedia.org/ - Wikipedia in the Sakha language.
8. http://sah.wikisource.org - Wikisource in the Sakha language.
9. http://www.viktoriasakha.ru/ – Sakha Viktoria FM Radio Station.
10. http://bertjickty.narod.ru/ - Bert Jickty’s website, he is a big promoter of the Sakha fonts on the Internet.
11. http://www.baayaga.narod.ru/ – Unofficial website of the Bayaga settlement of Yakutia’s Tattinsky region.
12. http://olonkho-yak.my1.ru/ – Private website dedicated to the Olonkho, the Sakha heroic epos.
13. http://tylbaas.ykt.ru/ – Online dictionary: Sakha-Russian, Russian-Sakha
14. http://42.ykt.ru/edersaas/ – Eder Saas Newspaper archive.
15. http://www.bichik.ru/ – Bichik National Publishing House. Partly in Russian.
16. http://khohuun.h1.ru/ – Khohuun NGO newspaper
17. http://pages.ykt.ru/tumus/index_sa.html - Public speaker Tumus Mekhaale
18. http://sitim.ykt.ru/sakha/ – Sakhalyy Sitim NGO.
19. http://il.ucoz.net/ – Sakha Non-Governmental Centre. Partly in the Sakha language.
20. http://ilin-yakutsk.narod.ru/index.htm – ILIN, historical & cultural magazin.
21. http://tymen.org.ru/ – Tumen Youth Organization.
22. http://sanaalar.ru/ – Sakha Music Website supported by Sinilga and Qwer
23. http://eyge.sakha.ru/ – Eyge, website for the deliberated Sakha man, as it says in the header.
24. http://altan.naslegy.ru/ – Website of the Altan settlement, a pioneer among Sakha-language websites.
25. http://www.ysia.ru/lang.php?lang=2 – The Sakha version of Yakutia Sakha News Agency.
26. http://sakha.ykt.ru – Forums in the Sakha language on Ykt.Ru, SakhaInternet LLC’s Yakutsk city portal.

So happy that it became possible to help Russia Today TV Channel with meeting a shaman in Yakutia. How did it happen?

A few weeks before the New Year celebration, a Russia Today producer called me and asked how to meet a shaman in Yakutia, Siberia/Russia. I started to explain and tell exactly what I wrote in the previous post “How to meet shamans in Yakutia?“. Said that it was a bit hard task, if they wanted to make a story with a real one. Not so many of them left in the region… and all of them prefer to live at remote places, far from people.

They would need to travel to a shaman’s place in taiga. The nearest one, Fedot P. Ivanov, is located near the village of Vilyuisk, minimum 5 hours by a car from Yakutsk. Find him and ask him for letting them to do the interview with him, and it’s not guaranteed that he would express his wish to show up on TV, as he is tired of journalists’ attention and consider them pretty annoying.

Recommended to get in touch with Galina E. Shadrina (see her contact), who are considered as shamans’ assistant and eye in mordern civilization. Russia Today appeared to be really lucky. Galina managed to invite one of shamans to Yakutsk. It was Leonid Savin, who is based in the village of Zhigansk, North Yakutia. His flight from Zhigansk to Yakutsk was possible to one good person, who agreed to pay his flight.

Russia Today made a story. Watch the video above. Currently, Leonid Savin is stuck in Yakutsk. He is doing clarification rituals at people’s requests and this way he is trying to earn money for getting back to Zhigansk. Don’t know, if he would agree to come the next time for another TV crew… but who knows :)

Meanwhile, read RussiaToday’s story ofYakutian shamans. I like it much.

My mission is to help in troublesome times – Yakutian shaman

The belief in the power of the shaman is very much a part of the Yakutian way of life. Although there are few shamans left, they are still very important to people in the region.

From healing and protection, to marriages and good harvest – in ancient times shamans were in charge of almost all aspects of life. In the contemporary world they try to adapt to modern times while keeping old traditions alive.

“Our ancestors always had very powerful shamans around – the latter protected them, gave them blessings and ensured security and safety in all circumstances – in everyday life, at a hunt, on a journey, and at war,” says Galina Shchadrina, shaman researcher.

Shamans claim to act as intermediaries between the spiritual and earthly worlds, relying heavily on nature to get their message across. When Russian Orthodox Christianity moved eastward and later with the Soviet Union, shamanism was banned and those that practiced it were persecuted. Now there are only three recognized shamans living in all of Yakutia, in Russia’s Far East.

A shaman sees his role as helping people find faith in the fact that their wishes will be fulfilled and their family relations and conflicts at work will be fixed, explains shaman Leonid Savin.

“When a person has this faith, he can do anything. I live in a time of crisis, and my mission is to help people in this troublesome time. Every shaman has his own mission,” he said.

One of the biggest current problems for shamans is the conflict between modern technology and spiritual ways, which is especially relevant for Yakutia, where hitching posts with ancient symbols may be standing next to electricity lines.

“Real shamans live far way from big cities in small villages, because contemporary cities with computers, cars, cell phones, and the constant rush, distract from true unity with nature and the spirits,” said Savin.

Trying to make the best of it all, life is a delicate balancing act for the Yakuts, and thus they are an interesting people, believes Daria Bragina, local resident.

“When we are in trouble, we do three different things at the same time – we turn to a shaman, we pray in a church, and we make use of modern medicine,” she told RT.

This is a unique way of keeping a tradition that has been a part of Yakutia for centuries.

And, as a Yakutian blessing says, “may the Sun protect what it created, may the warmth of the fire in your name protect you and may your three spirits be united – the spirit of the womb, the spirit of air and the spirit of the earth.”

May the Sun protect you, dear readers!

Proud to announce the opening of the photo exhibition “On the Road of Bones: Ghosts of the Siberian Gulag Along the Old Kolyma Highway” at Kris Waldherr Art and Words studio gallery in Brooklyn, New York, today.

