Ethnofuturistic festival "Pelnian"

Sun Jan 19 20:57:26 UTC 2003

Sent to us by Esa-Jussi Salminen <e-j.salminen at suomi24.fi>:

I forward this message because ethnofuturism can no longer be considered
as strange thought of some artists from Estonia and Udmurtia.

It is a genuine phenomenon in Finn-Ugric world, but other people are
becoming
more and more interested, for example Tatars, Tshuvashians and Russians and
many others. Not only artists work in the movement, but many scholars as
well, for example professors Kari Sallamaa from Finland (Oulu University)
and Vladimir Vladykin from Udmurtia State University.

The theory of ethnofuturism is for many somewhat obscure, but below you find
some explanations as well as an announcement of the next Ethnofuturistic
Festival "Pelnian", to be held 19.6.-22.6.2003 in Izhevsk. Dead line for
application forms 1.3.2003. The number of participants seems to be limited
to 30, though.

ejs

IDNA Ñreative Òeamwork, together with Bronze Age Group, "Arheopterix" Art
Group, the Ministry of National Politics of Udmurt Republic, Administration
of Alnashsky District of Udmurtia
present the International Ethnofuturism Festival
«Pelnian»
The word combination «Pelnian» in Udmurt and Komi languages means
«ear-shaped
bread» / dumplings. In olden times this dish was a sort of universal canned
food for hunters who wandered in the woods in search of game. Ears in the
traditional culture are endowed with a  strong semiotic meaning. The usage
of the meat from a bear and a pike, or lamb in the pelnian mincemeat was
associated with the totemistic beliefs of the Finno-Ugric peoples. Ears
hearing
everything, they know about everything. Ears also are a loving human organ
that has a very strong erotic meaning.

Many creative people take part in the festival who come from Udmurtia,
Finno-Ugric
Regions of Russia, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Mongolia and the
USA. The approximate amount of the participants is 30 persons. The daedline
for sending the application forms for participation is 1March 2003. Udmurt,
Russian and English are working languages of the festival.

Contact phones numbers and e-mails:

786993 (in the day time), 587317 (after 8 p.m.) - Jury  Lobanov (Kuchiran
Juri) and Odomaa Ñreative Òeamwork
kuchiran at udmnet.ru

Fax - (3412) 781507

781023 (in the day time ) - Larissa Buranova (the Ministry of National
Politics
of Udmurt Republic)
The programme of the festival:

June, 19
----------------------------------------
7.00 - Departure of the straw-sculpture craftsmen for Alnashi (5 teams, 3
persons in each one)

10.00 - Disposition in the village

12.00 - 13.00 -Lunch

13.00 - 20.00 - Work on sculptures

20.00 - 21.00 -Dinner

 June, 19 -activities  in Izhevsk:
----------------------------------------
8.00 - 15.00 Arrival of the rest of the  participants

15.30 - 16.30 - Lunch

18.00 - Opening of the personal exhibition of the Estonian artist Evar
Riitsar,
with a performance in the Fine Arts Museum of Udmurt Republic (URMII)

20.00 - 21.00 - Dinner

June, 20 activities  in Alnashi
----------------------------------------
7.00 - Waking up

8.00 - 8.30 - Breakfast

8.30 - 0.00 - Work on sculptures

10.00 - Arrival of the visitors from Izhevsk

11.00 - 13.00 - Opening of the festival and the joint exhibition of the
festival
participants in the foyer of Alnashi Centre of Arts. Video performances,
video actions on several telescreens.

13.30 - 14.30 - Lunch

15.00 - 16.00 - Press conference, combined with the presentation of festival
catalogue in Alnashi Centre of Arts.

16.00 - 17.00 - Participants of the festival depart for the village of
Asangurt,
while the etnofuturists' beau monde leaves for Izhevsk.

17.00 - 19.00 - Continuation of the festival in the village of Asangurt
(videon
displays)

19.00 - 20.00 - Dinner

20.00 - 23.00 -Straw fireworks. 5 straw sculptures are to be set on fire
at the riverside. The action is combined with the performances of all
delegations.

June, 20 - activities  in Izhevsk
----------------------------------------
8.00 - Departure for Alnashi (participants and journalists)

10.00 - Arrival.

