Artist: DJ Furth
Edition: 1/1
This man is a former mayor of his village Bolshoy Kunaley outside of Ulan-Ude, home to a branch of the Orthodox faith called the Semeiskie, commonly known as Old Believers.
Old Believers are a group who practice Russian Orthodox tradition as it was prior to reforms in the mid-17th century. They fled to Siberia to escape persecution and are known for their strict form of beliefs, hard-working nature, vibrant clothing and homes and unique polyphonic singing choirs performed by groups in unison.
He explains the resilience and nature of the Semeiskie people, “We are very stubborn. We always live with hope for better times. No matter how difficult it gets, we endure. And it seems that this patience, this aspiration to live has come from our ancestors.”
When asked about the spiritual plurality in the region, he explained, “some people are engaged in shamanism…others in Buddhism. Everyone has their own beliefs. But all of that can be united under one title — spirituality.”
“The main goal for all of them, for any development of shamanism or any other religious school of thought, the main goal is not to harm people…in the end, there is one God, but everyone perceives him differently.”