About exhibition
Through photography and mixed media, “On the Road of Bones” reveals the secret history and hidden landscape of Kolyma, formerly the land of Soviet labor camps and the coldest inhabited region on earth. Stunning new works by young native Siberian photographers Bolot Bochkarev, Nastya Borisova, and Ajar Varlamov trace the remains of the vast highway built across the taiga, tundra, and permafrost of North Asia by Stalin’s prisoners. The exhibition juxtaposes the tragic events of the past with the powerful natural beauty of the frozen land and the daily lives of northern people.

Frankly saying, I and my friends didn’t plan to have any event. This year we had just wonderful journey to Oymyakon (about the travel), but New York-based exhibition curator Thomas Ross Miller said we needed to do some. We’ll here we are.

More info and opening day photographs at eYakutia.com .

An Austrian traveler Hannes, who visited Oymyakon, the Pole of Cold, this past January, was so impressed with the Yakut folk music that he asked me to provide him links to online resources, where he could download mp3 files with Yakut songs and music or purchase CDs or mp3 files somewhere on the web.

By the way, Hannes created a very nice slideshow with his photographs taken in the course of his expedition to Oymyakon. Check his video and find hyperlinks I know.

Hannes’ slideshow with tuneful Yakut songs:

RECOMMENDED LINKS TO CHECK
Actually these links are that I know. If you know more, let me know and I’ll post them here.

Places with free downloads:

The world-famous Khatylaevs: http://khatylaev.sakhaopenworld.org/
Bert Jickty’s homepage with a lot of music: http://bertjickty.narod.ru/

Albina Degtyareva’s Ayarkhaan Band:

- the CD on sale at http://www.cafepress.com/ayarkhaan;
- to listen audio tracks and watch the video at eYakutia.com
- I’ve got a few Ayarkhaan’s book with the CD included. If interested, I can send them to you via regular or express mail.

Mp3′s at Amazon
Found a few mp3 files to download at the low costs:

Various artists from the album “Yakut tayuk”:

- Le tayouk des yakoutes/yakut tayuk
- Le khomous des yakoutes/yakut khomus
- Le tayouk des yakoutes/yakut tayuk

Yakut khomus players’ performance rrom the album “KHOMUS”:

Anatoly Ukchanov: Yakut Melodies
P. Pakhomov: Yakut Summer
Spyridon Shishigin: Yakut Waltz
Ivan Alekseyev: Yakut Pictures

Found also CDs with Stepanida Borisova‘s performance:
- the CD album Trancesiberia
- another CD Deep Throat Or Dangerous Strings. Voice Festival (CD)

That’s it. If you know more online resources with Yakut songs and music, please, let me know.

Received a request from Jenanne, a Scotland University of Aberdeen PhD Student. Her major is Social Anthropology, so all her questions sounded accordingly. Mainly she wondered how popular the Sakha (Yakut) language was on the Internet. I said I had a friend of mine, who’s hobby was to write in his native language everything and everywhere in every corner of the worldwide net.

The person I recommended to torture with those questions was Halan (that’s how he prefers to call himself online), who stands behind Sakha Wikipedia. I reforwarded Jenanne’s questions to him. He answered and then Jenanne (currently she studies Russian, but speaks Ukrainian pretty good, cause her mother is originated from Ukraine) translated his text into English. Find Halan’s replies further:

1. Is Sakha your native language? What other languages do you speak?
Yes, my parents speak this language, my grandparents spoke it and I myself didn’t know another language until entering school. Now I speak Russian almost as a native speaker. I studied English later, but this was a requirement of a training program in school and university – that is, the approach to the study was rather formal, therefore unfortunately I don’t speak it for practical purposes. I can read texts on simple themes, and also medical texts with a dictionary.

2. What is your profession?
First – an automobile driver, secondly a doctor – I have a PhD in epidemiology, and third – a manager. At the present time, I manage a small business delivering medicines and medical services.

3. How did you get involved with working on the Sakha Wikipedia? About how many people are collaborating on the Sakha Wikipedia?
I have children growing up, who in my opinion should be proud of belonging to the Sakha people and of their native language. But to be proud of a language with limited possibilities is difficult. Therefore I want that my rich and ancient Sakha language to become widely used in all spheres of human activity. Wikipedia can help a language become universal. From May 2008, when a section in Sakha opened, I became its bureaucrat (administrator). Now the Sakha Wikipedia has about 6000 articles. By this indicator we are in 4th place in Russia (after the sections in Russian, Chuvash, and Yiddish). For reference, in the country there are more than 100 languages that do not have their own national education or formation outside of Russia.

There are no specialized statistics about how many people write or use Wikipedia in our language. But I can say that there are from about 10 people actively writing to about 50 people who write from time to time.

4. Are you involved in any other Sakha language websites, or any other activities to promote the language?
Yes, I am trying to socialize on Sakha forums in Sakha. In the last three years I am actively publishing articles in the press, keeping special blogs in the Sakha language, and entering in studies and public forums in support of native language. I am thechairman of the social/public organization Tas Sakhalar, the task of which is to support connections with Sakha living outside the boundaries of Yakutia.

5. In your opinion, why is it important to promote and spread the usage of the Sakha language on the Internet?
The widening/broadening of the representation of language on the Internet and in general of informational-communication technologies is one of the most important conditions of the retention and development of a language, and of transmission of cultural information to the future generations.

6. What do you think are the most popular websites for people in the Sakha Republic? (e.g. which news sites, which networking sites – Facebook, MySpace, YouTube…)
I don’t completely understand. If you are speaking about the most popular sites of Yakutians, then they are very different and it is unlikely one can gather such statistics. If you are talking about languages, then it is my personal feeling that the most popular ones are usually those sites in Russian.

