ARTICLES
(CHOOSE WHAT YOU LIKE TO READ)

WESTERN MEDIA & EASTERN PEOPLES   SYMPOSIUM NORTHERN ASIA'S FIRST PEOPLES' FUTURE
GRASS OR OIL, NOMADISM OR INDUSTRY   TALKING ABOUT MONGOLIA AND ME
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT MONGOLIA   TALKING ABOUT MY ART
BURYAT T.V.-INTERVIEW 1995    ABOUT NATURE, SHAMANISM AND AROUND   
LITTLE BIT ABOUT NATURE,  ANIMALS AND MY ARTWORKS

WESTERN MEDIA & EASTERN PEOPLES
THE DRAFT OF MICHAIL GREY WOLF GURUEV
 

My focus of interest, and so our people's, is the reflection of Siberian First Peoples' history, various cultures and daily life in modern media and the promotion of the native audio-visual and printable work. Not only outsiders shall tell about us, so commen in history. We self shall do such work. Our base can be a Audio-Video-Tape Library, Film Record - Office, Photo & Book Library; Basic Seminaries; Technical Equipment for Audio-Visual Workshops.

TASK & RESEARCH

      A) How to find and make contacts (via 'Internet', etc.); Questions of: Invitation, Visa, Travel and Accommodation.
B) How to make research in western, Russian and Asian departments' archives and collections of: Ethno. and Private Museums, T.V. and Radio Stations. C) How to use different technics (to make copies, etc.). D) Theme: Copy Rights &  Agreements (because of investigative, non-commercial and profitable use).

CONTINUE
ONE'S STUDIES & DEVELOPE
ONE'S KNOWLEDGE

      A) Seminaries: Media-Theory, Audio-Visual Anthropology, History of Ethno. & Docu. Films, etc.. B) Workshops: Audio-Video Practise, Motion Pictures, Literature & Scripts. C) How to teach and work with children. 2D) Theme: How foreign investigators did work and how results were used.

TECHNICAL EQUIPMENT & 'USE

      A) Audio-Video Technics, Editing Table, Digitalisations, Photostate, Photo-Lab & Cameras, etc.. B) Computer Work: Graphical Programs, Hard- & Software, Software for Archivation & Story-Boards, Data Bank, Trick Shot, Recording & Photography, Animated Cartoons & Comics.

ANNOTATION

To promote Siberia's, Mongolia's and China's First Peoples' self-identification, self-confidence, own representation and self-assurance is the aim.  Why? The present representations of First Peoples woldwide and particularly of Siberian's many is ruled by the western and eastern modern media, ethnographers, journalists, movie-makers; short by alien eyes and points of view - still!
Question ! We know Siddhatta, Timur, Monzaemon, Suleimann II., Pushkin, Khabarov, Tolstoy, Ulyanov, Eisenstein, Kandinsky, Hirohito, Mao, etc., etc. - but at North-Asia's First People's side who was famous here? Foreign people and their media know nothing about! We should care for and make our own research and record.
Today we should have support for our own produced re- & presentation which show own identity in the global active media. Some American First People have started such productions. We should have such a chance too.

ABOUT BOOKS & FIRST NATIONS

It's quite amazing that the former Sovietunion & the Russian Federation today had never bear the product book in such quantity & quality as you can buy in the western countries. And if you had found a well done Russian book it was printed (and often illustrated) in Hungary, Poland and the former Czechoslovakia and this only for the export. The situation in Mongolia is not well either.
Today, if you as author have no money left, it's almost impossible to publish a book in the Russ. Federation or Mongolia. Most what you can buy here was imported (greetings to "Burda" or to the 'Porno-Industry'). Maybe with luck you will find very nice done books for children but try to buy good written and good illustrated books with theme like 'Nature', 'First Peoples', 'How to do', 'Science', 'Art', etc., etc. or non-fictions  - just forget it. No comparison with "The West".

