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Route in China (SIBERIA - Ulan-Ude)

Bec
2004-09-19 16:39:57

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Russia. Lamaism held considerable political power for many centuries in this part of the world but now it barely survives as a cultural symbol of the Buriat minority who also maintain some shamanist practices.

Ethnographic Museum
The following day, the Swiss couple continued on their way back to Europe. It was cold and muggy but I went to see the ethnographic museum anyway. It featured about two dozen buildings brought here from various locations to be preserved as testimony of the cultural past of the province. It was empty. I was alone but I found it very interesting.

There was no guide, only a one page map with numbered references to indications in Russian only. The church and this house were part of the "urban complex", they had probably been moved here from Ulan-Ude.

There was only one felt yurt (under a protective cover) and several of these round structures labeled Buriata something. It was interesting to see how the Buriat, living in the wooded taiga, adapted the round felt yurt of their grassland Mongol cousins to their colder northern environment.

This ensemble represents the contribution of the "Old Believers" to the area's architecture. When the Metropolite Nihon reformed the Orthodox Church to increase its power over civil affairs in the 17th century, those who rejected the reforms were persecuted as heretics. Some of the fleeing Seymeyski (old believers) settled in Buriatia at a time when it was still a frontier land far from central power. The blue painted village gate dates only from 1906 but it is in pure Semeyski tradition.

Houses and walls formed a protective enclosure required for safety. In those times the siberian East was as lawless as was the wild american West. It was much colder here than on the american prairie and the brick stove naturally occupied a key position. This is a small one, most were much larger and has a raised platform where the elderly had the privilege to sleep.

I was the only visitor that day apart from a group of school children with their teacher. There were some Buriats living there, mostly old women, but they vigorously refused to be photographed. One toothless old lady with a face wrinkled like a raisin must have been a hundred. She would have made a great photo but as she retreated into her lair, I took a shot of the house instead.

Naushki
Naushki is the last Russian town before Mongolia. The train stopped here for more than two hours with no reason. Luckily there was a small market nearby where some travellers stocked up on various provisions. I preferred to spend that time exchanging sign language mixed with a few Russian, German and English words with these locals. Lamb shashlick with raw onions and vodka made the time pass very quickly indeed!

This austere train station would have left me with a very cold and bureaucratic last image of Russia had it not been for the friendly bunch in the market. That about sums up my impression of that country; fine warm people crushed by an unfeeling bureaucracy. Its a pity they can't get their act together!

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