Snow Leopards: ‘Seek and Ye Shall Find’
My closest encounter with a snow leopard took place in the Altai Mountains with an ink brush in hand. My eyes locked onto the powerful hind legs and broad paws […]
Category Archives: More from the field
3/3 Snow Leopard – Hero of the bio-cultural landscape (previous posts continued…..)
What I Have Heard and Seen of the Snow Leopard (Letter from a reader, A. Kachakov, UlaganVillage, 2012) “Altaidyn Cholmoni” Altai Republic Newspaper, № 127, 10th July 2012. Translated from […]
2/3 Snow Leopard – Ancient Hero of the Bio-cultural Landscape (previous post continued…)
This image is copied from a tattoo image worn by an individual from the Pazyryk culture. The tattoo was found on mummified remains excavated by researcher Rudenko from a permafrost […]
1/3 Snow Leopard – Hero of the bio-cultural landscape
Photographs of snow leopards have recently been published on the UNDP Altai-Sayan Ecoregion site. The fact that snow leopards still inhabit the Altai Mountains fills the soul with hope. Not […]
As Eternal Glaciers Melt, the Soul Freezes
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. […]
Happy Christmas from Russia – ‘keeping the arrow poised’
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 […]
Ice-Hole in Altai
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, […]
‘El Oiun’ Altai National Festival
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 […]
‘Ceok’ – Indigenous Altai Social Structure
‘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 […]
‘Kalbak-Tash Rock Art Sanctuary’
‘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 […]
GPS Training (Photo journal)
GPS Training for Nature Park Rangers, FSDA, July 2006 Early July I was asked to translate for an expedition group intending to set off for twelve days on […]
Pilgrim’s Pages April (UNESCO Conference on Permafrost Burials)
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 […]
Carved Standing Stones ‘kameniye baba’
Many of the carved standing stones from the Turkic period have been removed from the steppes and meadows of Altai. The Altai people deeply feel the loss of these ‘monuments’. […]
Global Warming and Spiritual Values
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 […]
Belly of a Whale – a learner guide at an Altai nature park
When I first visited the lands of Altai, I dreamt of one day, riding a horse freely through a particular sacred valley; never though, did I dream, that I would conduct an […]
Altai Pilgrim 