Tuva.Asia / The New Research of Tuva

Dear Colleagues, The Silk Road was the major commercial route extending from mainland Asia on to Europe and Africa that has continued its significant logistical role for a period of almost 2000 years up until the early modern times. It was named after the Chinese silk transported over to the West. This main commercial route, has also continued to function as a basic link between the peoples and cultures along it for centuries. In today’s world of expanding globalization, the countries along this route, with Turkey at its centre,  similarly figure prominently on today’s global economic, social, cultural and political agenda. The recent academic efforts to re-evaluate and rejuvenate the Silk Road in all of its various facets have culminated in the idea to organize an international conference on the subject. “The International Silk Road Congress: To Rethink a Region of Commerce, Cooperation and Peace”, is being organised  in collboration with various institutions and  universities, and under the coordination of the Ankara Centre for Thought and Research and Istanbul Commmerce University. It is planned to be held in Istanbul, Turkey on 27-30 October 2013. 

Russian information agencies a few days ago disseminated the news about a British farmer who produces Tuvan araga. It is said that James Bond himself tasted it. Details below. Dairy farmer Jason Barber from Seaborough Manor told the "Dorset" journal in September, how he makes cheese and magnificent vodka that gained recognition in the country. The Barber family has been involved in farming since at least the early 1800's if not earlier. Jason's father moved to Seaborough Manor in 1958. In 2000 Jason took over his father's farm and started his own business - dairy farming. The farm consists of 379 acres, of which 100 acres belong to Jason. Additionally he rents another 120 acres from adjacent neighbors. The farm gets milk from 250 cows, and each cow produces about 26 liters of milk every day on the average. In the summer the cows graze on pasture lands, and in winter they are fed grass and corn silage. He started off his new business in making milk araga in May of last year, and as Jason said: "The idea was born from a wish to diversify the production of my herd (not even speaking of having a lively interest in this type of vodka).

Dear friends! We are happy to inform you that the first issue of The New Research of Tuva 2013 is now ready. Traditionally, our first series are dedicated to the beginning of a new season. The issue contains 20 articles that may be of interest for specialists and general readers. Orientalists and Tuvinologists may find newsworthy the articles of our colleagues from Kalmykiya and Bashkortorstan. There are some post-expeditionary notes of the summer season in the issue. Seven new people have joined the group of our authors represented by scientists, pedagogues, students, and even a scholar. The traveling notes written by a famous Tuvan singer Sofia Kara-ool-Dulush about the tour of the Government Orchestra of the Republic of Tuva to Asian regions need to be highlighted as well. The diary notes have been already published in the Internet, but we have the edited, easier-to-read, version. All the articles are soon to be exported to the Russian Science Citation Index database. Dear colleagues,  we are looking forward to seeing your new works!

Festina lente or make haste slowly is what scientists know and believe in, as sometimes there is a huge time gap between the emergence of an idea and its actual implementation. In our case, the project of the electronic encyclopedia “Musical Instruments of Tuva” has appeared six years later after the first thought of it.

The Encyclopedia released last year under the aegis of the East-Siberian State Academy of Culture and Arts is popular among students, musicians, scientists, and curious readers. The project has received a huge number of positive responses from the leading folk bands of the region, throat singers, scientists, journalists, and numerous foreign guests of the republic.

Such high rating was especially pleasant for the authors of the project – the Candidacy of Pedagogical Sciences, the Dean of Tuvan branch of the East-Siberian State Academy of Culture and Arts Vera Koshkar-ool and Doctor of Culturology Valentina Suzukei, who is working in Tuvan Institute of Humanitarian Researches for many years.

Throat singer Kongar-ool Ondar from Tuva, the tiny region of Siberia just outside of Outer Mongolia, was supposed to have been singing out in three-part harmony — by himself — atop a horse equipped with a stereo amplifier in Tuesday's Rose Parade. The sound equipment was designed to prevent a repeat of his first appearance in 1993, when Ondar, singing without amplification, couldn't be heard over the din of the crowd. Unfortunately, for reasons not immediately clear, Ondar was silent as he and two bare-chested dancers dubbed Flying Eagles of Tuva exchanged waves and smiles with fans shortly after the start of the parade on the KTLA-TV (Channel 5) broadcast. It was a sad, silent echo of what happened two decades ago, when the throat-singing horsemen weredrowned out during the 1993 Rose Parade by a high school band. Just before this year's parade, Ondar spokesman Ralph Leighton told The Times that "this time, Ondar will be microphoned so that fans along the parade route can hear him singing multiple notes simultaneously."

