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Fine Arts: Alexander Khodulov’s oil paintings

Bolot — Sat, 12 May 2012 06:22:50 +0000

Shaman image. 1992-1993. Oil painting. 118 x 93.

Alexander Khodulov was a Yakutian artist, who lived from 1962 till 2003. His preferred genres were portrait, landscape scenery, still life, etc.

He was born in Yakutsk. In the family of the outstanding USSR national artist Dmitry F. Khodulov. Graduated Children Art School, Yakutsk Art College (1981), the Surikov Art Institute in Moscow (1987). A member of the Sakha Republic Artist Union since 1993.

Quote: “Nature was a leading theme in Alexander’s work, – said his wife and colleague Marianna Lukina. – His art pieces reveal a great love to the Yakutian land, lyric, and majesty. In his paitings one may feel sincerity, purity and life-asserting spirit. Viewers may have a sensation of nature, its sounds, structure and complexity. Irrespective of scenery, portraite, stills or other genres, he remained himself – modest and good-humoured.”

Alexander Khodulov. A self-portrait.

Saying a lot of sincere thanks to Yulia Khodulova for providing photographs and info.Similar Posts:

Happy Victory Day from Yakutsk, Siberia / Russia. 10 photos.

Bolot — Wed, 09 May 2012 08:20:48 +0000

Today is Russia’s Victory Day, a national holiday celebrated across the country. See photographs taken on Victory Day in Yakutsk, Republic of Sakha-Yakutia, Russia.

To see big images, click thumbnails.

Happy Victory Day!Similar Posts:

Yakutia in a 5-min video presentation. W/ subtitles in three languages

Bolot — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:46:17 +0000

This is a 5-min video about Yakutia!

Its creators tried to do the impossible… to show all images of the vast diverse region called Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). Think, they succeeded, but, frankly, such a hard mission won’t be possible to do ever.

No more words! Watch Yakutia!Similar Posts:

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80 summer photos of the expedition to the Arctic tundra, Yakutia, Siberia/Russia

Bolot — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 06:27:22 +0000

This time Inga Bysykatova (in the abiove picture), who previously presented the photo report about the Siberian white crane expedition in South Yakutia, shows how the republic biology institution’s field study went in the Arctic tundra of Ust Yansky region, the north-eastern part of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia), Russia, in summer of 2009.

The mission was to research Sandhill Cranes on the western border of Siberian white cranes areal in North Yakutia, if to be more precise, in the area of the estuaries of the rivers Chondon and Sellyah north of the Tumat village. See the map.

Inga says that before the expedition there were a fact of Sandhill Cranes presence registered at that place, but not proved scientifically.

Today she is able to confirm that the expansion of these birds going on to the West. Sandhill Cranes were officially registered in Chukotka before 1920s, than they moved to Kolyma by 1950s and the Indigirka river by 1990s. Nowadays, they are in Ust Yansky region.

“Our expedition was the first that proved the presence of Sandhill Cranes in the Ust Yansky tundra. That was in 2009… We counted and registered 142 Siberian cranes and 6 Sandhill Cranes,” says Inga.

By the way, it was Inga, who arranged the whole travel to the Arctic. A pretty hard work, I dare to say.

Now feel free to enjoy the summer Arctic of Yakutia, Siberia/Russia, and don’t miss amazing pictures of those bloody-sucking mosquitoes.

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Elanka, a lost village on the Lena River in Yakutia, Russia

Bolot — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 08:25:35 +0000

In June, Ilya Kovyakin, a friend of mine from Magadan, asked me to help him with fishing on the Lena River and travelling to Lena Pillars. He said, he would wish to do that in the course of 3 days. I was like, “My god, I am not a fisherman, I don’t have a boat, and I’ve heard that great fishing might happen in far away places… So…”

Eventually, the idea arrived… Everything might be done on the way from Yakutsk to Lena Pillars with visiting three places and for three days. The route is Elanka – the camp at the Buotama River (the Lena River tributary) – Lena Pillars.

The miracle happened. On the first day, Ilya with his family and Ajar Varlamov drove on his 4wd from Yakutsk to Elanka. The drive took 4.5 hrs. At that place, they rented rooms in Arinosov’s house (800 rubles per person) and did what they wanted. Ilya fished, his family members enjoyed nature, and Ajar took as many photographs as possible.

Below, please, see Ajar’s photographs. Beautiful, aren’t they?

