Image credit: Rough&Polished
The Moscow All-Russian Exhibition Center hosted an international tradeshow, “Treasures of the North” on September 14-18, at which 24 northern, Siberian and Far Eastern regions of the country presented their original culture, traditions, crafts and arts.
According to Senator Grigory Ledkov, the Russian North is a place where the folk culture has been almost originally preserved, which should be promoted at all levels, including the legislative level.
This show is aimed at supporting, preserving and developing folk art crafts of the indigenous peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russia.
More than 500 folk craftsmen, professional and amateur artists, indigenous peoples’ representatives and government bodies took part in the tradeshow, exhibiting their achievements in their social and economic development, original and unique culture of traditions and crafts.
The event included a festival called "Nomads of the North", an ethnic fashion show "Polar Style" and a cooking show "Mother Earth. Indigenous Peoples. Bread. Sweets. Beverages".
Introductory classes on the native language, lectures on the indigenous peoples’ ethnic culture, film screenings, and an exhibition of children's creativity were held at the Arctic Children site.
Nornickel, the leader of the Russian mining and metallurgical industry, also took part in the show. The company supports the communities of indigenous peoples in a big way. The company’s divisions are in the Norilsk industrial region, on the Kola Peninsula and in the Zabaikalye Territory. Great intereset was aroused by the projects of the indigenous communities of Eurasia’s northernmost Taimyr Peninsula, the area of development of ecotourism and fishing farms. In particular, projects that have already begun to be implemented in Taimyr include a blue fox breeding farm (Huale community), Pantotherapy Center (Hanaway non-profit organization) (procedures based on antler decoctions).
Alexei Kudryakov, the young chairman of the Kou Kun community, is developing the Ethnocombo app for mobile phones supported by Nornickel to advance the development of tourism in Taimyr.
Nornickel added a social theme to the ethnically vivid exhibition “Treasures of the North” focusing on the importance of creating jobs and industries for indigenous residents of the North, which will help them to show their energy and competences.
Galina Semyonova for Rough&Polished