7. On which Internet sites do you see people using the Sakha language the most?
Recently I made a rather superficial analysis, not pretending in truth in the last instance. It is such that of 34 sites getting into my field of vision (excluding my own blogs) only 15 are completely done in the Sakha language or have a full Sakha version at the same level as other language versions. Still 11 rather often place Sakha texts alongside foreign languages. 8 are done in Russian, but have materials facilitating contact in Sakha (dictionaries, ethnic music, etc).

8. Are there any internet sites that are only in Sakha (besides the Wikipedia) and not Russian, English or any other language?
I answered above.

9. Do younger or older people tend to use the Sakha language more on the Internet? (What age are the people who use Sakha the most on the Internet?)
Specialist research hasn’t been conducted, and this still awaits our own researchers. I think that more middle-ageed representatives study language on the Internet, since the older generation in general badly controls technologies, and youth socialize more in two languages at the same time or even in a mixed language.

10. Do you see more Sakha speakers using English on the Internet, or is using Russian still more popular?
There is a definite tendency. In the language 20 a whole generation of Sakha appeared, controlling well one or two foreign languages (English, German, and French). The Russian language is controlled on a very good level at a practical manner by all youth and all city-dwellers, and at a passable level by all adult inhabitants of the Republic.

11. I found on the Orto Doidu website that there was a list of words in Sakha for computer terminology: http://doydu.sakhaopenworld.org/01tylgt.php. Do you know who worked together to create these? Are you seeing these words used a lot on the Internet, or do you think it is more common to use the Russian or English equivalents?

Yes, this little dictionary was made by my good acquaintance Bert Jikty (Yakov Alexandrov), a man having engineering training, presently a patriot of the nation. The terms Bert Jikty suggests are usually used on Sakha sites, for example, for the translation of the Wiki interface, I based it precisely on this dictionary. Computer terms such as those worldwide, penetrate into Russia from English-speaking countries. Here they at first are adapted to the Russian language, and then penetrate into other languages of the Russian Federation. At the present time, in Russia there appears to be many people speaking the English language no worse than Russian, and therefore people have appeared who consider it correct to borrow terms directly from English avoiding the Russian equivalents.

12. Do you notice many people ‘mixing’ languages when they communicate on the internet? Like speaking Sakha, and using Russian or English words too in their speech?
I don’t completely understand the question. Among Sakha youth it’s always been fashionable to insert (use) some Russian words in one’s sentences. In recent times the use of English expressions has become fashionable. Well, the Internet is a mirror of society, therefore there as well such things are unavoidable.

One of the first questions I hear from new non-Yakutian friends of mine is “What are your traditional meals?” I started my answer from the short sentence “We love frozen horse meat and frozen Arctic fishes.”

Well, I decided to start publishing posts about traditional cuisine in Yakutia. The one is dedicated to stroganina.

Stroganina is the traditional cold dish in Yakutia.

Stroganina is the first traditional dish that will be offered you to try in Yakutia in winter. It is thin long slices of frozen fresh Arctic river fishes, i.e. broad whitefishes, whitefishes, and white salmons.

The best stroganina is made of one-time-frozen fresh Arctic river fishes. Pieces must be long, wide and thin, and they must be served with salt and black pepper powder. The dish might be decorated with wild red whortleberries and some greens.

What is the taste? Hard to explain. It is soft, fresh, and frosty… The best stroganina is made in winter only.

Further, please, see the pictures of 2009 Yakutsk Stroganina Festival that was held on December 12, 2009. Click on thumbnails to enlarge photos and read descriptions.

The best time to try stroganina is winter, December – February.
The best place to eat stroganina is Tygyn Darkha Restaurant and the Chochur Mouran ethno complex.

This question I hear very often from international website visitors. The last time it was a Turkish 4WD adventure traveler Ali Eric, who is making his world-around trip Istanbul2Istanbul. A few days ago, while seeping the Russian beer at a local grill house, he said to me:

“You know, before my start, I told friends that I plan to drive alone the Road of Bones through Yakutia to Magadan. And those, whom I shared my plans with, were astonished. Said like, My goodness, it is so cold over there in winter. Why do people live there? In my turn, I also wonder, Why do people live in Yakutia?”

Well. This question always sounds embarrassing. No, it’s not awkward. Just I’ve never asked myself this way. However, I know what to say.

I feel myself comfortable here. To find the job what I like is very easy, praise god. At the same time, I am confident and I know my abilities. If needed, I can find good jobs in other places as well. But I prefer to be here. I am Yakutia-addicted, as you have already noted. Besides, I’ve got the family and think kids will be much safer here than, for instance, in Moscow.

In my case, to live in Yakutsk is the best option, and I can travel from here. If there will be need to move out, I’ll do it just for some period and one reason… to get a new work experience.

That’s my explanation of why I live in Yakutia.

Below, please, find others’ replies to this question received on my local blog.

Mariiya:
People here are good, though enough shits happen. Good men and women are majority.

Halan:
Because we love this land, where we can feel ourselves as masters. Because there is no one, except us, who can love this land, tend and care for. We love, because our ancestors lie in the land. And all our childhood memories are tightly related to it. Because this land unifies rare things – plants, animals, and… people. And, finally, because our land is really beautiful.

Werwolff:
Have no clue. That’s good on our side, but winter is terribly long and cold, hiking activities come to a standstill, local tourists become sluggish.

Sofigor:
In my turn, I wonder, why the Japanese love so much their islands shaken all the time by earthquakes, tsunami and other cataclysms?! Why are they not spread around the world as same as other nations are. Perhaps, the Japanese didn’t ask you such a question ;-))

A girl with a log:
I live here, because nostalgia didn’t appear to be an empty word.