About Elanka

Elanka is the village located south off Yakutsk. As said above, it takes max. 4.5 hrs to get to that place.

Centuries ago, Elanka was a big settlement used mainly as a key postal station in the chain connecting Yakutsk and the mainland.

When Gorbachev’s perestroika started in the 80s and the USSR got collapsing, almost all inhabitants moved from that place. The village became abandoned. Looked more like a ghost. Two elders were left only to live on in Elanka.

A few years ago, people realized, the area of the Elanka village was an awesome, perfect place for… spending weekends. Nature is beautiful. Good fishing is provided. And many other advantages of country life.

Finally, Elanka turned out to be a lovely travel destination for Yakutsk dwellers. Yakutia’s Ministry of Tourism said, “We need to help villagers to develop tourism.” The authority granted Mr. Arinosov (one of left villagers) with funds to construct a guest house and some other objects.

Is Elanka overcrowded now? No, it’s still a lost-looking place.

That’s the story.Similar Posts:

Duck hunters in the Soviet Yakutia in 1979. Back to the USSR

Bolot — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 04:23:47 +0000

Hooray! May is at hand! It’s time for Yakutian men to hunt for ducks…

Rumours went out. Some say that duck hunt might be prohibited due to games migrated from radiated Fukushima, Japan. Some say it will be allowed, but strongly recommended not to eat ducks. In any case, hunters will go out into the wildness and shoot their gamebirds.

Meanwhile, look how duck hunters looked like back in the Soviet time. Saying a lot of thanks to Roman Sofronov, who digged and uploaded another awesome historic video on YouTube.

Check also the previous post with Roman’s videos, i.e. Yakut children in black-n-white 8 mm videos.Similar Posts:

Yhyakh, the Yakut national holiday, celebrated in the 1960s [history videos]

Bolot — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 01:39:57 +0000

Here in historical videos, you can see how Yhyakh (Ысыах in Russian), the Yakut national holiday, was celebrated in the 1960s. For the long period, the Soviets prohibited the Yakuts to hold its traditional summer event, but eventually, since 1941, allowed.

Yhyakh is the celebration of the summer solstice. Dedicated to the spirits of Ajyy and nature revival. Followed with the rising sun worship ceremonies, abundant food, kumis (also spelled kumiss, koumiss or kumys; it’s the horse milk) drinking, national sports games, horse races.

Further, please, find the second historical video.

The national holiday signifies the end of the past year called D’yl and the beginning of the new year called Syl. That was the reason, why many consider Yhyakh as the Yakut New Year celebration.

“Yhyakh” might be literally translated as “abundance.” The Yhyakh holiday is tightly related to the Sun divinity and the god of fertility.

We usually celebrate it on the day of the summer solstice, i.e. June 22nd, but each village, settlement and city sets its own dates in the course of June.

Traditionally, Yakutsk Yhyakh is held at the last weekend of June. It is a big event in the area of Ys Khatyn, a few km north from the city.

All Yhyakh-related posts come under the tag Ysyakh.

My YouTube account: http://www.youtube.com/user/bolotbootur

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A FEMALE YAKOUTI (A Yakut Woman). Back to 1803.

Bolot — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 02:57:57 +0000

This is a print of a Jakut woman. It is one of 72 prints from the book: Costume of the Russian Empire, ... dedicated, by permission, to her Royal Highness the Princess Elisabeth, London 1803. PS. Click the image to enlarge.

Saying a lot of thanks to my Finish friend of mine, Fredrik Forsberg, who provided a book print scan copy and the A FEMALE YAKOUTI chapter text from the book “Costume of the Russian Empire.” And it was him, who colored his black-and-white print copy.

Further, please, read the chapter with information on the illustrated Yakut woman in a national costume.

PLATE XLI.

A FEMALE YAKOUTI.

