UNESCO COMMISSION OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION
GOVERNMENT OF THE KHANTY-MANSIYSK AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
SCIENTIFIC & RESEARCH INSTITUTE OF UGRIC PEOPLES
INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE
“Conservation and sustainable development of the
traditional culture of the Northern
aboriginal small-in-number peoples”
Khanty-Mansiysk, Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug,
Russia
June 23-26, 2003
PROGRAM
1. Discussion of the problems, connected with
study, conservation and revival of languages, traditional
culture of the Northern peoples and their sustainable development.
2. Discussion of the state of the problem on conservation
of non-material cultural heritage of the peoples of the
Russian North in present reality;
3. Establishment of international cooperation and partnership
to strengthen the activity on conservation, revival and
spread of non-material cultural heritage of the Northern
peoples.
4. Adoption of the Recommendations.
CONCEPT
of the International Scientific conference “Conservation
& Sustainable Development of Traditional Culture of
the Northern Aboriginal Small-in-Number Peoples”
The Goal of this Concept is to determine priority
directions of the work of the International Scientific conference
“Conservation & Sustainable Development of Traditional
Culture of the Northern Aboriginal Small-in-Number Peoples”
(June 23-26, 2003, the venue – the town of Khanty-Mansiysk).
The Concept has been developed taking into
account scientific actuality of languages study, study of
traditional culture and nature management of the Ob Ugric
peoples and other peoples of the North, and specific research
work of the Scientific & Research Institute of Ugric
Peoples.
The key tasks of the International Scientific conference
“Conservation & Sustainable Development of Traditional
Culture of the Northern Aboriginal Small-in-Number Peoples”
is to discuss problems, connected with fundamental, scientific
and applied researches of languages, folklore and traditional
nature management, oriented to the sustainable development
of the aboriginal small-in-number peoples of the North in
the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug.
1. Discussion of problems, connected
with study, conservation and revival of languages, folklore
and traditional nature management of the Northern peoples
including Ob-Ugric peoples and other cognate peoples.
At the International Scientific conference
“Conservation & Sustainable Development of Traditional
Culture of the Northern Aboriginal Small-in-Number Peoples
” the work of two workshops is planned: “Languages and Folklore
of the Northern Peoples” and “Traditional Nature Management
and Sustainable Social-Economic Development of the Northern
Aboriginal Small-in-Number Peoples”.
In the framework of the workshop “Languages and Folklore
of the Northern Peoples” it is planned to discuss problems,
connected with researches, preservation and revival of language
and folklore of the Northern peoples mainly Ob-Ugric and
other cognate peoples. That is to consider the issues as
follows:
1.1. Problems of the documentation on the Northern peoples’
languages and folklore.
1.2. Typological study of the Northern peoples’ languages.
1.3. Phonetics and grammar of the Northern peoples’ languages
and adjacent regions.
1.4. Problems of lexicology, lexicography.
1.5. Problems of the creation of academic-methodical literature
for schools, vocational schools and higher educational institutions
where national languages are taught.
1.6. Issues of methods of national languages teaching.
1.7. Use of the data of comparative-historic and typological
study of languages and folklore of the Northern peoples
in the educational process.
1.8. State of the problem of conservation, revival and spread
of the Northern peoples’ folklore heritage;
1.9. State of the problem of conservation and revival of
spiritual culture: mechanisms of traditions and rituals
transfer.
At the workshop “Traditional nature management
and sustainable social-economic development of the Northern
aboriginal small-in-number peoples” it is supposed to consider
the following main problems:
1.10. Traditional nature management or household
activity of Ob-Ugric peoples. The biological (potential)
and economic (producing) productivity of bio-resources of
the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. The methods of the
bio-resources estimation (reindeer-breeding, including reindeer
capacity on pastures, hunting, fishing, provisions of berries,
nuts, mushrooms, officinal herbs and plants). The natural
and biological potential in the Okrug is a base for the
development of the traditional economic complex.
