Participants of workshop at the National Centre RUSSIA in Primorye made Nanai amulets
A creative workshop was held by teachers of the Children's Art School No. 7 of the city of Vladivostok at the branch of the National Centre RUSSIA in the Primorye region. The event introduced attendees to the culture of the indigenous peoples of the Far East and the symbols of the Nanai ornaments. At the end, the children made Nanai protective charms with their own hands.
According to teacher Alexandra Mishchenko, for the indigenous Far Eastern peoples, the ornament was not just some sort of decoration — it reflected the worldview, ideas about nature, family, and protection from evil spirits. The scale pattern, for example, symbolized a kind dragon protecting a person, the "kiss of the fishes" was considered a protective charm for motherhood, and the tree of life was a sign of wealth and dignity.
Special attention was paid to the tiger, a sacred animal to which the Nanai attributed protective power. The amulets with the image of the tiger were worn as protective charms, and legends about the tiger were passed down from generation to generation.
After the story of symbols and traditions, the children started making their own amulets.
The event not only introduced the young guests to the rich culture of the Far East, but also gave them the opportunity to feel like guardians of ancient crafts.
The lecture was delivered by Ivan Kozhin, philologist and leading librarian of the city library No. 12.
The conference at the Primorye branch became another step towards strengthening the partnership between Primorye and Belarus.
The Primorye branch the final stage of the first training course of the "SVOye Delo" ("Own Business") programme.