Anonymous author:
The most part of local people, if they’ve got opportunity, will consider their moving to the warmer places.
However, if to take a sober view of things, the world is overpopulated, and all warm places have already been occupied : ) Our ancestors reserved this place a long time ago, and we do our best trying to keep this land for our offspring. But some non-good people try to pollute our land : ( and we, maybe, start loosing self-preservation instinct or intellect so that we allow temporary visitors making dirty in our houses.

Vyacheslav:
The simple question, the simple answer. It is necessary to wear more warm clothes. We are the northern nation. No malaria, no cholera and no other dangerous infections peculiar to warm climates. No poisonous mosquitoes, no reptiles. And no need to waste money on air-conditioners.

Anonymous author:
Because the so-called “northern” seniority counts. When I make seniority, I’ll depart definitely for warm lands.

IceR:
People were born here. All relatives, friends, and acquaintances live in Yakutia. And the point is not patriotism or strong love to the homeland.

The most of people have the fear of something new and unknown. We think “Who will care about us on the other side of the region’s border?!” That’s the local mentality. We’ve got other rules and values.

Perhaps, many Yakutia residents had moments, when they wished to abandon everything, sell property and move to warm areas. By the time, when a person realized himself and had enough funds to move out, he/she acquired already other brakes, kids, the family, relatives. The set of such factors, I think, holds people from moving to places with more comfortable conditions of living. As the saying goes, you’re mostly useful in the place of your birth.

mason:
As they say, the homeland is not selected. The place of your birth is the best place, where you can prove to be useful.

x-fox:
We doomed to love this land. Two polar opinions exists:
1) This is the land of Olonkho (the Yakut heroic epos).
2) That’s the prison without bars.
I can’t imagine myself living permanently somewhere away. I traveled much, I have a good idea of how people live in other places. However, my current position is “I am not eager to live here, but I don’t know where to move to.” : )

Gorick:
It is easy to live here. Ubi bene, ibi patria. Every person has personal motives. And here another reason comes. I am so lazy to move out.

Anonymous author:
In winter it is cold, but withstanding the cold is not hard, because humidity is low. In summer it is terribly hot, but the absence of humidity makes it also easy to bear the heat.

In my case, I was so tired of speaking the Russian language. The Sakha (Yakut) mentality is more close to me. I love traveling to the ordinary Sakha villages and seeing the patriarchal life style there. Especially I like talking to people on the journey. If I had more travel chances, I would like to visit places of kindred nations such as Tuva, Mongolia, Khakassia, Kazakstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkey, and Hungary.

I love celebrating Ysyakh. Love the art of our skilled craftsmen, their embroidery, wood engraving, and jeweller’s art.

Ivan Bozhedonov
Give them [blog readers] the answer as follows.

The indigenous population of Yakutia, including Russians as well, has been living here for 300 years. Historians still continue disputes over where exactly the Sakha people came from the South. Whatever the case, they live here from the ancient time.

Cold tempers humans, makes their spirits and bodies strong, doesn’t allow them relax even for a minute. And people accustomed to the cold, they cannot even live without cold.

That’s like in Harry Harrison’s The Deathworld. The Pyrrus residents live in terrible life conditions, with double burdens, but they do not fly away, because that’s their land. The same in our case. It’s the land which our ancestors lie in. That’s our homeland.

Punk
Fatherland!

Anonymous author:
People live everywhere! In tundra, mountains, deserts, even on water, and in the space… Why not living there?!… In Tiksi, for instance, June is not summer yet, July is not summer no longer, but humans continue to dwell over there.

LIN_DARK:
No other options. Feel despair.

Anonymous reply to LIN_DARK’s statement:
Any of us has a choice. Anyone, who wants to move out of here, can do it easily, just wish and be enough persistent. The next thing I am going to say could sound hackneyed though, but… I love my homeland! Even if I received an offer to move to another country, I would stay here in any case, because this land is all mine and I feel myself as one of this people and because all around Yakutia are precious to me equally.

Well, at this moment, I think, I stop gathering people’s opinions

So, what do we have here?!

As you can see, reasons are different, as different types of people with various purposes, motivations, ambitions and abilities live in Yakutia.

1. Those, who wanted to move out, have done it already.
2. Those, who are dreaming to follow the departed, are:
- still thinking over, to do or not to do;
- or trying to find opportunities, funds and enough courage.
3. Those, who live on here, think:
- they really feel good… in terms of mentality, spirituality, career, stability, security, private life, etc;
- or they really don’t have any opportunity, ability or relatives, living in other places;

The situation is the same as everywhere around the world :)

Andrew I with a creative studio “A Novigator” announced a descent to the deepest well in the world, Shergin’s shaft, to take place in Yakutsk on October 20, 2009. Update, 21.10.2009: The even was postponed till November 04, 2009.

An exclusive speleological tour into the unique well, that is 116 meters deep, as long as a 40-store building,and surrounded with permafrost!

The hole of this well was dug in permafrost for more than 10 years. A construction was finished in 1829. Fyodor Shergin was a manager of a joint trade Russian-American company (a joint trade Russian-American company manager) and he leaded this construction. Not knowing about deepness of permafrost seam, Shergin argued that he would obtain water. But he couldn’t do it. Deepness of permafrost seam lies 225 meters down in this region.

The shaft has been used for scientific purposes by the Russian Academy since then. It served as a jolt to originate and to develop a new scientific direction.

Generally admitted Shergin’s shaft is considered to be a crandle of geocreology (or permafrost)!

Only several persons have been at the bottom of the well for the whole period of its existence. Risking very much, they were descended to the well by a hemp rope due to the windlass specially made.

The bottom of the well was descended last in 1934.

In 1942 the rope of the descending device was broken off under the mysterious circumstances.

In the eighties because of thawing water in the upper part of the well a glacial stopper had appeared which insulated the shaft from the outside world.

In 2007 a project of Shergin’s shaft restoration was elaborated by the initiative group of Andrew I with the creative studio and “The Novigator”.

