No. 10, 2003
25-11-2003
SEMINAR FOR NATIONAL NEWS MEDIA
Margarita Latysheva
In Salekhard (Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug) a seminar for journalists of the Okrug took place entitled “Yamalo's Contemporary Media Space: native tongue of indigenous minorities of the North”. The seminar’s main objective was to promote, safeguard and develop the languages spoken by the indigenous minorities of the North, to discuss the part played by the news media (SMI) in the development and safeguarding of the languages spoken by indigenous peoples, and to exchange experience obtained in this field.
The seminar took place on the 22nd and 23rd of October in the National Cultural Centre and was attended by 62 participants, among them 40 journalists from the national news media from Salekhard, Syktyvkar, Khanty-Mansi, Naryan-Mar, Dudinka and from the local villages in the Yamalo-Nenetsk Autonomous Okrug. Margarita Latysheva - editor at the local broadcasting company NTRK “Zapolyare” represented our Okrug.
Within the framework of the seminar, the delegates had the opportunity to become acquainted with the activities of the radio broadcasting company “Yamal region”. And now a few words about the history of radio Yamalo-Nenets Okrug. A broadcast by the Okrug radio was aired in the Nenets language for the first time on March 5, 1964. It was hosted by a well-known Nenets poet - Ivan Yuganpelik. The program was aired on the eve of March 8th and the subject concerned women who work in various sectors. It will be exactly 40 years on March 5, 2004 since that event when the indigenous residents in Yamalo listened to a radio broadcast in their own native language.
In our Okrug this only happened in the seventies. There are plans to broadcast a separate copyright radio program called “Vyntyse”on the Okrug radio, dedicated to this subject. At present there is a Directorate for national programs at the OGTRK “Yamal region”. The main task of the Directorate’s journalists, linked with a certain type of information, is to preserve and develop native tongues of the indigenous peoples of the North. The journalists are engaged in this overall problem of minority groups on a daily basis. A significant part in this process were the meetings with the carriers of folklore, those who know the legends and sayings and who live in far away raions. The staff of the Directorate for national programs is made up of 17 persons. The principle of creative continuity is applied by the staff members. The Directorate has four editorials for radio broadcasting, three editorial offices for TV programs. Television and radio programs are aired in five languages: Nenets, Khanty, Selkupij, Komi-Zyryansij and Russian. The total amount of overall broadcasting time constitutes two hours and 40 minutes per week for television, whereby half of this time is a repeat of programs aired earlier. Radio broadcasting time is five hours and 50 minutes per week. During this time informative and specific programs are aired as well as cultural and broadcasts on specific topics. The audio operators are fluent in the Nenets, Khanty and Komi-Zyryansij languages. The film operator is familiar with the conditions in the tundra and also the daily routine of the indigenous peoples in addition to being also originally from the North and not afraid of sleeping in a Chum. Contemporary technology enables the broadcasting of programs to reach a new level. This year for example, the computers in the Directorate were upgraded through new products including a program containing the alphabet for the languages of the peoples in Yamalo. This makes it possible to draft texts in an appropriate and correct manner.
The cultural part of the program during the seminar included an excursion to an ethnographic complex in the village Gornoknyazevsk and a concert by a creative group at the Centre for national cultures.
On the last day of the seminar, we viewed and then discussed the television programs presented. Among the films in the Nenets language, the majority of votes were cast for the film by Valentina Serpiva, which tells about the children from a boarding school in the village of Yar-Sale. Valentina Serpiva works as a freelance journalist for Nenets television programs in the village of Yar-Sale. Margarita Latysheva was very impressed by the films viewed in her mother tongue. “What a pity that we do not have television programs in Nenets in our Okrug” declared Margarita to her colleagues from Yamalo. After viewing television programs, we listened to radio programs in their native languages.
The first seminar for journalists of the national news media SMI flew by quickly. The recommendations made by the seminar concern only the mass media in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. Our delegate participated in the seminar as an observer.
Here are some excerpts from the recommendations made by the Yamalo journalists:
- reinforce the material and technical resources during the first half of 2004;
- increase time for national broadcasting during 2004;
- raise the salary of the journalists of the national news media and the technical staff, taking into account the actual input into developing the Okrug;
- make available a television channel exclusively for national broadcasting and in the languages of the Nenets, Khanty, Komi and other peoples of the North.
The same recommendations are also applicable in our Okrug, if truly so desired.
Proposals made by the Association for the 2004 Okrug budget
Working Group PM -Yasavey
In the Nenets Autonomous Okrug, the budget for 2004 is being prepared. Yasavey is actively participating in this process and has some proposals and revisions to add to the 2004 Okrug budget.
There is a program for the entire budget fund in order to support and assist in the development of minority peoples in the North, NAO. This program is applied in the Committee for the Affairs of the peoples of the North, NAO Administration, and Yasavey has introduced its proposals to this committee.
