The Apocrypha of Priural

The Apocrypha based on the traditional knowledge and legends of the Indigenous peoples of the North were represented in Aksarka settlement, Priuralsk area.

Since January 2022 a volunteer project “Priuralsk argish” started in Aksarka. The main purpose of the project is a promotion of the authentic culture and languages of the Indigenous peoples of the North. The methodologies for popularization of the Indigenous languages and dissemination of the ethnographic knowledge about the native northerners of Yamal are widely used in the project. The culture bearers, the elders and youth, children, social activists – they all are involved in the project.

In May, 20, 2022, the activists of the project “Priuralsk argish” had a meeting with the elders of the settlement, pupils and teachers of the local school, veterans, representatives of public organizations and guests from Salekhard and Kharsaim settlement. The participants of the meeting spoke about the Apocrypha of Priural in Russian, Nenets, Komi and Khanty. Approximately 20 elders and 40 pupils took part in the meeting.

During the workshop everyone could try to create his own Apocrypha in the native language based on fictional or real stories.

The guests of the meeting told stories about the disappearance of an unusual stump in Kharsaim and “an iron finger”; saw how a piece of an air looks like from the chum; surprised seeing a footstep of a snowman; knew more about the sacred place “Imbernel” and a bell of sikhirtya people.

Children from the Folk Ensemble “Numgykotsya” (by A. Smetanina) performed a staging based on a folk tale.

The meeting was held within the Decade of the Indigenous Languages with the organizational support of the District Centre of National Culture, with the participation of the Kharsaim local school and Priuralsk Central Club System.