Tuva.Asia / The New Research of Tuva

Alexandra David-Neel is known as the author of several popular books about esoteric subjects, the best known of which is “Magic and Mystery in Tibet”(1931). However, there is not much that is generally known about the personality of this admirable woman. She was born in 1868 in Paris. The little girl started showing musical abilities very early in life. As she grew up, she became quickly famous as a singer, and shone on the stage of Paris Opera. Then she made a fortunate marriage. But when she turned 43, David-Neel’s life drastically changed - she was diagnosed with throat cancer. The physicians gave her a terminal prognosis.

Ulyana Mongush, a scholar, has completed a titanic work, having collected under one cover all the interesting facts about the life of the legendary Tuvan khoomeizhi, leader oft eh group Huun-Huur-Tu, Kaigal-ool Khovalyg, who celebrated his 50^th birthday earlier this year. The book “The Willful Khovalyg and Huun-Huur-Tu was published I two languages - Russian and Tuvan. There is also a short summary of the book in English.  “Khurtuun Khovalyg bile Khun-Khurtu” quotes the rich speech of the throat singer, who has a remarkable sense of humor and knows all the intricacies of Tuvan folk traditions.