North-Asia (especially Siberia) is general a 'Black Hole' if we talk about good literature and excellent museums. This is in so far tragical that the citizen of our region is far-away from the world's cultural mainstreams. Northern Asia's First Peoples own still a reach culture, which is partly close by extinction.
As a visualizer and artist I would like to have the world's attention for such facts. We should learn from other places, teach and encourage our young talents to care for 'the task book' and what ever can be in print.
Ain't no doubts, the bookmarket in the Russ. Federation and in all northern Asian countries is a 'Cut-Price-Market'. I know, if a writer or illustrator like to be creative here and today you even must pay for publishing and stay in competition with imported trashy literature.
Nevertheless, we have to find our own smart ways to express what's up our mind and hands.

One possibility is to keep books bilingual. English can be one of, having same times foreign guests as buyers in my mind and with them good P.R.. An other idea can be, let's unite the customary work of a writer with other branches of art. I call this 'cross over of art' which can offer a great variety in results. I could enumerate possibilities too but more important is to hold the line of quality and salableness and finally you can be successful.
As for our own people's artists, illustrator and writers - several books with fary tales & fables or other stories exist. You can buy such in the west. But as far as I have seen them, I guess we could create better one. I know westerners would like to buy well done books and other prints. But they must be of international standart.

ABOUT PRINTS

Maybe I haven't seen all published Russian, Mongolian or Chinese, Korean and Japanese prints but I guess not so much you can find under the theme: 'Print-Media Today & Northern Asian First Peoples'. Not to talk about supraregional magazines or journals that tell about and show our various peoples' culture, tradition and knowledge or bring brandnew news and informations.

I know you can find in the 'internet' or in a library some articles what isn't much at all in comparison with western publications. As for me I can name only one well done Russian magazine with name 'Severnije Prostorij' but that's responsible only for northern Siberian themes. Local northern Asian prints are not worth mentioning.

If you make an investigation at the American print-market as an Evenk old fellow  you only can get jealous when you see all these with know how and love done publications, telling about the rich life of their First Peoples. And when I have visit their museums you can feel pity with the northern Asian scene.
How ever, I wish I could start, in co-operation with the others, a quarterly colorful magazine or a weekly well done newspaper written in our main languages, partly in native tongues and in English. English for the reason to let the world know what's happen today in our regions but more to worldwide-spread our all existence, thoughts, traditions and magnificant various cultures. Because, being ones a nomadic worker in many countries, I recognized Russian, Han-Chinese and other major nationalities do not know much about their own First Peoples, but when you talk with common western citizen they even didn't hear about our people. By the way in such case most American 'Indians' are also not well educated.
Other example ! Easily you can find in the Sakha (former Yakutia) a native lady vocalist who knows how to perform 'Schubert'  but try to find vice versa a westerner who can sing one of her native songs you better forget this.

One reason more to create our own print is to win the outer world's attention for our thousands of years old cultures 'cause they belong to the world heritage too when the world call off natural and human monuments and other cultural asset.
The 'West' created the term 'World Culture Heritage'. We didn't set up visible pyramids or castles, no need we had for, but we enriched the world with anciental knowledge and cultures which are mostly forgotten or ignored. I guess it makes no sense here to enumerate all what came from us.

Well, our cultures has the same necessity and right to be protected as the world takes care and spend a lot of mony for her stony remembrances or classical arts. If such won't be happen simply the world-community's cultural remembrance will get more poor. Do I find somebody who helps me to put down my application-form at the office of the UNESCO by such task ?"