1.11. History, state and perspectives of the traditional
economy, occupations and crafts development. Tribal lands,
tribal communities, factories. Employment of aboriginals,
economic diagnostics: problems, methods, results of scientific
researches. Realization of the program of social-economic
development of the Northern aboriginal small-in-number peoples
of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug in 2002-2006. Organization
of the traditional branches and occupations under the condition
of the oil and gas complex intensive development and market
reforms. The economic and social technologies of the Northern
aboriginal small-in-number peoples’ development under modern
conditions. The legal aspect of household activity and land
management. Problems of globalization and sustainable social-economic
development of the Northern aboriginal small-in-number peoples.
1.12. Traditional nature management and environmental protection.
Ecological situation in the Okrug. Ecological awareness
and culture of the Ob-Ugric peoples. Reindeer culture. Culture
of fishermen and hunters. Interrelations of the traditional
economy and oil and gas complex: ecological factor. Ob-Ugric
peoples’ traditional lifestyle. Environmental protection
and protection of the Northern aboriginal small-in-number
peoples’ health. Territories of traditional nature management.
Especially-protected natural territories: reserves, conservancy
areas, ethno-natural parks, perspectives of their creation.
Traditional outlook and religion.
1.13. Modern demographic processes. Problems of teaching
of the fundamentals about traditional nature management
and economy of traditional occupations in the system of
public education and ethno-pedagogy. Ethnic and inter-ethnic
processes in the oil and gas region. Social development
of aboriginals, researches of socio-cultural dynamics, problems
of aboriginals’ adaptation in the industrial society. Sociological
monitoring of the Northern aboriginal small-in-number peoples.
2. Discussion of the state of the
problem on conservation of non-material cultural heritage
of the peoples of the Russian North in present reality.
The contemporary situation regarding preservation
of languages, traditional culture and economy of the Northern
peoples is a result of multiform factors’ influence from
the region’s past and present. Primarily it is connected
with intensive oil and gas development of the territory,
inhabited by aboriginal small-in-number people of the North.
Present realities of the Northern development are troublous.
An industrial effect on the Northern vulnerable eco-system
is strengthening. This process is accompanied by pollution
and destabilization, decline of adaptability and natural
character of the system. At the same time, the North is
overtaken with such phenomena as globalization, as well
as other regions of the world. The global climate is changing,
the disbalance between nature and environment is deepening
on global, regional and national levels. New information
and communication technologies, natural disasters and wide
spread of mass and modern youth culture harm the traditional
culture.
The policy in the sphere of non-material
cultural heritage (according to UNESCO interpretation the
heritage involves collective creativity of the cultural
society, including languages and folklore), held by public
authorities of the Russian Federation and public authorities
of the okrugs, regional public and scientific organizations
in the North strengthens positive directions and reduces
negative effects of different kinds.
“Recommendations on preserving traditional culture and folklore»,
which is the first and only international official document
in this sphere, was adopted by UNESCO in 1989. This document
is the base for the UNESCO program on non-material heritage
and serves a guide for many projects’ implementation on
preservation and spread of traditional culture and folklore
in UNESCO member-states.
It should be noted that some positive results already exist
in the Russian legislative sphere. Particularly, relevant
laws on state and regional levels have been already adopted.
The Federal Law “On objects of cultural heritage (monuments
of history and culture) of the peoples in the Russian Federation”
was adopted by the State Duma and approved by the Federal
Assembly. This law regulates relations in sphere of preservation,
use, popularization and state protection of cultural heritage
objects (monuments of history and culture) of the peoples
in the Russian Federation. The Law is aimed at realization
of everybody’s constitutional right to have an access to
the cultural values and everybody’s constitutional obligation
to take care of historical and cultural heritage conservation.
It is also aimed at realization of the Russian Federation
peoples’ rights on their historical and cultural originality
preservation and development, protection and revival and
preservation of historical and cultural place of residence,
protection and preservation of information sources about
culture generation and development.
