The National Centre RUSSIA in Yugra celebrates the Day of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of Russia

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Festive events dedicated to the Day of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of the Russian Federation took place at the National Centre RUSSIA in Khanty-Mansiysk. This holiday, established for the first time at the state level, brought together more than 250 participants from the municipalities of Yugra, including representatives of indigenous peoples, public organisations, government bodies, cultural figures, and the youth.

"Today, for the first time, we celebrate this holiday all together. Yet it feels as though it has always been with us — in the traditions, the culture, and that connection between generations that unites Yugra and the entire country," noted the Governor of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Area – Yugra, Ruslan Kukharuk.

The central event of the day was the official opening ceremony, which featured the presentation of the Governor of Yugra's awards for contributions to the development of culture, the traditional way of life, and the preservation of the legacy of the indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North.

Ruslan Kukharuk stated that a systematic framework for supporting indigenous peoples has been established in the region. Decisions are made taking into account the opinions of the representatives of indigenous peoples themselves — from public organisations to residents of nomadic camps. According to the head of the region, it is vital not only to preserve traditions but also to make them accessible and engaging for the new generation through educational projects and modern formats.

The celebrations included educational activities for children and adults, such as lectures, seminars, and masterclasses. The venue also hosted the 1st Regional Forum of Ob-Ugric Students "Studentship. Traditions. Family".

The District House of Folk Art presented the "Immaterial and Cultural Assets of Yugra: Traditions and Modernity" platform. Its purpose is to demonstrate how cultural heritage can be transmitted through forms familiar to modern youth: design, animation, music, photography, and video.

"In this process, it is crucial to understand that everything we preserve must be passed on to the younger generation. Today, we decided to showcase possible forms of transmitting customs and traditions through the school of creative industries — through processes that young people understand," noted Yelena Islamuratova, Director of the District House of Folk Art.

Several directions were developed within the platform. In the "Tradition through the Lens" zone, expedition participants showed how the lives of culture bearers are filmed in nomadic camps, workshops, and daily life. A separate component featured the work of the School of Creative Industries, where the traditional music of the Ob Ugrians is given a new sound through modern rhythms and digital processing while maintaining the original cultural code.

Another direction was "Thread of Tradition," where craftswomen and students create jewellery and costume elements, including breast charms and traditional shawls. Additionally, a new collection titled "Heritage of Yugra" is being formed to mark the institution's 70th anniversary. The block concluded with the "Way of Kindness" project, where folk tales are transformed into animations, audio plays, and interactive puzzles.

A separate space was dedicated to an ethnic gaming festival prepared by the "Torum Maa" open-air ethnographic museum. It featured traditional and modern games of the Ob-Ugric peoples — from bone and stick sets to board and digital formats.

As the Director of the museum, Yelena Fedotova, explained, play in this culture has always been a way of learning about life: "These are not just games. This is preparation for life. They foster perseverance, endurance, and focus. Even simple objects like bones or sticks carry meaning and legends."

Within the "Centre for Folk Arts and Crafts," participants study traditional costume through ceramic figurines and examine the evolution of household items in the "History of the Area through the History of the Object" project.

The space is rounded off by a large-scale TASS photo exposition titled "Our Peoples of the North: TASS Photo Chronicle," created in collaboration with the Government of Yugra. The exposition features archival images documenting the life and history of the indigenous peoples of the North over decades. It also includes works by photojournalist Ivan Sapozhkov, whose photography chronicled the industrial development of the region.

The day concluded with a concert by Vera Kondratyeva titled "Voice of the Taiga".

The event was organised by the Government of Yugra, the Commissioner for the Rights of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples in the Autonomous Area, the "Yugra Centre for Civil and Social Initiatives" Foundation, and federal and regional partner organisations.

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