Northern Asia’s First People’s Future
between Past and Modernisation
Possible topics and notes for a different scientific symposium

Introduction:
Many scientific symposiums or discussions about the topic „Northern Asiatic First People“ were happen in the past. Unfortunately the results of such highly subsidized events were only theoretical perceptions, internal change of results and a lot of printed papers without any practical usable results for the First Peoples selves. These are my personal experiences.
As a human being is or should be a social creature the science of ethnology and ethnography should not practise only theoretically but also broach practical questions fort he purpose of support those persons that have been discussed.
Scientists may answer that they aren’t a social association. But who else than people of this branch could make better noise because of the horrible situation of the Northern Asian First Peoples. It's not my aim to put this branch down but people who own at best information about the cultural-social condition of our people should try to help us with their own possibility. This statement might be a step harder than an English ethnographer wrote very critical about. But I'll give not up hope that my slogan "Ethographers on the Front" will become ones reality.
Still critical only is: Scientists are occupied with physical and spiritual materials that are not their own but handle these like own property. Better they should sound a maintaining alarm considering the situation of the Northern Asiatic First People (especially the „little people“ who are in parts threatened to die out) and their disappearing languages enclosing their own knowledge and culture. And, scientists should handle more sensitive customs and mentalities of the actual First People, f. i. keyword excavations.

Some of my thoughts and ideas on this topic:
I myself don’t know any Evenki or Mongolian people who does research work in Europe or America. I also don’t know any indigenous museum or record office in Northern Asia which is occupied with such regions. These are the differences and they let us have another look on "The Industry of Collecting", the eagerness for exotic things and the lost of spirituality by modern people. Naturally this statement will be heavily criticized but it has the purpose to reflect upon the manifestation of scientific habits.
In this connection I want to talk about the excavations in the republic of  Tyva. It doesn’t produce a good impression of ethnologic science to let the Tyvinian assistants stagger between their own spiritual scepticism and the necessity to earn money. The transport of supplements or mummies found in old graves into foreign countries instead of leaving them in the country where they were found is of no use for the reputation of ethnologic sciences. So I wonder why modern institutions have difficulties to replace cultural heritages into their original regions, as many examples show all over the world. Is this still a kind of "Spiritual Colonialism" ? How come that in present days our First Peoples' member must visit now foreign places to figure out what was happen in their own history ? This because of how our culture was manipulated by soviets. Not to talk about problems because of  attitude of  museum's leaders.

Anyway, local museums and the transfer of knowledge could help our regions in their own way. This would be interesting for visitors of our regions and cause so a social-economical effect. A good example for such way out is Egypt.
I myself once had asked the „Museum of Ethnology“ in Hamburg (Germany) for a permanent loan of Northern Asiatic exhibits for an indigenous Museum in the region Burjatia/Mongolia. I knew the museum in Hamburg had destroy its permanent exhibition „Siberia“. The entrance of this exhibition was designed by myself with my artistical and own ethnological knowledge. Unfortunately this museum declined this request because of the lack of security and the bad condition of our museums. My answer was: 1st) There are robbers in western museums too. 2nd) It would be better to support our museums than to refuse any help.

In the following I have written down my suggestions for relevant themes for a scientific symposium. In this symposium not only scientists but also „native speakers“ should take part. Therefore it would be important to let it take place in Mongolia at the „Hövsgöl-Lake“ or in the „Republic Burjatia“ in the northern Baikal region.

Relevant themes can be:

• Indigenous knowledge compared with modern knowledge. Important topics: Nomadism – Schamanism – Tibetic-Mongolian and Siberian naturopathy – threatened languages and lost of knowledge – archives and museums – social, cultural, spiritual conditions of today.

• Fusions between Buddhism, Lamaism, Islam and Schamanism in Siberia, Mongolia, Kalmykia, European-Asiatic Turk Republics, the northern and western regions of China, Japan and Korea.

• History, present and future of religious identities in Northern Asia.

• Scientific clear-off of archeological and ethnographic materials. In addition the latest scientific results from Northern Asia, America and Europe.

• Possibilities of conservation of maintaining handwriting collections and archives in Northern Asia.

• The last oral knowledge and the possibilities of conservation and respreading.

• Causal connections of culture, tradition, spirituality, social facts and modernizations in the global trades and industries of today.

