Altai Pilgrim

A decade in the Altai Republic, Russia by writer & translator Joanna Dobson

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Category Archives: Altai People & Culture

Article for “Sacred Natural Sites” on Uch Enmek Ethno-cultural Nature Park

August 19, 2013by Joanna Dobson 2 Comments

I wrote the article uploaded here as a pdf and coauthored with Park Director Danil Mamyev, whilst living in Uch-Enmek Naure Park, It was published in a IUCN publication on sacred natural […]

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Altai People & Culture, People, Published Articles

Online Radio Interview

June 21, 2013by Joanna Dobson 1 Comment

Chatting with Santari Green from Quantum Creativity Online Radio about my impressions of Altai and leading on to my newfound hobby, Capoeria. This is the first time I have spoken […]

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Altai People & Culture, Life in the field, Talks & Sound

Arjhan

September 10, 2012by Joanna Dobson 3 Comments

If you met Arjhan Kezerekov in Altai then you will probably already know that he passed away today. He was a great, great man. Arjhan was a public figure. He […]

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Altai People & Culture, Life in the field, Other Bits and Pieces

As Eternal Glaciers Melt, the Soul Freezes

August 27, 2012by Joanna Dobson 2 Comments

This week travelling into the valley I followed the line of the horizon waiting for the sacred mount to appear round the corner and greet us. Finally, there it stood. […]

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Altai People & Culture, Life in the field, More from the field

Translator Takes Fifty and Faces the Music

Featuredby Joanna Dobson 4 Comments

 I finally received the first 50 copies of the English version of “Spiritual Wisdom from the Altai Mountains, Altai Bilik”. I packed a medium-sized rucksack with 50 books in it, bought […]

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Altai People & Culture, Diary Entries, Elders in Translation, Interpreting in the Field, People, Projects

In the Light Looking Forward With Hope & Resolve

July 12, 2012by Joanna Dobson 1 Comment

This photograph was taken 23rd June in Karakol village at a friend’s wedding. Altai wedding rituals are fascinating. This photograph illustrates just one part of a single ritual in which the […]

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Altai People & Culture, People

Altai Indigenous Ecotourism & Climate Change

June 20, 2012by Joanna Dobson 4 Comments

Dear friends, I was invited to give this talk at the UNDP/GEF International Practical Conference ‘Ecotourism, Climate, Local Communities – Developing Ecological Tourism as a Climate Change Adaptation Means for Local […]

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Altai People & Culture, Talks & Sound

Spiritual Wisdom from the Altai Mountains

June 8, 2012by Joanna Dobson 2 Comments

Now Available on Amazon: ‘Spiritual Wisdom from the Altai Mountains, Altai Bilik’ by Nikolai A. Shodoev, translated by Joanna Dobson and produced for publication as a project of the Altai Pilgrim Friendship Circle […]

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Altai People & Culture, Elders in Translation, Interpreting in the Field, People, Projects

Conservation Film ‘The Pines of Askat’

November 28, 2010by Joanna Dobson 1 Comment

THE PINES OF ASKAT   by Lena Chevalkova, translation into English by Joanna Dobson  This film by Lena is exactly what’s needed to draw attention to the types of issues local people face in Altai.  This […]

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Altai People & Culture, Interpreting in the Field, Projects, Talks & Sound

‘El Oiun’ Altai National Festival

November 14, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

Every two years the Altai Republic holds an annual, national festival called ‘El Oiun’ which means ‘the people’s games’. The festival which was originally created by Nogon Shumarov used to […]

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Altai People & Culture, More from the field

‘Ceok’ – Indigenous Altai Social Structure

November 14, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

‘Ceok’ (clan/tribe) in Altai means ‘bone’ Ceok is the word used to mean kin, clan or family. The Altai people attribute themselves to a Ceok. When they introduce themselves they […]

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Altai People & Culture, More from the field, People

‘Kalbak-Tash Rock Art Sanctuary’

November 14, 2010by Joanna Dobson 1 Comment

‘His soul lies in a gold box hidden in the belly of three small spirit deer.’ Kalbak-Tash Rock Art Sanctuary – Using theatre to interpret ‘narrative composition’ in rock art […]

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Altai People & Culture, More from the field, Projects, Rock Art & Ancient Imagery

‘Kuira’ ritual, A Rags to Ribbons Tale

Featuredby Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

‘Kuira’ – A Rags to Ribbons Tale If there is anything one may learn from the Altai people, it is how to truly interact with the landscape. Probably the most […]

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Altai People & Culture, People, Published Articles

Global Warming and Spiritual Values

November 13, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

Living in the Altai Republic, Siberia one hears little mention of global warming. Of course everyone discusses the weather and compares last years temperatures with this years; how high the […]

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Altai People & Culture, More from the field, People

Earthquakes and Excavations

November 12, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

The information presented by archaeologists on the Pazyryk mummies is indeed extremely interesting and the work they have carried out highly professional within their field. However, several questions remain unanswered […]

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Altai People & Culture, Published Articles

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My Latest Diary post: Capoeira Diary

Video post: Capoeira Meets Siberian Throat Singing

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Pure Connections, Vital Words

On Writing About Altai

“It is hard to describe Altai or indeed anything which moves one so deeply in a place that is unaccustomed to words. It is not enough to describe the colours, the light, the people one meets or the landscape. This would be relatively easy. One tries as much to capture that which Altai touches in oneself that one did not know was there, and the wholeness or mystery of Altai which lies in no one thing and can be elucidated by no one field of knowledge.” Joanna

Comments

  • Saiffe on A Note of Confidence
  • archecotech on In God’s Back Door
  • Santari on On Writing
  • Joanna Dobson on On Becoming A Translator
  • Sergey on On Becoming A Translator

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