During this period there was a large number of skeptics who made the most pessimistic predictions that the well was full of water, ice and fragments of broken rope.

In winter 2009 specialists from the SS RAS Institute of Permafrost carried out a test drilling the upper part of the well. This drilling confirmed “The Novigator” expectations that thickness of the icy stopper was more than 10 meters.

In June 2009 a specially prepared by “The Novigator” specialists video-finder was put down through the hole of 20 centimeters in diameter. A unique videomaterial about shaft videofixation till 110 meters depth was received.

The well was finally kept. There are several well-holes without any timberlings except some parts of the shaft strengthened with larch ones. The upper part of isolated stopper ends with icy stalactites. There is one more stopper from icy formations with thickness of 2 meters to a depth of 20 meters. This stopper is not full of ice, but it has got a hole in it.

The lower part of the shaft has a deep effect of ice crystals with amazing beauty which cover the walls (covering the walls). The larch timberlings look like as if they had been installed yesterday, not more than 160 years ago.

As a result of this work a documentary film “A descent” will be on in the very near future.

Nobody has been at the bottom of the well for more than 70 years.

The intrigue of the forthcoming descent to the bottom of the well is connected with mysteries and legends:
• According to the first legend Fyodor Shergin hid some value at the bottom of the well including a ring with a diamond which he was awarded by the emperor Nickolai I.
• In the days of the Soviet Union this shaft was equipped for carrying out secret tests.
• In the depth of the well (everywhere in permafrost) there are unexplicable anomalous phenomena.

Except this there is an objective difference in forthcoming descent organization.

If there is the lack of minus temperatures on the outside, air ventilation doesn’t occur inside the shaft, that’s why there is no any oxygen at the bottom of the well.

On the 20th of October in 2009 the ice stopper in the mouth of the well will be open. An assault team consisting of four persons equipped with potable videocams will descend at the bottom according to a TV show “Shergin’s shaft storm show”.

In the future it is planned, not changing the configuration of the shaft, to organize an exclusive speleological tour for extremists.

It will be a descent to the Shergin’s shaft bottom! (in mountain outfit).

The speleological tour of maxi extrim will be held in summer when there is no oxygen at the bottom of the well.

There is hardly the same place anywhere in the world except Yakutia!

The name of the project with four “Ss” in abbreviation joined together symbolizes an ancient Solar symbol and a square. Sun sign personifies endless ways of life, directed by nature. A square with rays reminds an outline of the well with walls strengthened by wood. The well is open.

It symbolizes a good sign and good luck.

Andrew I
leader of creative studio “The Novigator”.
shaxta_shergina@mail.ru
+7-924-46-11-016

Actually, the question received recently from Frank, who is currently somewhere in the neighborhood, sounded this way:

I am very interested in contacting some of the wonderful khomus craftsmen from Yakutia, especially Innokenty N. Gotovtsev. It seems that NONE of these guys have email contact information. Do you have any advice for me?

I would like to meet him in order to purchase a khomus directly from him. If I have the opportunity to meet him in person, it would be great because i could see/play the khomus(es) before making a costly purchase.

Well, I found the answer by pure accident.

When received a request, I had two ways to find the famous Yakut khomus maker, Innokenty Gotovtsev, even three:

1. To call the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

If anyone is interested, here is its contact information, tel. +7 (4112) 42-11-63, fax +7 (4112) 42-12-48. But it will be much better to dial the arts department number +7 (4112) 42-40-07. The latter number is very useful, by this tel you can find any famous culture worker.

2. To call a friend of mine, Albina Degtyareva. She is the world-known khomus players band “Ayarkhaan” (http://ayarkhaan.blogspot.com). She knows all local khomus craftsmen.

3. To visit Yakutsk Jew’s-harp Music Museum. Inhere you can see a huge amount of rare, unique Jew’s-harps and instruments.

Address: 33 Kirov Street, 3rd floor, tel. +7 (4112) 42-86-75. Open from 9 am till 4 pm. With a break for lunch, 1-2 pm. An entry ticket costs 100 rubles (for international visitors) and 50 rubles (for locals).

Besides, visitors can buy well-known masters’ khomuses at the museum store. And if any, one may ask for masters’ contact information.

Well, that’s what I planned to try in order to seek Innokenty N. Gotovtsev. But I found him in a very unexpected way.

Two days ago I traveled to the settlement of Namzy, northward from Yakutsk, one hour by a car. I went there with young Polish researchers. We visited the museum of the Namsky Academy of Arts (Намская педогагическая академия). And a guide said “Here you can see khomuses made by Mr. Gotovtsev’s apprentices.” I was stuck. “You mean Innokenty Nikitich Gotovtsev, don’t you?” I asked. “Yes. Mr. Gotovtsev is an institute tutor,” he said. I uttered “Oh!”

Then I told him all the story and explained why I was so happy to hear the master’s name. The local just said “Innokenty Nikitich is a tutor of Namsky Academy of Arts. And he is available all the year around and here only, except summer vacations.”

When I returned to Yakutsk, I received a call from… Mr. Gotovtsev, who asked “Is it you who looked for me?”

Hehe. That’s how happened. Well, if anyone wants to meet the famous khomus maker, just visit or call Namsky Academy of Arts by +7 (41162) 41217. He works there daily, from September till May. Actually, he is in Namzy right now and doesn’t plan to travel out till autumn.

Unfortunately, I can’t share his personal mobile number. That’s the private information, you know.

More pics of previous Ysyakh at Flickr.com

This summer Yakutsk’s Ysyakh (Ысыах), Yakut national holidays, will be held on June 27-28, 2009. Location is Ys Khatyn (Yс Хатынг), 20 minutes by car northward from Yakutsk, near the settlement of Zhatai (Жатай). The opening ceremony will take place on the first day, Saturday, at 12.00.

Note: Yakutsk Ysyakh takes place traditionally on the last weekend of June.