June, 21 - activities  in Asangurt & Elabuga
________________________________________________________________________
8.00 - 9.00 - Breakfast

9.00 - Departure for Elabuga, Republic of Tatarstan

11.00 - 13.00 - Performance in the town, on the ancient settlement of the
Finno-Ugric origin (dated back to 9-10 centuries AD).

13.00 - 14.00 - Lunch

14.30 - 17.00 -Tour of the town.

17.00 - Departure for Alnashi (with a short term action along the way, in
the village of Staraya  Jumya at about 18.00-19.00).

20.00 - 23.00 - Farewell dinner in Alnashi

23.00 - 23.30 - Departure for the village of Asanovo, continuation of the
cultural actions in the village (all night).

June, 22
----------------------------------------
8.00 - 9.00 - Breakfast

9.00 - Departure of the participants.

Statement of the aims and the tasks.
The Finno-Ugric Regions of Russia through the movement of the Finno-Ugric
peoples aspiring to achieve union, perform the activities that are
impossible
to overestimate and that have not been appreciated so far. They put much
effort in the process of cultural revival and the development of social
stability
in whole Russia.
The Finno-Ugric movement is unique and valuable when viewed in all-Russian
context. It is open for all peoples, cultures, religions. It fights
confrontation,
aggression and the policy of isolationism.
As the counteraction to nihilism and the process of spiritual devastation
ethnofuturism and other modern cultural dimensions work for (re-)
introduction
of the traditional culture values, the values of national culture for the
younger generation. The cultural movement of Ethnofuturism is a constituent
of the positive Russian cultural movement.
Ethnofuturism emerged in Estonia in the end of 80-s in the 20th century.
But it spread out beyond the national borders very soonand became popular
with the other peoples, has found new features and has received interesting
variations. Estonian critics have already started interpreting etnofuturism
as a cultural phenomena among other peoples.
The broadest interpretation was given to ethnofuturism by the Canadian
professor
of the Estonian origin Rhein Taagepera at III conference on ethnofuturism
in Tartu (1999).
His model represents various attitudes towards traditional culture or
orientations
in culture, such as cosmofuturism, ethnopraeterism and ethnofuturism.
Cosmofuturism is regarded as an orientation toward creation of «the fine
new world» that is meant to be «postnational». Cosmofuturism has little to
offer small peoples, just the prospect of disappearing among the larger
nations.
Ethnopraeterism is an orientation toward the ethnic past. The positive
estimation
is given here to the past. The importance of cleanliness of national culture
is emphasised, intolerance toward anything new is expressed. Such
orientation
implies the decay of national culture and, eventually, its disappearance.
Ethnofuturism is a sight according to which small peoples also have
opportunities
to keep and develop their national distinctiveness. It is oriented toward
the future, national culture is considered as dynamical and varying in time.
It is rejected that the borrowing of the elements of an alien material
culture
should inevitably be accompanied by the adoption of the alien  spiritual
culture. Preservation of ethnic diversity is considered quite possible.
Processes occuring in the world not only result in the revival of the
certain
old cultural forms in Udmurtia, those ones that have been tested by time.
They also lead to the emergence of the completely new reality. The latter
was created during the festivals on ethnofuturism: «Odomaa» («Our Udmurt
Land» -July, 13 - 20, 1998), «Erumaa» («the Love Land» - October, 16-25
1998),
«Kalmez» («the Fish-Man» - March, 20, 1999), «Mushomu» («the Land of Bees»
- May, 18 - 25 2000) «Tangyra» («the Udmurt Drum» - May, 26 - 29, 2001)
«Idna»
- May, 23 - 25, 2002.
These festivals in Udmurtia have already turned into a tradition and
received
a positive public response in Udmurt Ripublic and beyond its borders.
