Russian folk-belief

[Wim Coudenys]

Dear colleagues,
I'm currently writing the biography of the Russian polygraph and emigrant
Ivan Nazhivin (1874-1940). As he was a populist strictu sensu, he often
turned to Russian folk-belief in his writings and letters. Mostly, I can
understand what he's aiming at, but just now I came across a sentence of
which I can't grasp the meaning. Could anyone help me?
In a letter of 1921 Nazhivin curses the Russian intelligentsia, who don't
understand "chto my veruem v Anchutku, chto babka nasha v ostroge milien
nazhila i muzhikov pod sebia skupala".
I don't understand either.
Thanks for your help,
Wim Coudenys
Dr. Wim Coudenys
Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
Departement Oosterse en Slavische Studies
Blijde Inkomststraat 21
B-3000 Leuven
Belgium
tel. ..32 16 324963  fax.  ..32 16 324963
e-mail. Wim.Coudenys at arts.kuleuven.ac.be
http://onyx.arts.kuleuven.ac.be/slavic/coudenys/coudenys.htm
interests: Russian emigration in Belgium, I.F. Nazhivin, reception of
Russian literature in the West