It happened for the forth time. Since 2006 on the Day of Epiphany the Orthodox Church in cooperation with the Russian Emergency Service arranges the swimming in a ice-hole on the Lena River. This year was not exclusion and what is more this time it was the most ever visited event. People, who wished to clear from sins by dipping three times in blessed waters, should stand in long line. Outside temperature was -26C – 32C, but river water was warm, about +6C.

See the photographs taken at 9.00 pm on Jan. 19, 2009.

In 2006 the Yakutian Eparchy of the Russian Orthodox Church revived the old ritual that was ceased in 1917. On the Day of Epiphany, local believers used to have lustration in waters blessed by an Orthodox priest. Traditionally, the action took place in cruciform ice-hole made on the surface of the Lena River . People swam in any weather condition. They believed that they would deserve the forgiveness of sins by diving in sanctified waters three times.

Today’s affusion was conducted in the way as it was before the Revolution. The day before, ice-hole was made in the form of cross, a wood cross was installed on the edge of ice surface and Yakutsk and Lensk diocesan did the ceremony of sanctifying waters. In the next day, action started.

How was it four years ago? And what does this event mean? You might want to check the story published at YakutiaToday.com.

An interesting request arrived from Ulan Bator, Mongolia. A couple is planning to visit Yakutsk and asked me about available opportunities to meet local shamans in the city. That was an unexpected question. I don’t have friends among shamans to ask them about meetings. But, Praise God, my mom has a few contacts :)

It is common knowledge that real shamans do not live in crowded places such as the city and big villages. They dislike apartment buildings and all the noise metropolitan surroundings force people to listen to daily and constantly. They prefer to keep contact with nature. That means visitors need to go out of the city and embark a real journey to shamans’ places, usually to remote places in taiga.

If you hear that there are shamans based in Yakutsk, just consider such reports as misinformation. A few things to remember.

First, in the city you may meet extrasensory individuals or so-called healers who can use some shaman tricks. For a certain amount of money, of course.

Second, you may come across true shamans, but when they happen to be visiting Yakutsk for a while. If latter occurred, you’re really lucky, because such people arrive in republic’s capital very rare.

However, there is good news. Shamans do have their own assistants or friends who can perform the duties of representatives in different places. Yakutsk is not exception.

I can recommend one assistant. That’s Galina E. Shadrina. She is shamans’ eye in civilization. A friend of my mom :) G. Shadrina represents interests of two prominent shamans. Both, by the way, are well-known outside of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).

One of them is Fedot P. Ivanov, a Yakut shaman. Lives in Vilujsk, West Yakutua. One day journey by car from Yakutsk. Another is Savely Vasiliev, a Evenk shaman. Based in Ijengra, Nerungrinsky ulus/South Yakutia. Also one day by car.

So how is it possible to arrange visits to shamans’ places?

Get in touch with a shaman assistant and ask for all required arrangements. By the way, Galina Shadrina can be found only by phone. Work +7 (4112) 32-15-43, mobile +7 (924) 167-99-06. She is not well acquainted with Internet achievements yet and can speak Russian only. UPDATE: Galina Shadrina registered her first email address. Here it is saarina AT mail.ru

Further is all one wanted to know about Andrei Borisov’s movie “The Mystery of Genghis Khan” known initially as “By the Will of Genghis Khan”

Genre: Historical epic drama.
Release Date: March 12, 2009. In Russia and CIS.
Running Time: 2 hrs. 20 min.
Budget: $10 million
Produced by: Vladimir Ivanov (Russia), Ichinkholoo Nyamgavaa (Mongolia), Sarnai Tessitore (USA).
Directed by: Andrei Borisov.
Starring: Eduard Ondar (Republic of Tuva, Russia), Orgil Makhaan (Mongolia), Tu Men (China), Stepanida Borisova (Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, Russia), Oleg Taktarov (Russia), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (USA), Gernot Grimm (Germany), others.
Official website: http://www.chingiskhanfilm.ru/ in Russian

The Secret of History, the History of the Secret

A gloomy inquisition dungeon. A man on the ground. He is in a state of bliss. Brother John. God’s man. A wandering missionary. In expectation of the death penalty he is recalling his wandering across Asia. He was doomed to save Genghis Khan…

..Three childhood friends, three sworn brothers. One was initiated into the sacrament and grew into the great shaman. Two of them are brave ones. They followed the way of war and the nation eventually recognized them as leaders but only one of them became the master of the whole steppe.

His father named him Temujin. He was chosen by the Everlasting Blue Sky and the Sky put him to the test.
The man who wanted to marry his mother stole his wife.

His half brother broke the Law proclaimed by Him above all.

But no option exists. The Sky made choice. Love for woman changed Temujin into a warrior, his allegiance to the Law turned him into a fratricide, and his aspiration for peaceful life forced him to initiate the war.
He stood trials. He absorbed all the powers of nature and the council of nine-languages-speaking tribes proclaimed him the ruler and gave him the name of the ancient god, Genghis Khan.

In that way, the powerful empire was born. Tribes joined to Genghis Khan’s army took a new name. Mongols. That means Warriors of the Dragon.

Those warriors conquered half the world, reached the West, southern seas, and northern mountains…

The world learned about the history of the Great Empire birth and the secret of the Mongols from unknown Chinese’s notes. As from now, Brother John must tell the whole truth of Asia. About its steppes, expanses, rivers, mountains, lakes. About nations dwelling there. About the Law to observe at the cost of life. About the Sky that is only one above people.

The secret of Genghis Khan’s title is kept in Russia.