The festivals of this kind have never been held regilarly neither in
Udmurtia,
nor in any other regions of Russia. The fireworks of feelings and emotions,
verses, songs, dances, music, in the genres of performance, happening,
installation
make this actions special. The festival is for many an opportunity to reach
the unification of souls, it is a holiday of a new kind, a show arranged
jointy by the participants of the festivals and the spectators.
The festival «Pelnian» differs from the previous ones. It will be focused
on performance, video performance, video actions, «video radicalism»,
aesthetic
and technological etnofuturistic experiments in video art, happenings, and
will entirely be held in Alnashsky Dictrict of Udmurtia.
The organisers of the given festival for the first time plan to offer the
parttakers to join the rural cultural space, to dissolve in it. Having
absorbed
the cleanliness of the authentic Udmurt folklore, they are supposed to
provoke
the villagers to perform joint cultural actions, trying to search for new
ideas, forms and methods within the key concept of the festival.
In the village atmosphere a mixture of two system concepts is expected to
be present: the myth at a level of the ordinary consciousness (fiction,
distortion
of the facts, etc.) and the myth at a scientific level in the form of
thinking
in symbols and images.
Pel?menis are one of the most widespread dishes in Russia, especially in
the Urals and the Volga Region. The cooking and eating of pelmeni has very
strong ritual connotations among Komi-Permyaks, Udmurts, Maris and Russians.
The etymology of the word «pel?meni» testifies to the mythological origin
of the dish. The word is borrowed from Udmurt and Komi languages where the
combination «Pelnian» means «ear-shaped bread». In olden times this dish
was a sort of universal canned food for hunters who wandered in the woods
in search of game. Ears in the traditional culture are endowed with a
strong
semiotic meaning. The usage of the meat from a bear and a pike, or lamb in
the pelnian mincemeat was associated with the totemistic beliefs of the
Finno-Ugric
peoples. Ears hearing everything, they know about everything. Ears also are
a loving human organ that has a very strong erotic meaning.
There are many ways how to promote and popularise our festivals («Pelnian»
in particular). It can be participation in «Privolzhsky Region's Cultural
Capital 2003» competition, the organisation of mini-festivals several
districts
of Udmurtia, regions of Russia and abroad (first of all in the Finno-Ugric
countries). It can also be active cooperation with local, regional and
foreign
mass media with the aim of expansion of the Ethnofuturist thinking among
the intelligentsia and all people of the Finno-Ugric regions in Russia as
well as elsewhere in the world.
A good example is the promotion of the festival «Tangyra» (2001). The
festival
got its continuaton in the cultural action «Tangyra-Tangyra» held in
Ulyanovsk
as part of the project  «Privolzhsky Region's Cultural Capital 2001». In
Syktyvkar within the framework of the Pan-Finno-Ugric Days the festival
«Tangyra-Tangyra-Tangyra»
was arranged. Under the initiative of the House of Internatonal Friendship
in Naberezhnye Chelny (Republic of Tatarstan), the performance «Oti-tati,
otsy-tatsy» and a workshop on the traditional Udmurt dolls were arranged.
The same performance was held in the village of Sep, Igrinsky District, and
the borough of Igra in Udmurtia. The festival «Idna» (2002) was also
promoted
well. The information about the festival was distributed by Polli Talu among
the participants of the International practical symposium on video
performances
and happenings held in the Centre of Arts in Western Estonia in August -
September, 2002, with participants from Estonia, Russia, Mongolia, Bulgaria,
Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary, USA and Kazakhstan. Works by the
participants
of the above-mentioned  symposium will also take part in the festival
«Pelnian».

