Finno-Ugric ethno-cultural centre
Olga Nikolashina is the Chairman of “Finno-Ugric ethno-cultural centre of Pavlodar region”. At the 24th session of APK of the region she was elected as Deputy Chairman of the Assembly of people of Kazakhstan of Pavlodar region from ethno-cultural associations and Deputy Chairman of Mothers’s Council at APK of the region.
—Could you tell us the history of “Finno-Ugric ethno-cultural centre”?
—The idea was up in the air for ten years. My family fully supported me. When I came up with this idea to the Head of Secretariat of APK Seisenbay Zhetpissbayev, he suggested to expand the idea and establish not Mordovian but Finno-Ugric centre. After all, there are not many representatives of Finno-Ugric group, which includes Mordovians in our region.
So, our work began on establishment of the centre. We worked with the archives, migration police, called people. At the second stage, more than 300 letters were sent, audio invitations were sent to the organizational meeting in large supermarkets and public transport of the city. There were a lot of worries and then... Our first organizational meeting was held on 15 February 2015 and 21 people attended it. Presentation of the centre with participation of akim was timed to Unity Day of Kazakhstan people and was held on 30 April 2016.
This year we celebrated our 3rd anniversary!
— What ethnoses are part of your ethno-cultural association?
—Today, Finno-Ugric association includes the regional centre and 2 branches (Mordovian in Kachir and Udmurt in Uspensky district), these are 164 people aged from 1 to 93 of 9 nationalities. They are Hungarians, Veps, Kvens, Komi-Permians, Marians, Mordvinians, Udmurts, Finns, Estonians.
—What activities are held at the centre?
—Vocal family ensemble “Esne” under the leadership of Yulia Safronova, dance group “Samruk” under the leadership of Art Director Svetlana Zubkova, youth vocal group “Tugan zher” under the leadership of Olga Ivashkina are involved in activity.
The work of Elders’ Council led by labour veteran Alexandr Bulla, Mothers’s Council under the chairmanship of Yulia Safronova, youth wing under the leadership of Mikhail Dunayev is actively held at the centre. The home workshop of “Finno-Ugric souvenir” and section of the Finnish walk “School of health” under the leadership of Alisa Nikolashina are implemented at the centre as well.
Since September 2016, Finnish language Studio has been working under the direction of Alexandra Antontseva.
The centre actively cooperates with Association of Finno-Ugric people of the Russian Federation, Finno-Ugric centres of Omsk, Saransk (Republic of Mordovia), Syktyvkar (Republic of Komi), Lahti (Finland), with Finno-Karelian centre “Suomi” (Almaty). Methodological assistance as dictionaries, phrasebooks and fiction is provided from Mordovia, Komi, Udmurtia, Karelia, Mari El, Finland.
During the reporting period, the centre has organized and participated in more than 200 events.
— Could you tell us more about it?
— In May 2018, we made an expedition trip to the village of Lozovoe in Uspensky district together with Pavlodar geographical society.
We went to the locals of Lozovoe with the mission that was supported even by the weather. It could hardly be anything else, because we came to the opening of Udmurt branch of “Finno-Ugric centre of Pavlodar region”.
It is the tradition to bring gifts for such remarkable events, so we did it. We gave a copy of the Charter of Finno-Ugric centre, a doll “Udmurtochka”, made in the home workshop “Finno-Ugric souvenir”, Udmurt Bereginya, brought from Glazov of the Republic of Udmurtia, a new collection of folk Udmurt songs and of course, scarves for all participants and organizers.
Representatives of 13 nationalities live in Lozovoe and all of them came to congratulate us on the opening of the branch with their creative performances.
It was a great family holiday!
In March, competition “Memlekettik tilim – kuatym!” was held in the framework of the project “Kaazakhsha soileu onai” at “Kogamdyk kelisim” KSU. This project started in November 2017. The project was developed in accordance with the programme “Rukhani zhangyru” in the framework of the regional project of the Assembly of people of Kazakhstan “Uly Dalanyn mangilik tili”. The project aims to involve young people through immersion in national spiritual values (culture, traditions, customs, rituals), to expand the scope of using the state language and promote its study.
The participants of the project were young people at the age of 14 to 29, who are divided into pairs consisting of a representative who does not speak the state language and a student enrolled in the programme “Serpin”. They increased the level of the Kazakh language for several months showed the results of their work that day. Six couples took part in the project.
The huge achievement of our centre for three years was creation of dance collectives where the choreographic ensemble “Samruk” occupies a special place. Why “Samruk”? Today, representatives of 9 nationalities are engaged at our centre. As our choreographic ensemble performs dances of all representatives of Finno-Ugric people and we all live under a single shanyrak in a large multinational family of Kazakhstan, everyone liked the appearance of the golden-winged bird Samruk.
Our bird soared only within the region all the time, gained experience, worked hard on folk dance style, decorated “its plumage” (sewed costumes).
Finally, there was an opportunity to become a participant of the XVI Republican contest of children's creativity “Ak kogershin” on 1-3 November, 2017 in Almaty, where our “Samruk” was presented in the middle and older age groups in the nomination “Folk dance”. We also wanted “Ak kogershin” to give us the opportunity to look at the work of groups from other regions, to make friends with colleagues and most importantly, it marked the beginning of the successful performances of the ensemble “Samruk” and became launching pad for it.
Therefore, the competition programme included the middle group of Mordovian and Finnish dance. Sewing costumes for the Finnish dance was completed on the day of departure for the competition, and they were worth it. Wonderful dance performance, masterful performance, “packed” in stunning costumes, gave its long-awaited result – the1st place!
The senior group was represented by Hungarian and Khanty dances.
The complex technique of each dance, its emotional component and again colourful costumes and as a result, it was very unexpected, but so desirable – Grand Prix!
Emotions and feelings that we experienced is simply impossible to describe and say in a few words. We cried and laughed.... Storm of emotions. We rejoiced!
Such moments in life allow us to realize very clearly how great it is when there are like-minded people nearby. People who understand you at a glance, fervently rooting for their work and devote themselves utterly. That victory is the first result of the hard work of our choreographer Svetlana Zubkova
During the stay in Almaty on recreation centre of the House of Friendship, a working meeting was held with Chairman of the Finnish centre “Suomi” A. Smirnov in the framework of which a number of joint activities were planned.
In June, the opening of a branch of the regional Finno-Ugric ethno-cultural association took place in the village Yaroslavka of Kachir district under the programme “Tugan zher”. The event was attended by representatives of the regional APK, the district administration and of course, the locals.
— Thank you for the interview!
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Dana TUGAMBEKOVA
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