Results of complex expedition research of therapeutic and touristic-recreational use of natural arzhaan complex "Choigan mineral waters" will be presented today at a scientific seminar at the National Museum of Tuva. The initiators of this educational seminar are the Scientific Research institute of medical and social problems and government of Republic Tuva, Tuvan regional section of Russian Geographic Society, and OOO "Laboratory of arzhaanology and tourism". Evaluation of results of clinical medicine studies of natural therapy at the springs of Choigan arzhaan is on the program of this action. It includes diagnostic laboratory studies, cardiologic studies, possibility of therapy for neurologic, ophthalmologic and musculo-skeletal disorders at the Choigan arzhaan mineral springs. The scientific research workers and physicians of medical institutions took into account also the social-demographic character of the citizens who came for recreation and therapy to the Choigan arzhaan complex during last year, and the adaptation potential of human organism to high altitude mountain conditions.

On 20 May 2012, the famous Russian sailing ship "Sedov" departed form Sankt-Peterburg and started on a 14-month circumnavigation of the world. The journey of "Sedov" - the largest training sailing ship of the world - is dedicated to the 1150th anniversary of the birth of Russian statehood and the 200th anniversary of the first Russian circumnavigation of I.F. Kruzenstern and Yu.F. Lisianskiy. For the explorer, film director, ethnographer and member of Russian Geographic Society Leonid Kruglov, the journey of "Sedov" represents the last stage of his project "Seven courageous ones. In the footprints of great Russian explorers.". After the completion of the circumnavigation, the First Channel will show a seven-part serial film of the same name, which will incorporate fresh footage as well as archival materials. On board of the ship, there is also the winner of a contest of Russian Geographic Society "In the footprints of Kruzenstern" Alexandra Mushta, who is keeping a journal of the Pacific segment of the voyage.

In the eight hundred years since his death, people have sought in vain for the grave of Genhis Khan, the 13th-century conqueror and imperial ruler who, at the time of his death, occupied the largest contiguous empire, stretching from the Caspian Sea to the Pacific. In capturing most of central Asia and China, his armies killed and pillaged but also forged new links between East and West. One of history’s most brilliant and ruthless leaders, Khan remade the world. But while the life of the conqueror is the stuff of legend, his death is shrouded in the mist of myths. Some historians believe he died from wounds sustained in battle; others that he fell off his horse or died from illness. And his final burial place has never been found. At the time great steps were taken to hide the grave to protect it from potential grave robbers. Tomb hunters have little to go on, given the dearth of primary historical sources. Legend has it that Khan’s funeral escort killed anyone who crossed their path to conceal where the conqueror was buried. Those who constructed the funeral tomb were also killed—as were the soldiers who killed them. One historical source holds that 10,000 horsemen “trampled the ground so as to make it even”; another that a forest was planted over the site, a river diverted.

In mid-December Russian capital will receive a well-known musical ensemble, the Tuvan National Orchestra led by art director and conductor Ayana Mongush, Honored Artist of the Republic of Tuva. Twenty eight musicians and singers, including the eminent world-acclaimed throat singers of Tuva and the members of “Chirgilchin”, “Alash”, ”Khogzhumchu”, ”Ugulza” bands, will give two pre-New Year performances for Muscovites and inhabitants of Stupino, Moscow’s satellite town. The concerts are sponsored by Auriant Mining AB, a Swedish gold mining company, with the assistance of the Plenipotentiary Representative Office of the Republic of Tuva in Moscow.

The first performance will be given at “Koroliovskiy” Concert Hall on December 14, 2012 at 18.00. Address: Akademika Koroliova Street 15, Block 2 ("Maryina Roshcha" or VDNKH metro stations). Information & booking: +7 (499) 236-48-01 — Tuvan Plenipotentiary Representative Office in Moscow.

The Tuvan National Orchestra will perform at StupinoPalace of Culture (Moscow Region) on December 15, 2012. Address: Stupino, Moscow Region, Prospekt Pobedy, 18/43. Phone: +7 (496-64) 4-14-23.

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.

The Famous Tuvan ethno-rock group, known beyond the bounds of Russia, Yat-Kha has given a concert at the World Music Festival, which took place at the site of the club EverJazz. Musicians performed songs from different albums, as well as few new songs. They started with throat singing — a leader of the group, guitarist and vocalist Albert Kuvezin owns this authentic art to perfection. However, pure ethnic on Sunday’s performance was a little. After the first composition they performed numbers more energetic. They sang some Russian songs, many songs in Tuvan, and a pair of tracks has been executed in English ("Yat-Kha" performed well as a couple of covers).

Albert Kuvezin, the group leader, ironically called quick and powerful songs "people's revolutionary songs. Strange thing — only three musicians (among Kuvezhin drummer Evgeny Tkachev and Sholban Mongush who plays on iguil were on stage) gave a powerful presentation full of energy, which other orchestras cannot do.  Magic or shamanism — it cannot be otherwise. "Yat-Kha" is really democratic — all three participants sing. And the player on iguil (Tuvan folk instrument resembling the sound of a violin or violoncello) Sholban Mongush performed as the main vocalist in several compositions.