The Duma of the Autonomous Okrug adopted the Law «On languages
of the Northern Aboriginal Small-in-Number Peoples, living
on the territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug».
The present law sets up support measures of national (mother
tongue) languages of the Northern aboriginal small-in-number
peoples (Khanty, Mansi and Nenets people), living on the
territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug, by public
authorities and local authorities of the municipalities
of the Autonomous Okrug. The Law is also aimed at conservation
and development of these peoples’ cultures.
At present the draft law of the Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous
Okrug “On Folklore of the Northern Aboriginal Small-in-Number
Peoples, living on the territory of the Khanty-Mansiysk
Autonomous Okrug” is under development. The present law
stipulates the regulation of relations, connected with preservation,
study, use and popularization of the folklore of Northern
aboriginal small-in-number peoples, living on the territory
of Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. The Law provides cultural
diversity, realization of the Northern aboriginal small-in-number
peoples’ rights on preservation and development of their
national cultural originality; protection, revival and preservation
of their aboriginal historic and cultural place of residence
and traditional lifestyle; development of these peoples’
saved folklore traditions.
The preservation of traditional culture, folklore and language
is the fundamental base of their social and cultural originality
and necessary source of their singularity that has deep
historic roots. Ethic norms, philosophy, values, ways of
thinking, transferred through languages, oral traditions,
make up the base of the Northern Peoples’ life. On the other
hand, the preservation and protection of these peoples’
non-material cultural heritage mainly predetermine a sustainable
development in the North and multinational Russia on the
whole.
The “Program of social and economic development of the Northern
aboriginal small-in-number peoples of the Khanty-Mansiysk
Autonomous Okrug in 2002-2006” was adopted and being fulfilled
by the Okrug’s Government and Duma to realize the regional
strategy, which provides economic and social development
of the Northern aboriginal small-in-number peoples of the
Khanty-Mansiysk Autonomous Okrug. The main objective of
the Program is to form the system of organizational, economic
and financial mechanisms, aimed at creation of conditions
providing the improvement of the Northern aboriginal small-in-number
peoples’ standard of living and giving them an opportunity
to participate directly in strengthening of traditional
kinds of activity and economy development.
3. Establishment of international
cooperation and partnership to strengthen the activity on
preservation, revival and spread of non-material cultural
heritage of the Northern peoples, in particular, on the
base of the joint use of human and material resources to
realize the programs of languages and folklore development,
fulfillment of research works, realized by specialists of
one country in another country.
The Scientific Institutes of the Siberian Branch of the
Russian Academy of Sciences make important work in the sphere
of folklore study, spread and conservancy. In particular,
the United Institute of History, Philosophy & Philology
of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences
(Novosibirsk) prepares the publication of the global work
- 60 volumes series “Monuments of Folklore of Peoples of
Siberia & Far East”. The Scientific & Research Institute
of Ugric Peoples is preparing folklore volumes of the Khanty
and Mansi peoples.
Cooperation with UNESCO, an intergovernmental organization,
and with regional, international institutes in the sphere
of traditional culture, folklore and languages is considered
to be a significant factor while establishing international
cooperation and partnership to strengthen the activity on
research, preservation, revival and spread of the Northern
peoples’ non-material heritage.
4. Adoption of the Recommendations
In the final part of the International Scientific conference
“Conservation & Sustainable Development of Traditional
Culture of the Northern Aboriginal Small-in-Number Peoples”
in the town of Khanty-Mansiysk there will be considered
and adopted three types of the recommendations. They will
include: Appeal to the Government of the Russian Federation,
to public authorities of the Autonomous Republics and Okrugs
of the Russian Federation, to UNESCO, non-governmental organizations
whose work is closely connected with the conservancy and
revival of the Northern peoples’ traditional culture, folklore
and languages. These recommendations will create the base
for development of priority actions and projects in the
Russian North. Due to these recommendations the Program
of UNESCO non-material heritage will be enriched by the
activity, “oriented to the North”.
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