Movie Key Facts

Authenticity
Nowadays, the descendants of tribes united under Genghis Khan’s banners live on the territories of Russia’s Siberia and the Far East, Mongolia and China. In the picture, actors speak nine Mongol-Turkic languages including Siberian and Far-Eastern small peoples’ tongues. Tuvinians, Buryats, Yakuts, Mongols, Altais, Russians, Khakas, Bashkirs, Japanese, a German, Chinese, an American… All of them are starring in the feature film.
This is an Asian movie about Asia, the inner view. Genghis Khan’s progenies scattered across the whole Asia and people not indifferent to that historical epoch united to create “By the Will of Genghis Khan”. More than five thousands people of different nations worked on the movie.

Dimensions
In the course of two years, shooting had been conducting on the very territories of the past Genghis Khan’s Empire. In Siberia, the Far East, Mongolia, and China. Unique landscapes such as ice-covered Kihilyakh Mountains in Yakutia, the Great Mongolian Steppe, the Gobi Desert, the fast and furious Altai River, Baikal with sacred waters, the Valley of Kings in Khakassia, make people thinking of the everlasting nature and transience of human lives.
About hundreds professional mounted stuntmen with thousands mutes who actually were Mongolian regular army soldiers, participated in battle scenes shot in China and Mongolia.

Ecological compatibility
The name of Genghis Khan given to Temujin has a special meaning to the nations of Siberia and Mongolia. It is the title originated from nature. There was the ancient god that was the maker of people’s fate as well as the master of water world. To nomads, the latter has the same significance. Water delivers life in the steppe. Genghis Khan means the Sea that is the old name of Sacred Baikal, the world’s deepest freshwater lake. Legends say the great divine dragon, Abarga Mogoi, inhabits in waters of Baikal. That is why nine-languages-speaking tribes called themselves warriors of Mogol Dragon (Mongols).

Timeliness
Release date for Russia and CIS: March 12, 2008.

ACTORS

Genghis Khan (Eduard Ondar, Tuva / Russia)
Temujin’s trials, his fear to overcome, beloved people to loose, tragic choice to make between blood shedding and unitor’s great goal, personal affections and state interests, are considered to be the spiritual development of the Emperor named after the god, Genghis Khan.

Jamuka (Orgil Makhaan, Mongolia)
Temujin’s friend, sworn brother, rival, and exact antithesis. After Genghis Khan’s warrior had murdered his younger brother, Jamuka levied war upon his best friend. The Great Yassa (Code) separated them. He mounted the altar for the sake of the Great Law. Executed by the will of destiny. There could be two heavenly bodies only, after all.
Orgil Makhaan played the part of Genghis Khan in BBC’s documentary.

Khokhochoi (Efim Stepanov, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
Genghis Khan’s childhood friend, stepbrother, and ideological opponent. He became a shaman. As true ancient traditions defender, he attempted to stand in Genghis Khan and his Yassa’s way.

B?rte (Susan Oorzhak, Tuva / Russia)
Temujin’s first love. An innocent victim of tribal revenge. He conquered the large Merkit tribe in order to rescue her. It was her whom Genghis Khan was forced to erase from his memory later for the sake of future and nation’s honour.

Brother John (Gernot Grimm, Germany)
A prototype of European missionaries and travelers, who told stories of the Mongol Empire. Such as Plano Karpini, Guillom de Rubruk, and Marco Polo.

Hoelun (Stepanida Borisova, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
Elders had predicted Hoelun would give birth to the warrior. That was her first son who became the defender of the family then. The unbending widow set an example of steadfastness for her kids. She taught them to remember their origins.
Stepanida Borisova is a well-known world music performer.

Shen Mi Jeng (Tu Men, China)
A Chinese monk and chronicler. Became Genghis Khan’s friend and adviser. It is generally known that “The Secret History of the Mongols” literary work was found at the Academy of Sciences in Beijing.
Tu Men’s Genghis Khan is the most acknowledged in China. He portrayed the Man of Millennium in the film broadcasted on the biggest Chinese national channel in prime time. Tu Men came from the Inner Mongolia.

Temujin in childhood (Ayan Uspun, Tuva / Russia)
His child affection transformed into his first real love. His bosom-friends, Khokhochoi and Jamuka, were doomed to play crucial roles in Temujin’s adult life. The loss of father and uncle’s betrayal made him a social outcast.

Temujin in youth (Sergei Yegorov, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
After his brother’s death he comprehended captivity humiliation. He went through loneliness, starvation, and hardship. But the image of his farther appeared to be his guiding star for finding the destined way.

Hoelun in youth (Iliana Pavlova, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
Yes?gei, a small Borjigin tribe leader, saw a beautiful woman and said ‘The Sky warned me, she will be my wife. I don’t care if she is someone’s bride.’

Chiledu (Saidash Mongush, Tuva / Russia)
Aggrieved Chiledu nursed a grievance. Twenty years later, he revenged upon Yes?gei, who had passed away a long time ago. He stole Borte, his opponent son’s wife. Temujin was obliged to declare war against the Merkits.
Saidash Mongush is also known as an acclaimed throat singer.

Targutai (Tuvshikhuu Munkhzaya, Mongolia)
The Ta’yichiut tribe leader. Yes?gei’s second wife brother. Hankering for the departed Yes?gei’s property, Targutai caused many sorrows to Hoelun and her children.
Tuvshikhuu Munkhzaya was the real embodiment of Genghis Khan on the 800th Anniversary of the Great Mongolian State.

Tayan Khan (Hurmatulla Utyashev, Bashkortostan / Russia)
The Naiman chieftain. After a glorious victory over the Naimans, nobody and nothing may stop Genghis Khan in his quest to conquer the world.

Kuchulug Khan (Oleg Taktarov, Russia-USA)
Tayan Khan’s son was paid off cruelly for his defiance towards ignoble upstart Genghis Khan.
Oleg Taktarov is a Russian mixed martial artist and actor. Partial Filmography: “Air Force One” (1997), “15 Minutes” (2001), “Bad Boys II” (2003), “National Treasure” (2004), “Montana” (2007).

