Literary News in mordovia of 1994

The epic poem Mastorava, a literary monument of the ancient times, was published in Mordovia in Erza language (the edition in Moksha language is coming soon). The poem consists of five parts entitled “The Universe”, “Antiquity”, “Tsar Tyushtia’s Age”, “The Heroic Age” and “The New Age”.

Mastorava has much in common with other peoples’ epos. It deals with the power of nature, the fate of Mordvinians, their life-ways, tales and legends, their religious beliefs and traditions. “Mastorava” is the poetic autobiography of the Mordvinian people.

A collection of musical compositions by Nina Kosheleva, one of the leading Mordvinian composers, was published in Saransk. The collection includes youth songs in three languages – Erza, Moksha and Russian, as well as compositions for the choir and symphonic orchestra and folk songs. Thus the composer returns to her people the riches of music rooted in the native tradition that inspires her creations.

Bayaganh Suleit (“The Shadows of the Bells”), a historical novel by the Erza writer Alexander Doronin is published in the Syatko magazine. The leading character of the novel is Nikon, the Patriarch and the “Emperor of the Whole of Russia”, whose activities produced much excitement in the second half of the 17th century, and he was a Mordvinian. This novel demonstrates that many representatives of the Finno-Ugrian peoples played their part in history, some of them holding high posts. Although the official Russian historical records tend to present them as Russians, in course of time documents and memoirs of contemporaries eventually begin to speak.

The International Theatre Festival took place in Tampere, Finland, on August 8 to 16, 1994. The performance entitled Sibeliuksen Neljas, a joint work of Finns, Mordvinians and Maris, was a great success. The play was written by Alexander Pudin, a Mordvinian playwright, directed by Olli-Pekka Ulkuniemi, a Finnish producer, and performed by Finnish and Mari actors.

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In the magazine Voivyv Kodzuv, the following works by Finno-Ugrian authors were published:

1992

1. Vassily Vanyushev, an Udmurt poet. Selected Poems. Translated by E. Kozlov. # 12.

2. Albertina Ivanova, a Mari poet. Selected Poems. Translated by E. Kozlov. # 8.

3. Fyodor Tarakanov. Selected Poems in Komi-Permian. # 9.

4. Leonid Nikitin. Selected Poems in Komi-Permian. # 9.

1993

1. Fyodor Istomin. Aphorisms in Komi-Permian. # 8.

2. L. Laulayainen. A Book of Poems for Children. Translated by G. Yushkov. # 5.

3. Grogory Pinyasov. A short story. Translated from Mordvinian by V. Napalkov. # 9.

4. Lyubov Startseva. Selected Poems in Komi-Permian. # 2.

1994

1. Semyon Fedoseyev. A short story in Komi-Permian. # 2.

2. Fyodor Tarakanov. Excerpt for the poem Pashko in Komi-Permian. # 2.

3. Fyodor Istomin. Article “The Present and Future of the Komi-Permian Literature”. # 2.

Other events:

In 1993, the Permian-Komi Theatre staged Leave No Stone Unturned, a play written by the President of Hungary ?rpad Göncz, and Sampo, a play based on the Kalevala in translation from Finnish into Komi by A. Turkin. The Folklore Theatre staged Kullervo in Komi language, directed by Sinikka Tossovainen, Finland.

An agreement between Hungary and the Komi Republic was signed on economic, scientific and cultural co-operation.