• Investigations of oral legends.

• Repatriation of scientific results.

• Influence of indigenous values and otherwise the modern influence on our people and its effects.

• Possibilities of an international scientific network.

• World culture heritage: A chance for public relations with the topic „First People of Northern Asia“? And what belongs to whom, First Peoples' artifacts in foreign museums.

Remarks: Northern Asia means here the region between Ural and Hokkaido, Ice-Sea and Tibet. That includes, according to climate and First Peoples' surrounding nature, Siberia, the Turkic States, Mongolia, North- and West-China and North-Japan.
Such a symposium could or should take place in a two years’ distance and travel. For sure our people and so I will prefer to have the symposium in our Northern Asian regions.

At last: The structure and management of my planned “Culture Centre of Northern Asian First Peoples’ Art – for Education and Training“ could have a scientific assistance by the „Max Planck Institute“ ‚(Halle, Germany) as already offered to me. Maybe by other institutions as well. But this is only possible when my people agree with it and if it will take place in the above mentioned way. In such way strange dreams can be prevented. Only working together is relevant. Maybe some ethnographers will not agree with my writing. But to be only a subjectmatter of exploration, our First Peoples are tired on. Better is to have a good exchange of knowledge.

Ulan Ude / Ulaanbaatar 2006,
Michail Grey Wolf Guruev

GRASS OR OIL, NOMADISM OR INDUSTRY

Some Annotations done on Discussions about Northern Asia's Future,
relevant for Mongolia, Siberia and Northern China


An Article written by Michail Grey Wolf Guruev
Ready for Newspaper and Magazine


Since a couple of years especially after the break in Northern Asia's economy caused by the new policy of the former Sovietunion, Mongolia   and China, a discussion have started about the theme nomadism.   Talking about nomadism means as well talking about the fact nature, thousand of years old lifestyle  and today most important about   economy enclosing those of the last nomads.

Do I try to write about these three facts in a short way, here at first I'll like to give some causal annotation about "Nature & Nomadism, Nature & Industry" as seen by a man who belongs by his mother's side to one of the partly still active nomads, the Evenkis, living in Siberia, Mongolia and North-China. Having also personal knowledge in the everyday life of Mongolian herders and their families, in this way I guess I can tell about them as well.


Many centuries back, since Northern Asia's First Nations had started to fight for daily survival by being a fisher, hunter and/or being a herder, all of them had to live on what nature and weather could offer day by day. As long they were living in their own world each day they had to manage their arrangement and compromise with the nature and the weather. Especially with the weather that plays an important part in present days of climatically change and thus in the life of those who must live directly on a natural base.

First break for them was happen when the most part of mankind took up the line of being a farmer or a trader. Second break was happen, one step harder, when societies of industry began their work. The run for recourses and how to make endless profit took a great impact even on those people which kept still the lifestyle of their own gone generations. Generations of herders, hunter, fishermen who had somehow survive for thousands of years. Try to see such number of centuries in comparison with about only 200 year of industry (which had startet 1785 in England). This are only numbers. Better to understand is such fact by the visual imagination of anybody's grand's grandmother. Means, in 2005 by only 4 generations the world's face has changed. Incredible !

Well ! The common attitude of "higher" leveled societies to work with the tool of registration, control and overwhelming bureaucracy as well their loss in respect for nature, and what ever is hidden in the ground or water, caused a heavy break with nomadic and other natural living people. Till our days, and by the example Mongolia good to be seen, the discussion about natural recourses, how to use them, about nomadic life, even about the clime and how much the modern societies can be named as guilty, is responsible for certain effects - till present days no true results of compromises are found.
By the way, worldwide less governments have signed a paper that offers recognition, protection and support for still natural living people, for nomads.
Such paper of compromise that could satisfy both side, natural living people and the "society of the metaman", is almost impossible to establish. Especially for the latter they can not agree by mind and heart "that no more can be taken as in a bucket is in". That means, according with the old knowledge of natural living people, you can't take more from nature than nature, the planet earth, does offer.
Here also must be said, it's quite amazing how the "higher" leveled society, the metaman, that call themselves a more intelligent society (by looking very stuck-up on those which they call primitive) is unable to handle consequential after what is reality on earth. But I guess, it's more their habit to be greedy as much greediness can obsess the modern human race.