Yasavey is of the opinion that in compiling a program for the support of minority peoples of the North for 2004, the following principles should be included:
- The program must be long-term or at least midterm and have a duration of not less than five years. It must be transparent, with an annual report coming out as to the use of financial resources;
- The amount for financing the program must be specified according to the law pertaining to this Fund whereby 4% from the payments is indicated for utilizing natural resources. In the 2003 budget this sum amounted to more than 39 million roubles. The sum for the 2004 budget must be specified according to existing legislation. This question was discussed at the Council of Yasavey in September 2003 and a decision was taken at that time to introduce this proposal into the 2004 budget.
- The remaining part of unused funds of the program is to be transmitted into the budget for the following year.
- Writing and evaluating the efficiency and principles of renewing the program must be considered every year. Yasavey proposes to enter into the 2004 budget in the program under a chapter on “Elaboration of the Okrug fund program” an overall sum of 1000000 (one million roubles and 00 kopecs) to be used during the preparatory phase of compiling this program according to the law on “Elaborating Okrug programs”. We consider it necessary to analyse the situation concerning the position of indigenous minority peoples of the North residing in the NAO, to set up priorities and main guidelines for the Okrug program. Qualified specialists and experts will be recruited to elaborate this program and the Association is ready to recommend such people particularly since similar activities are already being carried out and have in part been completed. An ad hoc team to elaborate this program will be created, whereby in addition to experts and specialists, the representative of the Committee on Affairs of the peoples of the North, NAO Administration, the representative of Yasavey, representative of the NAO Assembly of Deputies will be included to prepare and support the development of the program. Resources for program development and renewal must be entered into the program in the future.
- The following guidelines are comprised in the program:
* Construction of new housing for reindeer herders in the inhabited points of NAO. Partly, as a result of the project “Kanin Krasnyi Chum 2002” a significant number of reindeer herding families from the SPK Commune “Kanin” and SPK “Voshod” has been identified as not having a permanent residence in the villages Nes, Oma, Nizhnyaya-Pescha and other inhabited points where people live on a continuous basis. The same situation exists in the eastern part of the NAO.
* Training of staff members from among the minority groups of peoples of the North. The Okrug mainly offers training to the teaching personnel of school and preschool establishments. The position of Yasavey in this matter is as follows: Professional training must be available in the field of reindeer husbandry, specific technologies, and also in agriculture for management specialists, lawyers and economists in this field. This branch must be prepared for comprehensive training of representatives from minority groups of the North with future employment possibilities and mandatory presentation of housing in the Okrug. Concurrently, there should also be support and control of the quality of the training process which is hopefully based on a contract. Another priority in this branch must be the preparation of specialists for suburban inhabited points and the tundra, particularly construction specialists, the development of small-scale business, etc.
* Creating and developing permanent medical services for reindeer herders working in the tundra. As an example the following must be proposed: to elaborate a system for mobile medical squads to serve reindeer herders. Yasavey is ready together with the NAO Administration represented by the Committee for the Affairs of the peoples of the North to take advantage of the experience obtained from the project “Kanin Krasnyi Chum 2002”. Taking into consideration the wishes expressed and the consultation received after having talked to the reindeer herders, this section of the program will be elaborated and applied to the entire NAO territory. Consequently the following must also be considered:
1. In order to make the medical squadron mobile, traditional means must be used for the transportation - harnessed reindeer.
2. To adapt the first-aid kits for reindeer herders taking into account every brigade, age and gender. A list should be prepared for the pharmaceutical kit mentioning what and how the items in the kit should be used in case of illness.
3. To carry out an overall clinical examination of all reindeer herders in the NAO.
* Maintaining and developing reindeer husbandry - support and acquisition of heads of reindeer for persons among the minority groups of the North, who are founding and have founded family-tribal communes on the territory of the NAO. Support of family-tribal communes and other related activities, such as industrial fishing communes. Participation in the building of workshops for complete processing of reindeer and leather raw material (work places, income from production), etc.
* The construction of a new complex building to jointly house the Ethno-cultural Centre and office for Yasavey (including its structural subdivisions).
Maintaining the building and operational expenses must be made using the resources in the Fund.
* Annual support of national sports
(reindeer racing in sleds, national sport forms). Investments must also be made into the future aimed at developing long-term sub-programs for the NAO national games. Yasavey is ready to partake in the process of implementing these measures in order to hold national games.
* Annual subscription and distribution of periodicals and NAO publications (Naryana-vynder*,*Edei Vada*, etc. for reindeer herding brigades and communes of the NAO.
At present the proposals made by Yasavey have been considered at the Observation Council of the Fund and approved by the majority of its members. Furthermore, the proposals by “Yasavey” shall be considered by the deputies of the NAO Assembly of Deputies during the coming committees and sessions.
COORDINATING COUNCIL IN KHANTY-MANSI
Vladislav Peskov
The Coordinating Council of RAIPON was held from the 19th to the 21st of November in Khanty-Mansi as well as a seminar on the topic “reinforcing the role and expanding participation by indigenous minorities of the North in the political process on a federal and regional level”.
The president of Yasavey - Vladislav V. Peskov, took part in this meeting as member of the Coordinating Council, since Yasavey is a participant of RAIPON.”
