Long Night at the Vepsian Museum: The Forest Folk of Northern Russia and the Struggle for Cultural Survival (Teaching Culture: UTP Ethnographies for the Classroom)

Based on ethnographic fieldwork and archival research, this book takes readers to the village of Sheltozero in northern Russia. This tiny community is populated by an indigenous people known as Veps, colloquially referred to as the "forest folk" for their intense affiliation with forests on their ancestral lands. Davidov uses a tour of the local museum to introduce a cast of human and non-human characters from traditional Vepsian culture, and to explore various time periods under Russian, Finnish, Soviet, and post-Soviet rule. In the process, she examines how contemporary political struggles mesh with traditional beliefs while illustrating how Veps make meaning of their history and their unfolding future. "This book takes readers to the village of Sheltozero in the Republic of Karelia in northern Russia, a tiny community populated by a small, indigenous Finno-Ugric peope called Veps, known colloquially as the "forest folk" for their ascribed intense closeness and affiliation with forests on their ancestral territories. Davidov uses a tour of the local museum to introduce a cast of human and non-human characters from traditional Vepsian culture, and through various times under Russian, Finnish, Soviet, and post-Soviet rule. In the process, she explores how contemporary political struggles mesh with traditional beliefs, while illustrating how Veps make meaning of their history and unfolding future."-- Provided by publisher "This book takes readers to the village of Sheltozero in northern Russia. It highlights a tiny community of indigenous people called Veps, known colloquially as "the forest folks" for their intense closeness and affiliation with the forests in their ancestral territories. Davidov uses a tour of the local museum to introduce a cast of human and non-human characters from traditional Vepsian culture, while journeying through various eras under Russian, Finnish, Soviet, and post-Soviet rule. In the process, she explores how contemporary political struggles mesh with traditional beliefs, illustrating how Veps make meaning of their history and unfolding future"--back cover Dedication Contents List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Preface Introduction 1 History and Memory 2 Vepsian Cosmologies 3 Spruce Eyelashes and Blue Eyes of Lakes 4 The Bad Masters 5 The Long Night of Museums Conclusion Glossary References Index