   In order to achieve the festival goals, support and sponsorship is
expected
from any interested parties, including ministries of national politics
(Udmurtia,
Komi, Marij El, Karelia), the Finno-Ugric Cultural Centre (Republic of
Komi),
ministries of culture (Udmurtia, Komi, Marij El, Mordovia), «Fenno-Ugria»
Foundation (Estonia), the Student?s organization of the University of
Helsinki
(SKV), the Youth Policy Committee (Udmurtia), the Publishing house
«Udmurtia»,
Administration of Alnashsky District of Udmurt Republic, «Okan» Company,
«Eric» Youth Movement (Izhevsk), the Associations «Udmurt Kenesh» , The
Udmurt
Youth Organisation «Shundy», the regional movement «Society of Udmurt
Culture
«Demen», etc.

Activities (methods and phases)

The activities within the framework of the project are organised in two
phases
which are very much pressed in time. The first phase is the announcement
of a competition on straw sculpture models (April - May). The second phase
is the announcement of the competition's results. The festival «Pelnian»
will be held on 25 - June, 29, 2003. During 2003 a selection of works for
the international exhibition «Pelnian» will be arranged. Works are to be
evaluated and selected by the Artistic Counsil, with artists from Izhevsk
and districts of Udmurtia as the counsil members. The works enrolled for
the participation in the exhibition from the regions of Russia and abroad
will be selected through the Internet.
It is expected that folk song and music groups from Alnashsky District and
other districts of Udmurtia, as well as from regions of Russia and abroad
will take part in the opening ceremony.
The closing of the exhibition will start with a press conference. Also the
catalogue of the festival and performances will be presented.
The organising committee is dealing with all organisational questions during
all phases. The work of the festival is reflected by mass media of Izhevsk,
Udmurt Republic, as well as the Finno-Ugric newspaper «Kudo - kodu» which
is published in Yoshkar-Ola and distributed all over Russia and abroad, by
the radio programme «Finno-Ugric World» broadcast to all Finno-Ugric regions
in Russia, and the network information lits ugrimugri at lists.ut.ee,
udmurtia-eesti at lists.ut.ee

The brief characteristic of participants and organisers:

Lobanov Jury Nikolaevich - the leader of the project, the head of the
festival's
organising committee, the artistic editor of the Publishing House
«Udmurtia»,
a member of the Union of Artists of Russian Federation, the leader of Odomaa
Creative Teamwork. As the main organiser of the festival he is responsible
for designing of the festival concept, the composition of the festival
programme,
the preparation of the fesival catalogue, the work with foreign participants
and participants from Finno-Ugric regions of Russia, writing of an article
for the catalogue. He will also direct the opening and closings ceremonies
and performances.

Tokarev Sergey Arkadievich - the head of Administration of Alnashsky
District,
the head of the festival organising committee in Alnashsky District, an
expert
and coordinator of the festival.

Urazbakhtina Nadezhda Aleksandrovna - the deputy head of Administration of
Alnashsky District, a member of the festival organising committee in
Alnashski
District, an expert and coordinator of the festival.

Stepanova Nadezhda Andreevna - radio journalist of Udmurtia Broadcasting
Company, the author of the radio programme «The Finno-Ugric World», an
expert
and coordinator of the festival, a member of the festival organising
committee
responsible for the festival activities in the village of Asangurt,
Alnashsky
District, an expert on ethnografic tourism (oikotourism) which is a
constituting
part of ethnofuturism.

Rozenberg Natalia Abramovna -a Doctor of Cultural Science, an expert of the
festival. (Preparation of an article for the catalogue.)

Vladykin Vladimir Emelianovich -a Doctor of History, professor of Udmurt
State University, the main adviser and an expert of all festivals on
ethnofuturism
in Udmurtia.
(Preparation of an article for the catalogue.)

Andres Heinapuu - the director of Fenno-Ugria Information Centre (SURI),
the head of the festival organising committee in Estonia, an expert and
coordinator
of the festival.
(Preparation of an article for the catalogue.)

Heie Treier - the editor-in-chief of the Estonian magazine «Kunst.ee», a
critic. One of the founders of the movement of ethnofuturism.
(Preparation of an article for the catalogue.)

Kari Sallamaa -a professor of anthropology, University of Oulu (Finland),
an expert and coordinator of the festival.
(Preparation of an article for the catalogue.)

Anikin Anatoly Egorovich - a member of the Union of Artists of Russian
Federation,
a professor, Dean of the Fine Arts Faculty of the Udmurt State University,
an expert of the festival. The head of the team of straw-sculptors at the
festival.

Prokopyev Andrey Nikolaevich -a lecturer of the Udmurt State University,
the artistic director of Ekton Korka Traditional Dance Studio, an expert
and coordinator of the festival.
(Preparation of an article for the catalogue.)

Shibanov Viktor Leonidovich -a senior lecturer of the Udmurt State
University,
an expert and coordinator of the festival.
(Preparation of an article for the catalogue.)

Lobanova Alevtina Stepanovna - a leading specialist of Centre for Applied
Arts and Crafts of Udmurt Republic, an expert and coordinator of the
festival.

(Preparation of an article for the catalogue.)

Khodyreva Marina Germanovna - the musical editor of Udmurtia Broadcasting
Company, a member of the Union of Composers of Russian Federation, an expert
and coordinator of the festival.

Reshetnikova Ekaterina Anatolievna - a student of the musical college,
Izhevsk,
a coordinator of the festival.

Edygarova Svetlana Valerievna - a student of the Udmurt Philology Faculty
of theUdmurt State University, a coordinator of the festival.

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