Now let's talk about two different ways of life. Nomadism means, you have to be firm in many ways if you like to manage a life that depends directly on nature. You must own a great basic knowledge for being able to survive in the great outdoor. You must be a human being of good mind, excellent memory and golden hands at ones. Such necessity, such immense knowledge has not great relevance when you're a member of the modern society. A society that owns countless specialists for many directions, that is endless hungry for recourses and energy but in trouble when it comes to the question of spirituality and inner peace. The last point probable is one reason why such people like to fall into romantic thoughts whilst they think on our First Nations' old nomadic lifestyle, which is not romantically at all. Otherwise we wouldn't have so many tourists in the regions of Northern Asia, where Mongolia is one of the most visited countries.
The joke on all is, as soon oil or other materials get short, as soon you pull off the plug of their socket, as soon coldness, heat, the brake down of computers, no watch, no news or broken engines do face modern people as soon they get simply hysterical if not helpless too.
In other words, would we have a contest in true survival our nomadic people would be for sure the winner.

About economy ! To follow the headline of this article - several thoughts, or call them facts, will come into my mind.
I remember Mongolia after the break with the Sovietunion. The Russians cut off any support, especially to provide Mongolia with gasoline. But the nomads of Mongolia, the herder, pointed to the grass and spoke: "This is our benzina !" (Russian for gasoline). And indeed, without the nomads' help Mongolia wouldn't have had survive in those days. Now the country is in an other danger. After the new wave of new economy and political change had started, people own now own land. Now they try to have as much as possible a great number of cattle which overgraze simply the green hills. And the high number of kashmir wearing goats (China payees for such wool more or less well, making then great profit with kashmir fashion) does destroy the rest of the nature, by the herder's hope to get a lot of green bucks into his hand. Some people think that Mongolia's clime-catastrophe (one too hot summer and two incredible hard winter after) was not good for the nomads. Nobody will love me for, but this time was good for the nature.
Our present days, and thus of the nomads, are more complicate than they were before. And this marked with my question: "How come that we can buy in some Mongolian shops milky products from foreign countries cheaper than those of the Mongolian nomads ?" In my eyes, perhaps not the right way.
At the other side in Siberia, also there the reindeer-herders can hardly sale their products by the lack of transportation, what was better organized in Soviet days. To talk about Northern Asia's First Nations' new developed high quality products, nothing you can see in present time particularly.
You dear reader of this article should note such facts when I come to my idee of founding the CULTURE CENTER OF NORTHERN ASIAS' FIRST PEOPLES' ART - for Education and Training" in Northern Asia (see: www.CultureCenterNorthernAsia.org ).

Other thoughts of my own are part of the following theme: The global economy; China's economical boom; Korea's and Japan's present economy in Siberia (will the Russian Federation be able to save the nature, will its government really like to care for ?). The new wave of countryside quitting laborers in Siberia, Mongolia and China (their cities get more and more a higher rate of rootless people). The problems with First Nations' studied citizen (Russian: "intelligencia") who like to join China's, Korea's or Japan's modern way of life instead of living with their own nations to support their own future. Which kind of part could play the existents of First Nations which live on both side of borders ? What's happen when every Chinese does own a car and what's happen when Siberia's nature, inclusive wild animals, is gone - effecting the clime ? What's happen with the First Peoples' old knowledge, culture, tradition or their nomads' way of living in and with nature ? All these questions haven't found an answer yet.
To say it clear, I'm not against a more comfortable life, I'm not against an industry that is careful by its habit with nature, the recourses and human being's life. And no doubt the industry have to make a certain profit like everybody. But when the destruction of nature and endless greediness for never-ending richness goes along with such branch, in such case sorry this have to be stopped. This are my own thoughts since a long, long time.
Many questions can fill a head. But can be found ever an answer and compromises which can satisfy still natural living peoples and the member of the metaman ?