The Coordinating Council and the seminar were organized with the support of the Administration of the Khanty-Mansiisk Autonomous Okrug (KMAO).
Representatives from 30 regional organizations for indigenous minorities from the North, Siberia, and the Far East took part in these venues as well as the Minister for Affairs of Nationalities of the Russian Federation - V.Yu. Zorin and the governor of KMAO - A.V. Filipenko.
The KMAO Administration presented its experience and supplementary know-how, both on regional laws as well as on the level of practical work, in defending the interests of indigenous peoples.
On the whole the work was very productive, opinions were exchanged, further directions were earmarked for activities in this field.
The following can be added: in the KMAO on an administrative level a Corporation of economic development was created for indigenous minority groups in the KMAO. The Okrug Program for social and economic development of indigenous minority groups of the North in KMAO for the period 2002 to 2006 was accepted and will be implemented. It is possible to acquaint oneself with all the material on the KMAO in the office of Yasavey. The basic documents of these events shall be sent to the structural divisions of Yasavey in the inhabited points of the Okrug.
A FESTIVAL MUST BE OF GREAT INTEREST
Aleksandr Belugin
The Day of the Reindeer - is the most important professional festival of all the reindeer herders of the Nenets Autonomous Okrug which has been celebrated every year on the first Sunday in August for many decades. During the past 10 years this holiday was not celebrated in the majority of households. The reason was the overall economic crisis situation in Russia. But we know from economic literature, that a crisis must at some point come to an end, followed by an ascent. The economic ascent in Russia began in 2000 and is continuing up to the present time. This makes it possible to have successful developments in our sector, mainly from the taxes received from oil acquisition.
Along with the increase in income, interest in reindeer husbandry has also returned and this explains the renewed interest in the professional festival “The Day of the Reindeer”. However, these processes - as far as the branch itself is concerned as well as celebrating the festival, carries at present a chaotic and disorganized nature. As far as overcoming the reindeer husbandry crisis, this is a complicated and many-sided process.
In order to find a solution, first-class specialists must be recruited and most important of all many years are needed before the results become noticeable. As regards the festival “The Day of the Reindeer”, given the opportunities available today, the organization could have been much more efficient. In order to organize a full-pledged traditional festival, Yasavey proposes the following measures:
* to include into the 2004 Okrug budget at least two flights (minimum one) by helicopter to one reindeer husbandry enterprise. One of them will carry the specialists from the government authorities of the Okrug, representatives from Yasavey, the workers of the brigade to organize leisure time and other representatives of those structures that are interested in clarifying all the questions which have accumulated and to carry out a general meeting with the reindeer herders of the enterprise. At the moment, flights are made only to bring supplies of food for the reindeer herders in the enterprise.
The specialists from the NAO Administration committees, responsible for financing the festival, must calculate the overall sum needed in order to rent two helicopters for each enterprise, keeping in mind all the reindeer husbandry enterprises and where they are situated. There should be no categorizing of enterprises concerning oil, and enterprises concerning the budget, as well as “our” - meaning SPK and “not ours” meaning private. An objective approach must be taken as regards enterprises, whether acquisition and transportation of oil and gas take place on the territory or not. Mandatory financing from the Okrug budget of all reindeer husbandry enterprises must be realized.
* The festival must be organized and carried out jointly by those interested and not individually. At present there is a tendency to celebrate this holiday in different points. Yasavey would like to offer the following scheme for cooperation: The Deputy of the Government Duma + representatives of the Okrug Administration + deputies of the NAO Assembly of Deputies + Chief federal Inspectorate in the Okrug + Yasavey + reindeer husbandry enterprise.
* To propose to every oil drilling company to take on the duties of a sponsor for certain enterprises and to make one trip to the “Day of the Reindeer” festival.
* The festival should not take place in inhabited points of the Okrug but in the tundra where the pastures are and where this festival was held many years. Those who participate should come for at least two days. This time is necessary in order to achieve a fuller acquaintance with the reindeer herders and to have an interesting time at the festival.
* The heads of the enterprises must keep in mind the following as regards the program:
1. to make an announcement to the reindeer herders and compile a list of those who desire to attend;
2. hold a general meeting of reindeer herders;
3. organize sport competitions;
4. organize cultural events;
5. organize races for harnessed reindeer.
* It is important to arouse the interest of the reindeer herders themselves in their own work and to guarantee them social support. Moral support and financial assistance must be given on behalf of the authorities. It is necessary to give an explanation of the prospects in this branch to those reindeer herders who do not have any faith in the realization of reindeer husbandry in the NAO.
* A detailed program must be elaborated by the authorities for the transition of reindeer husbandry enterprises in the NAO into another legal form of ownership and at the same time it is necessary to elaborate attentively and take into consideration questions dealing with taxation and land allotment, etc. During the festival, material must be distributed concentrating on the adaptation of reindeer herders to new conditions in the realm of future business matters.
These proposals at present are directed towards the Committee on Affairs for the peoples of the North, NAO Administration for further consideration and decision-making.