I am standing on land that Svetlana Katynova's family has
just purchased to build a new, environmentally friendly, traditional Altai home, high on a ridge
above the wood-smoke haze of Gorno-Altaisk. Her current, centrally-located
home will be used as a community center/hostel.
In celebration this weekend, Svetlana has invited family and friends,
especially young children, to sow 65 kedr trees, which will germinate
indoors this winter and be planted on Svetlana's land in the spring. Additional seeds will be planted in Tyungur. The kedr tree is sacred to Altai people, and
is valued for its sweet pinenuts, fragrant oil, and rot-resistant wood. These
trees will be a living heritage for future generations….see kedr-planting slideshow
Spirit moved me to make a quick trip to the Karakol
Valley on Thanksgiving Day, and I was greeted with great generosity by Danil Mamyev
and Joanna Dobson. We made an excursion to the Bashadar kurgans, and then
enjoyed the evening together, but the highlight was a visit to the new
community center in Bo’ochi village.
Village women are ramping up a cottage
industry of beautiful, traditional wool, felt, and fleece products—sumptuous fleece/silk
vests and comforters, woolen blankets, felt boots and slippers. The wool is
cleaned with fermented sheep’s milk, and no chemicals are used. The sheep
themselves are unexposed to chemicals. And, these products are imbued with the
powerful Altai energy, so they are indeed precious. If you have resources for
marketing these products, or would like something yourself, please let me know.
My artistic masterpiece this month was a mural on the ceiling of a chai-house in
Chendek village, Ust Koksa region. I am told that such a mural is completely
novel in this part of the world. Perhaps it will spawn a new tradition….see
Chendek mural
Give ART! Help ALTAI! Save 20%!
Altai art and photographs make wonderful holiday gifts. Besides being
beautiful, they convey the Altai energy into whatever space they
grace. All proceeds go to Altai Mir University projects. In December
only, get a 20% rebate (credited back when you buy)!
Winter here is amazingly beautiful, although bitter
cold. Occasionally, fog will coat everything with a thick layer of frost, which
then drifts into the air and sparkles when the sun shines
through it!….see Altai winter slideshow
See the archive of Reports from the Field, with all the attached articles and reports! Previous reports and articles on events page.
With great gratitude, I wish you a joyous holiday season!!
Please share this information with your friends and
colleagues.
Altai is more than a place – it Is a sacred way of being.
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