Scientists from the Kunstkammer have found a unique film about the life of nomadic herders in British archives.
At the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society in St. Petersburg the Russian premiere of the documentary "Tungus - the herders of Manchuria" and opening of a photo exhibition of the same name was held. The event was organized by the Department of Ethnography of Siberia, Peter the Great's Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkammer) with the support of the St. Petersburg branch of the Russian Geographical Society.
"The idea to arrange a showing of the film and a photo exhibition was born during the study of the heritage of a Russian ethnographer Sergei Mikhailovich Shirokogorov and a British researcher Ethel John Lindgren, who worked in the same regions of Manchuria with a time range of 15 years - said Dmitry Arzyutov, researcher at the Department of Siberia of Kunstkammer. - It was interesting to find out that Shirokogorov’s opinion of the field studies and field methods during his expedition in 1910-1918 coincided with Lindgren’s opinion during her expedition in 1929-1932. "
dmitriy-arzyutov.jpg
Comparison of their opinions and photographic materials determined the scheme of the exposition: "These photographs do not only reflect the dialogue of two anthropologists and their vision of Orchansky culture, but also the dialogue between two different anthropologies: Russian and British" - explain the organizers.
Vladimir Davydov, Head of the Department of ethnography of Siberia of Peter the Great's Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkammer) said: "Today in St. Petersburg a truly landmark event is taking place - the premiere of the film and the photo exhibition. And this is interesting not only for the Tungus science, but also for the history of ethnography in general. It is known that the ethnographic research of Manchuria was decisive for S.M. Shirokogorov in building his concept of ethnicity and his «phycho-mental complex» which later played an important role in the history of Soviet ethnography». The head of the department spoke about the Russian translation of Shirokogorov’s "Social Organization of the Northern Tungus."
img_7145.jpg
Sergey Shirokogorov (1887-1939) - a prominent ethnologist of the XX century, spent half his life in exile in China, where he wrote his basic monographs mostly in English. His paper "Social Organization of the Northern Tungus» is of special interest for Russian ethnology. It immediately became a rarity. This fundamental work was republished in English, was translated into Japanese and Chinese. Until now S.M. Shirokogorov’s monograph has not been published in Russia, in his homeland. The book contains extensive materials on the Evenk child delivery, marriage relations, organization and functions of the family, property relations and customs regulating social relations.
For many years Lindgren’s tape was being kept at the Museum of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Cambridge (UK). It had been practically unknown before it was digitized. The film consists of two parts with subtitles - comments in English. The film tells about everyday life of nomads, but at the same time, all participants who have watched it admitted that they kept thinking of complicity, as if the events that took place 70 years ago are taking place today.
informanty-shirokogorova-i-lindgren.jpg
Ethel John Lindgren (1905-1988) was born in Evanston, Illinois, USA. She spent her youth held in China and Japan, where she learned Chinese. She was engaged in experimental psychology. She entered Cambridge, studied and worked with great British anthropologist Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson, participating in joint discussions on cultural contacts. She used their methodology in her fieldwork, first in Manchuria, and then among the Sami in Sweden.
etel-dzhon-lindgren-so-svoimi-profodnikami.jpg
"I attend congresses of visual anthropology a lot and watch many movies. And often, despite the efforts of authors and beautiful scenes, there are boring ones among them. This film is black and white, silent, with subtitles, but it is impossible to take your eyes away, because it captures the flow of life itself in all its diversity, - admitted one of the spectators after watching the film - what we saw and heard today was much broader that what had been claimed in the announcement of the event"
Nadezhda Lukina - a famous scientist, Northern scholars, Doctor of History, Professor of Tomsk State University, congratulated the young ethnographers from the Kunstkammer with a wonderful event, emphasizing that their work was aimed at restoring the history of Russian ethnography: "Russia - is a large country, we have a lot of things here. Unfortunately, we do not always appreciate the things that scientists from other countries would be happy to study, but a lot of materials are unavailable for them. What you are doing here is admirable, "- said one of the most respected experts on the ethnography of Ob-Ugric peoples.
n.v.-lukina-pozdravlyaet-kolleg-s-otkrytiem.jpg
The photo exhibition will last until October 16. The exhibition is open at the Great Hall of the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society in St. Petersburg during the hours of the evening activities. Admission is free.
Text: Tatiana Nikolaeva
Photo: Tatiana Nikolaeva, Vladimir Davydov