You dear reader of my article, whether you life in Siberia, Mongolia, China or elsewhere, whether you are a nomad or a modern human being, yourself may think "what do I care for other people's problems". But I think it makes sense to care for the questions of nature, of nomads, of modern life and our all future. Natural recourses are not endless (see what China's economical boom does cause already in the global trade; keyword oil, steel, wood, etc.) whilst the mind of modern societies is hungry for being rooted in true spirituality.
Isn't common especially for an Asian mind, to search for a way of compromise and harmony, whilst life isn't an easy one anyway ? I guess we should care again more for such tradition.
Very interesting, just in our days a Chinese writer has created a bestseller with the title "Wolf Totem", quite much sold caused this book a great discussion among Chinese readers. Even such book, no matter how its theme is accepted, does show how much tradition, culture and a past can be important for each single person's life and aim.

Grass or oil, nomadism or industry is the title of this article. I'll like to say "Grass AND oil, nomadism AND industry" should be a better one and both side should have a respected place in our all everyday life. Only in such way life can be richer, only in such way nature will be able to offer further on what nature has to offer. To learn from both side what is good and what not, only in such way can the species human being, and what ever is cultural with her, survive. Yes I even would like to use in this case the word morality.

Pointing a last time on Mongolia as an example, I remember those gone two hard years when life was filled only with the hunt after money. But the Khalkha-Mongolians started again to care for their tradition, culture and past what gave them pride back and made their life better to handle. Same I wish for my own people and equal First Nations too, in Siberia.
Pointing ones more on the theme nomadism in the case of herding, I guess it could be good to establish more semi-nomadism and co-operative institutions as it can be seen by the examples Scandinavia's Saami or by the American cattle breeders (First Peoples and Anglos).
This could offer a better chance for survival, especially in the winter. And I guess - Nomads shall be supported in the question of taking part in modern techniques to make their life more easy. At this I'm thinking about better stove, low voltage equipment, windmill-generator and solar-technique for fences and "ger" (their home). Naturally in accordance with their tradition of how they move from pasture-land to pasture-land with less heavy belongings.

By the way, one idee of the "Project Culture Center" is that First Peoples' member develop own new high quality products, instead of buying what others offer badly. This will lower costs and can be seen even as a chance for export. In such case First Nations' members must learn what elsewhere in this world is common already.
Therefor two concrete idees. Mongolia's kashmir-wool production should not offer more wool but first class worldwide accepted products in co-operation with its own well educated, really creative designers (note what for example Japan's fashion-scene have to offer). Delicious healthy food-production, good enough for export, can be a theme too. As for Siberia's First Peoples' herders, the should go the same way instead selling only the good antler, fur, wood, ivory, fish and berry. Taking care for what is with us for many centuries in the question of arts & crafts in combination with excellent innovative design and know how in marketing we could have a better future for our First Nation's people.

Last but not least - being an ethnographer, Evenk artist and an economical thinking man I guess a MUSEUM OF TEMPORARY ART OF THE NORTHERN ASIAN FIRST PEOPLES' ARTISTS could be an extra "Magnet for Tourism" being so an economical input for a region. Main idee is to create in such way step by step a cultural counterpart to the western domineering art-scene.
In such case very straight spoken, Northern Asia does own a couple of real good artists. But why must they go on a pilgrimage to the temples of western art when they could found with pride a serious art-scene in their own countries ? Here I underline "a serious art-scene!". Art can be an economical input as you can see when you observe western places.

