Fairy-tale culture festival SkazkaFest dedicated to Russian folklore held in Yugra
On 6 September, the National Centre RUSSIA in Yugra hosted
the first fairy-tale culture festival, "SkazkaFest. Journey Through the
Fairy Tales of the Peoples of Russia". The celebration brought together
theatre, literature, folk art and modern interactive formats. The festival was
held as part of the Year of the Unity of the Peoples of Russia and was timed to
coincide with the Day of the Languages of the Peoples of Russia. Its central
theme was the country's cultural diversity, passed down from childhood through
stories, images and traditions.
"From our earliest childhood, fairy tales help shape our native language,
culture and traditions. This is where the special meaning of our approach lies:
a fairy tale is a living bearer of values, containing folk wisdom and moral
guidance that help children distinguish between good and evil, learn empathy
and respect their roots. I hope you enjoy the literature, theatre and workshops
today, and that you experience the magic of fairy tales and feel their deep connection
with our history and culture," said Anton Pilipas, Head of the National
Centre RUSSIA in Yugra.
One of the festival's central events was the immersive tour "The Power of the Hearth". As they travelled through the halls of the "See Yugra — Fall in Love With Russia!" exposition, guests were immersed in the atmosphere of a northern forest: actors recreated birdsong and the beating of wings, as well as the murmur of water. The keepers of legends then introduced visitors to the rituals of the Khanty and Mansi peoples and shared proverbs, riddles and folk signs. The tour was accompanied by traditional musical instruments of the peoples of the North.
"This tour is special. It immerses you in the world and culture of the Khanty and Mansi peoples and helps children understand our people. It is very important that festivals like this bring families together. We come here together and, by doing so, take part in our children's development," said Svetlana Shaparina, who attended the festival with her grandchildren.
Fairy tales play a fundamental role in the lives of Indigenous small-numbered peoples because everything originated in myths and fairy tales, in nature itself, explained Lyudmila Alferova, Commissioner for the Rights of Indigenous Small-Numbered Peoples of Yugra. She also invited participants to learn several greetings in the languages of the peoples of Yugra and wished the festival many years of prosperity.
The festival's theatre programme was presented by the Nyagan Theatre for Young
Audiences. The actors performed "Russian Folk Tales", bringing
together three works from different regions of Russia — the Voronezh,
Arkhangelsk and Novgorod Regions. The production preserved features of local
dialects and speech, giving familiar stories a distinctive sound.
The "Living Fairy Tale" children's media laboratory was open to young guests. The children created their own characters and plot, made an animated film and recorded the voices themselves. During workshops, they painted figures of the Little Humpbacked Horse and a fairy-tale raven. For each activity, children received a stamp in their "Fairy-Tale Traveller's Passport", and after completing the quest they received commemorative souvenirs.
Festival guest Sergei Skitovich attended with his son. He said that events like
this help children see what they read about in books and feel a connection with
history and culture.
"It feels calm and heartfelt here. Children are shown love for nature,
their history, their fairy tales and their ethnic roots — and through these
images, a child begins to understand better who they are and where they come
from. That is why this is both necessary and valuable: it allows us to pass on
important meanings and values with care, without overwhelming children with
instruction, but through fairy tales, play and the beauty of theatre,"
said Sergei Skitovich.
SkazkaFest also announced the results of the "Fairy
Tales Together" online family reading contest. Families from different
municipalities of Yugra presented their favourite fairy tales in their own
videos. The five best family storytellers received commemorative prizes at the
festival's opening ceremony.
Read the latest news from the National Centre RUSSIA in Yugra on its official
accounts on VKontakte, Odnoklassniki, MAX and Telegram.
On Monday, 7 September, the National Centre RUSSIA will have a scheduled maintenance day.
The holiday brings together specialists from a wide range of professions, including geologists, drillers, engineers and technologists.
The "Pushkin Card" is a unique project that allows young people to engage with the world of culture and art.
