Tuva.Asia / The New Research of Tuva

We are happy to present you the fourth and the last issue of The New Research of Tuva this year. The winter release contains articles of our permanent and very recent authors. In fact, there are 14 new authors in the current release!

The issue includes a full interview with a Doctor of Historical Sciences Vladimir Datsyshen, Orientalist articles (about Mongolia and Mongolology; about the current state of science in Bashkortostan);

itineraries about Tuvans of China written by a Doctor of Historical Sciences Marina Mongush who had visited  those places, where she gathered ethnographic materials 20 years ago;

an article of German anthropologist Annette Olschlegel presenting a genre of Tuvan legends;

a feedback on Sergey Brilyov’s book and on his impressions about Tuva and many other materials.

In southwest Siberia in Tuva, between Mongolia and Altai, the mountain massif Mongun-Taiga spread its shoulders - the mountain ridges, glittering with glaciers of the Silver Mountain. It is a harsh land of wind-blown high-altitude meadows, stony slopes and icy rivers. Only strong and tough people survive here, Tuvans of Turkic roots, living a nomadic life with their herds of sheep and yaks. They are kind to their guests, but guests are rare - it is not an easy road to the remote mountain pastures. But those who had made the trip fell in love with the simple beauty of its wild nature and the people living in harmony with it. Mongun-Taiga kozhuun, one of the most beautiful and mountainous districts of Tuva, is located in the south-west of the republic. It is named after the tallest mountain of Tuva, which is visible here from anywhere - Mongun-Taiga, with the altitude of 3970 meters (@13,220 feet). The name speaks for itself - Silver Mountain, as the glaciers covering it glitter in the sun.

 Journalists of the “Rossia-1” and “Rossia-24” TV channels working in the Agro Business and Agrarian Morning programs visited Tuva. The production team plans to make several video plots related to the farming sector of Tuva including yak and horse breeding, milk processing, traditional products manufacture (sarzhag, chokpek, aarzhy, tarak, khoytpak, byshtak), as a reporter Inga Kanisheva stated.

“We are also interested in the way the beginning farmers support program is implementing in the republic” – the reporter emphasized. “This is a great opportunity  to present our republic on the state federal TV channels within popular trade business programs, especially when there are so many  positive outcomes in the areas of the journalists’ interest”  - the Deputy Minister of Agriculture Sergey Oyun said.

On 6-9 November  the production team visited Mongun-Taiga, Bay-Taiga, Dzun-Khemchik districts having visited local farmers.

The Tuvan State University of Kyzyl, Republic of Tuva is organizing a summer study program for foreigners, from June 30 - July 14, 2013 called “Two Weeks of Tuva”.

Participants will study the Tuvan language four academic hours (three actual hours) a day, Monday through Friday, in groups of 3-6 students.  By the end of the 40-academic-hour program, participants will know basic words, simple phrases, and how to talk about themselves, their family and their home.

Evenings and weekends will be spent visiting museums, sites and concerts and enjoying nature outings.  Special interviews with historians, musicians and religious leaders will also be organized.  During a portion of their stay, participants will be able to live in a traditional Tuvan yurt.

Participants will be met by a representative of the Tuvan State University in Krasnoyarsk, Russia on the morning of June 30^th and will take a bus down to Kyzyl, Tuva where the majority of the program activities will take place.  Those enrolling are responsible for their own travel to and from Krasnoyarsk, Russia prior to June 30^th.  Bus fare back to Krasnoyarsk on July 14^th is also included into the program.

The Tuvan State Ensemble “Sayany” has opened its 44th concert season in new capacity. The quire received a new status of the independent structural subdivision of the Ministry of Culture.

Uran Tulush, the ex-deputy director of the philharmonic, became a Principle of the new entity; Ayan Mandan-Khorluu was appointed as a Principal Balletmaster; Marat Tumat from Saint Petersburg was invited to take up a position of an Art Director; and Mengilen Sat from Moscow – as a Producer-Balletmaster. Today, we are introducing you Marat Tumat, an Art Director of the “Sayany” Ensemble.

-Marat Alexandrovich, how did you find your way to ballet?

-I was a year 4 student at the Samagaltay School when a Balletmaster Vyacheslav Oktyabrovich Dongak stopped by in our classroom during the lesson. He said it was enrolment at the choreographic school being held. He examined every kid for his flexibility, leaps, turnouts and an ear for music. Only four children from Tuva were selected then and were sent for studying at the State Buryat Choreographic School. I had a privilege to be one of them.

It was very tough and unclear at the very start. A day in the school used to be very busy, the classes started at 9 am finishing at 6 pm. Living away from home and my parents didn’t add optimism too. In addition, I had entire C marks in my speciality class in the beginning.