Hamburg / Ulan Ude 2005



 

Talking about Mongolia and me

If you're a rolling stone you do not know for lifetime whereto a stone will roll. And so it was never ever in my mind to live and work in all those European, American or Asian countries that I've managed.
The U.S. gave me the great input to think global and how to keep optimism. But Mongolia gave me a certain kind of inner peace.

First I had absolute no interest in or imagination or knowledge about Mongolia. When I saw by air' Mongolia's capital first time, emotional I spoke: "Let's take the next damn 'plane back to get off this damn place as soon as possible." Because I'm not a city-roller. A forest or plenty trees here weren't to discover at all.
Well ! Now since teen years I know Mongolia's countryside more or less well but Ulaanbaatar like my own trouser pocket. As more I'd spend my time there as more I fell in love with the country and its people. Later I started even horseback riding touris
To cut off romanticism, Mongolia is a very tough land. If you have no job, money or health you'll simply die. The winter is more than hard, the Summer hot and the people can be quite rude.

It's a region where the word survival is relevant each day. Where strangers won't be able to live here all year round except in the city and there with enough green backs. Even Russians which are tough people too, if their stoves run off wood or oil no reason for them to stay in Mongolia. It's a region where the blizzards rule land and people to cut their fingers blue and to kill the 'stock. A land where less trees spend the shadow of wind or sun except in Mongolia's north. A land where neither dentists nor docs are reachable. Maybe the Shaman or travelling physicians must try to keep you alive if they're close by. But if you're a foreigner - even the Shaman can't help you 'cause you're not the one who belongs to his people's tongue and mind.
So what reason do I have to love Mongolia ? Quite simple. It's the character and spirit of this land 'cause deep in my heard and soul I never was domesticated too. Like people here always I've kept my belief in Shamanism and Animism. Both are part of my Siberian home and not of the western esoteric market.

I'm also a man who prefers to sleep outdoor in fresh air instead of living in a modern comfortable cage. When the night let fall the temperature as low as twenty or thirty I prefer to sleep outdoor whilst my Buryat family in Ulan Üüd must spend a night with snoring Vodka-corpses. More anecdotes because of Siberia could be told later in my written >SHORT STORIES< if I'll have time foe and the possibility. Better now to tell more about Mongolia, the most hospitable country that I know, so seen by my very own eyes. Hospitable as my Evenk people are too.
To give others at least an idea, city-people are city-people, this you recognise when you join the capital Ulaanbaatar. But when I met first time the Mongolian herders and their families it was like coming home. No matter that their Khalkha tongue own only a few words of my Evenk people's dialects I understood less but somehow perfect.
Complete different to Europeans and their children, Mongolian herders are not noisy people. Not when they talk or act. Their children are quiet children being, different in comparison with westerners' own, always among the elders, night and day. And they learn well and early what's necessary for life. One reason why I never will bring my Evenk daughter to “The Golden West”. To have her there with endless consumptive wishes for material things is absolutely not my way of life. Let her play with things that can be found in the nature to let develop her own imaginations, instead to have a growing up 'game-boy-child'. So was my own childhood too an' did not affect my soul bad. My, by now former, Buryat wife likes to have her in such way. But I'd shown her the "American finger".
As told before, I feel not comfortable in a western style bed or house and do not like to stay with the crowd at noisy places, without surrounding nature. So no questions for me. I stood with Mongolia's herder well. Living since twenty-seven years in my 'iron tent' ,a mobile home supplied with a stove, or summers in my 'djoo' (conical Evenk tent), it's not a task for me to cut the daily wood or to fetch the water ev'ry day. No wonder that I've felt homelike by the very first touch with traditional living Mongolians.
They are believers in Buddhism and in Shamanism too. They care for traditions as I care for. They play with their children, mostly a great task for westerners, and their children are helpful by free will as soon the can do so. The old people here are respected and not ignored. Not stored in old people's home as customary in the west. Mongolia's men are strong as I like to be and their girls and women are the most proud and most pretty one in the world, at least by my taste.