HUNTING, as was mentioned in the-last description, together with fishing and the care of their cattle, form. the whole employment of the Yakouti; for they are ignorant of every means of cultivating the soil, nor indeed would the severity of the climate and barrenness of their land repay them; their labour. The women are in general, more active and laborious than the men, and they might. be reckoned rather good-looking, were it not for the smoke and grease about them, which make their complexion of a dirty yellow hue. The men are in general of a moderate size; some, however, are very tall; their face is flat and thin, their eyes small, and their beards generally black and thin. They are dull in their dispositions, and slow in their actions. They are religious according to their own system, which is that of Schamanism; are honest and placable. In their general character they are said to resemble the Mungalian nation as much as the Tartars; and some have asserted, that. they are descendants of the former; but those, who have resided some time among them, speak of them as Tartars, both on account of their language and other remarkable circumstances. They have, no written character, but the foundation of their language is certainly Tartarian, with a large mixture of Mungalian words. The Yakouti have no regular and fixed habitation; they seldom, however, change their stations during the winter. Their tents or houses are in the shape of cones, with a hole at the top, to let out the smoke from the fires which are made on the ground in the middle, and this also, is the only means of admitting the light. Their chief food arises from hunting and fishing, and their drink is called koumis; it is made from the milk of their mares, with a little water; a piece of the stomach of a calf, or colt, is also put in: they keep this constantly stirring, till it ferments, when it acquires a pleasant acidity; and, if taken in large quantities, it has an intoxicating quality.

Download the PDF scan copy of two book pages from here.
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A trailer of not-yet-existing Siberian shaman movie. By Yakutsk-based E. Osipov’s team

Bolot — Tue, 15 Feb 2011 01:20:11 +0000

This is the trailer of non-existing fantasy / horror / history / drama movie created and presented by Yakutsk-based film makers, E. Osipov (producer), Misha Vasiliev (director), Sema Amanatov (cameraman, director of arts). A short film trailer was done on the Canon 7D digital camera.

This way E. Osipov (his blog) is trying to attract investors and sponsors to the production of the widescreen movie about love, shamans, a warrior and Sakha (Yakut) people’s ordinary, but brutal life of the past in the biggest Siberian region called Yakutia.

Based on Sardana Sivtzeva’s novel “Taming Demons.”

Another good news. Yakutia is becoming Siberia’s Hollywood with a dozen of new widescreen movies produced per year! Did you know about it? Similar Posts:

Platon Oyunsky, a key person of the Yakut culture, literature and history

Bolot — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 15:26:42 +0000

Platon Oyunsky statue on Orzhanikidze Square in Yakutsk. *To enlarge the image, click on it.

A book image of Platon Oyunsky

Always wanted to write about Platon Oyunsky, a Soviet Yakut statesman, writer and translator, a co-founder of modern Yakut literature, but I didn’t know how to do that. He is really a big man of history of the Republic of Sakha. Many Yakutian scientists wrote many serious works about this personage… and unconsciously I considered the task of writing about him to be impossible.

And you know what happened? One morning I was heading to my work place. It was in the early winter. I was passing Ordzhanikidze Square, when I saw a man cleaning the stature of Platon Oyunsky from snow.

It was so fascinating to see how the man was doing his job that I took a picture of his brushing work, uploaded the photo to my TwitPic account and soon got series of replies from a Yakutsk-based guy in the form of short information of who Mr. Oyunsky was.

I said, “Wow!” That guy, named Petr Petrov, was pretty serious and tried to overflow my stream stressing the importance of the historic hero. I wrote to him, “Do you have more text in English?” He, “Yes, I’ve just finished one.”

Below, please, find Petr’s text. It appeared to be pretty short, however, he wrote it very sincerely.

Platon Oyunsky (1893 – 1939) was the founder of Yakut Soviet literature. Poet, writer, scientist, professor of philological sciences. The Soviet authority has won Yakutia in 1919 and the main organizer and leader became Platon Alekseevich Ojunsky.

His friends and colleagues, Maxim Ammosov, S.Arzhakov, I.Barakhov, and Platon Oyunsky, achieved the creation of the Yakut republic – on April, 27th, 1922, Yakut ISSR has been formed – the first state of Sakha in the history of the Sakha people. Platon Ojunsky has been selected the first chairman of the Yakut government, also he became the author of the first Constitution of Yakut ISSR (The Yakut Independent Soviet Socialist Republic).

More about Platon Oyunsky from Wiki:

He was born in 3 Zhekhsogon nasleg of Boturuss (nowadays Tatta) ulus. The origin of Sleptsovs was called “the origin of a shaman” – such an etymology of Oyunsky`s per-name. He was a victim of Stalinist repression, and died in prison in 1939. He was rehabilitated on 15.10.1955.

The State Prize of the Yakut ASSR, awarded for achievements in literature, arts, and architecture, was named after him. His name bears the Sakha drama theater, a literary museum, one of the streets in Yakutsk.

Petr, thanks a lot for your contribution! You helped me much!Similar Posts: