Altai Pilgrim

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

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Category Archives: Life in the field

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

Summer Solstice: Safe & Small

July 13, 2012by Joanna Dobson 2 Comments

On the day of the summer solstice an international fire ceremony was held for the protection of the sacred karakol Valley. Despite my best intentions to attend I arrived late by […]

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Diary Entries, Life in the field, Snow leopard & other animals

Happy Christmas from Russia – ‘keeping the arrow poised’

December 23, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

     There are some things that I really miss about England such as ‘fish ‘n’ chips’ and a pineapple fritter served in newspaper, Cornwall and the sea but most of […]

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Life in the field, More from the field, People, Rock Art & Ancient Imagery

Ice-Hole in Altai

December 5, 2010by Joanna Dobson 1 Comment

There is a well-known eastern proverb that goes: ‘Before enlightenment, chop wood, haul water; After enlightenment, chop wood, haul water. This is my friend Vitya, my neighbour, who helped me haul water in the short, […]

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Diary Entries, Life in the field, More from the field, People

Pilgrim’s Pages Autumn, ‘kyrgyzstan, Squirrels & Marina’s Library’

November 14, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

10th-21st September, Kyrgyzstan In September I went to Bishkek in Kyrgyzstan to renew my visa for Russia. Whilst there I visited an American woman who was conducting research on wolves […]

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Diary Entries, Life in the field

Pilgrim’s Pages April (UNESCO Conference on Permafrost Burials)

November 13, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

Pilgrim’s Pages April 2006  UNESCO conference, Gorno-Altaisk, “The problem of preserving permafrost burials in the Altai” Unesco have just held a conference at the Gorno-Altaisk (capital) state university on “The […]

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Diary Entries, Life in the field, More from the field, Rock Art & Ancient Imagery

From a Pilgrim’s Pages – March

November 13, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

In 2002 I was offered work teaching English at a private language school in Novosibirsk, Siberia. I accepted the offer because it brought me closer to the Altai Republic. I […]

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Diary Entries, Life in the field

‘May’ from a Pilgrim’s Pages Ongudai Region 2006

November 12, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

We were certain that spring had finally arrived when there was an unexpected drop in temperature and all the spring flowers and buds huddled up in a white blanket for a […]

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Diary Entries, Life in the field

The Holy Ground

Featuredby Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

The Holy Ground Took Care of Everything Recently, I spent five days in a mountain valley, Kosh-Agach region, Altai Republic. Maiya from the Agency for Cultural and Historical Research organised […]

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Life in the field, More from the field, Published Articles, Rock Art & Ancient Imagery, Travel & Exploration

The Tying Post

September 21, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

     When the earth shakes you need something to hold on to. What’s your tethering post? Personal earthquake – leaving Altai for Akademgorodok. No doubt, you have already found the […]

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Diary Entries, Life in the field

Altai New Year : Chagaa Bairam

February 20, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

    I have heard it said that the measure of one’s culture is reflected in  ritual for this is the way in which a people communicates with God, the deities  […]

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Altai People & Culture, Diary Entries, Life in the field, People

Snow

February 19, 2010by Joanna Dobson Leave a comment

  Preparations for Chagaa Bairam   In preparation for the New Year celebrations, ‘Chagaa Bairam’, the snow was cleared from the square where Lenin stands…..Despite the temperatures (minus 30 and […]

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Diary Entries, Life in the field

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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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Altai Elders in Translation

Altai Elders in Translation

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