Gurbesu (Elena Roumyanzeva, Sakha-Yakutia / Russia)
Tayan Khan’s wife. Arrogant steppe woman took Genghis Khan’s proposal of marriage as an offence. To make a protest, she smeared aristocratic make-up.

Bodyguard (Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, USA)
A Naiman empress’ bodyguard. He was utterly devoted to and in love with his mistress. A Hollywood villain Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played an unusual part in Andrei Borisov’s movie. Tagawa’s partial filmography: ”The Last Emperor” (1987), ”Mortal Kombat” (1995), ”Pearl Harbor” (2001), ”Memoirs of a Geisha” (2005).

CREW

Andrei Borisov,
Director
Acclaimed theatrical director. Owner of the USSR, Russia and Yakutia’s state awards. Zolotaya Maska National Theatrical Award Winner. Sakha Drama Theatre Chief Director. ”By the Will of Genghis Khan” is his debut as a feature director.
‘Steppe is like a tambourine,’ says Andrei Borisov. ‘When the sun heats the instrument up to +40C, it stretches and drones. When it’s raining, the tambourine goes limp. The great steppe drones in me like a tambourine. My soul holds the passions of people with “slanting and greedy eyes” that look over endless expanses, immense spaces. This movie inseparably bonds our history, nature, and the geography of wandering. From here we derive our strength and inspiration, the energy of mountains, steppes, sky and water. That’s the source of our fervent desire to overturn the world’s stereotypes on Asian nations and submerge into the holographic space of history and geography.’

Gennady Sotnikov
Stage manager
Owner of the USSR and Russia’s state awards. Cooperation between Yakut director Andrei Borisov and St Petersburg cinematography expert lasted a quarter of a century. Together they created the new aesthetics of the Yakut lyric-epic theatre.
External field production started in April of 2005 and finished in September of 2007. Gennady Sotnikov’s heart stopped beating in summer of 2007. Film creators made the decision to dedicate the movie to Gennady Petrovich Sotnikov.
Sotnikov’s work on the movie had been finished by his disciple, a Sakha Theatre artist Michael Yegorov.

Yuri Berezhnev, photography director.
Innokentij Ammosov, cameramen.

Albert Kuvezin
Composer
Leader and founder of the world-known Tuvan throat singing punk band Yat-kha. Since 1995 Yat-kha’s Albums hit World Music charts. Awards: Brian Eno’s recognition at 1991 Voices of Asia Festival in Kazakhstan, 1995 French RFI “Decouvertes Est” Prize for Yenisei Punk, 1999 German Critic’s Prize for Dalai Beldiri, 2002 BBC Radio 3 “Award for World Music.”

STUN STAGING

Solbon Lygdenov (Russia)
Chen Qiang (China)
Chuluunbat Batbayar (Mongolia)
Leader of the best horse stunt crew in Mongolia.

Ichinkholoo Nyamgavaa (Mongolia)
Co-producer. Nyamgavaa Film Production director.
His accomplishments as a film director include “Five Fingers of Hand” (1982), “I Love You” (1983), “After Telling Story” (1987), “Conquerors” (1994), “Running Antelope” (1995), “The Land and Soil” (1998), “Ferocious Saint Lord of Gobi” (1998), etc. He has been highly regarded by such international film festivals as Moscow, Nantes, Rotterdam, Fukuoka, Karlovy Vary, and Chicago. Apart from his film activities, Nyamgavaa has put on over 50 stage performances.

Sarnai Tessitore (USA)
Brown Wolf Production Company Director.

Ninzad Dolgor (Mongolia)
Executive producer.
Director, Mongolia National Academy of Arts.
Worked as an executive producer on the Borte Chono movie (Japan, Mongolia).

Andrei Fedulov (Russia)
Executive producer
Partial filmography: “Crankies” (Choknutye), “On the Murom Path”, “Piter FM”, “The Letter” (Pismo, Russia-Canada). Worked on TV Shows such as “Tatyana’s Day”, “Witch-Doctor” (Znakhar), “The Mascot of Love”, “Dawns Here Quiet” (China), etc.

Vladimir Ivanov
Producer, film idea author
‘The movie is our vision of how the Mongol Empire had been creating 800 years ago. Our hero withstood the test of time and was recognized as the Man of Millennium according to The Washington Post. Not long ago people tended to think of him as the tyrant only,’ says the producer.
‘We are willing to reveal current problems in relations between people and nature. Living in sever conditions in Siberia and Central Asia, peoples managed to develop the unique system of life in harmony with environment. It is not in vain that their philosophy was based on the respectful attitude to the Nature. And who said we should be smarter than our ancestors?’
‘The movie recreates the common cultural / spiritual space that reigned in the steppes of Central Asia a long time ago. Since the great antiquity, our languages, customs and traditions remain similar to each other. We are united with the one umbilical cord. To me it is obvious that nations are able and need to cooperate. Without regard to existing borders and long distances, all of us have the only Everlasting Blue Sky.’

Andrea, of Italy, asked “I’m interested, if possible, in some typical recipes from Yakutia. (I like northern recipes in general) or some typical dishes (naming only the ingredients).”

“I found the very powerful function of google “tranlsate” and i’ve tested it with the Yakutian contest “virtual Yakutia” ( http://miss.ykt.ru/ ) and…”

“IT WORKS PERFECTLY!!!”

“It translate from russian into italian DIRECTLY and in a pretty way too!
(And also the pictures are good!).”

“So: if you can send me some links in russians with some yakutians recipes i can translate it by myself (uhm… not by myself but with Google :-)”

Here is my answer:

Hello,

That’s cool. Translate.Google is funny, but very handy.

So, please, try the following links:

http://ysyakh.info/category/recipes/

http://www.sitc.ru/culture/foods/html/foods.shtml

http://www.yakutia.ru/~otks/ykut.htm

Hope they help you.

Best regards,
Bolot.