Very impressive was for my first time when the herders came riding from far distance only to see by my own hands done knife. Such work caused really long lasting discussion. Mongolian herders are accurate people and they love well done pretty things. Like me they decorate with love own belongings and their home.
Now whilst I write all these lines I feel just 'homesick' for Mongolia and I think 'what the hell am I doing here in Germany whilst I care since 10 years for the realisation of the "PROJECT CULTURE CENTER" ? But I as a social feeling man no way else for me than to care for my people and equal nations, which have in The West only an exotic image but less help from his side, and thus myself.
Here let me say as well, what is lost in modern societies a great motivation for me is, in the case of my pilot project CULTURE CENTER, the still existing tradition and the beauty of arts and crafts in Mongolia. Unfortunately less so in Siberia caused throw the overwhelming Russian culture. Such cultural traditional potential must be kept alive. If not so our various First Nations will lose their face and future.

Let's continue in the theme Mongolia. What else ? At the countryside they must live mostly on milky products and on meat. What is a hard way for westerners' stomach when no daily vegetables are in use. But this isn't my stomach's problem at all. May the summer offer berries or wild nuts from the trees or wild onions, that's all. The possibility of trade may offer flour. Such circumstances didn't bother me. It's common for me too to drink salted 'milk-tea' and a lot of delicious bouillon or to eat fresh butter with my fingers. The Mongolian herders had only wonder when they saw how I ate row fish or row liver from a fresh, still warm, butchered cattle. And the black pudding, such titbit, is loved by our Evenkis too.
If you, being a foreigner, think about cholesterol or fat people. Mongolian herders and their families are very hard workers and thus seldom so fat as I've been watching in the USA or in Europe.
Vodka ! This left 'souvenir' from Soviet times, this damn stuff. If vodka is within reach it really suits neither a Mongolian nor an Evenki. It had harm my people and equal cultures too. Myself, I refuse and hate such burning water. Only the mild Mongolian milk-distillate I like. To drink such by certain reason is for me okay.
What else ? Very impressive was for me to see the endless sky without barbed wire fences, as happen in Europe only in Finland. This I admire very much. A lot of beautiful plants and wild animals you can see here and summers a lot of always singing locusts. Singing and swinging as Mongolia’s peoples do too. 'Am I in Italy or what?' were my first thoughts. Almost ev'ry woman and man can sing here more than well. Also the radio didn't bother me, but foreign citizen miss their American music. As for the capital time has changed. Today you can watch Hong Kong's M.T.V., enjoyed by city's boys and girls. Luckily only there.

Before I quit in my writing the countryside, let me inform you. When the Soviets were gone, Mongolia was cut from fuel and industry which was ruled by Russians. Talking with Mongolians about this part of early history, they pointed only to the grassy ground and spoke: "That's our 'benzina' !" (Russian for gasoline). And in fact Mongolia survived by the herders' diligence and products. A reason why in Ulaanbaatar traditional dressed herders have the same rank in ev'ryday fashion in comparison with modern outfit. Together with modern fashionable Mongolian they saunter along the boulevards of the capital.
I estimate such mix. Never such would be happen in a western city. Be dressed traditional in Europe's or America's cities the people start to think 'do we have carnival today?'. This much uniform and brainwashed is the modern society. I know what I'm talking about 'cause I've had my own experiences.

No matter that I carry a three-time damaged backbone as a result of an old accident and former hard work in western industries, it's common for me to walk with straighten body. And so all Mongolians walk and sit too. How often I had ask my Buryat wife for walking with straight body I can't count. But with soviet passion you can not walk like a Mongolian.
Didn't I wrote about feeling home ? Well, to see here in town all this incredible pretty women and girls it always drives me crazy. Put a western fashionable model next any Mongolian girl, as for me you can have your model and leave to me all Mongolian beauties.
That brings me to the hip western theme "emancipation". Such everlasting theme forget in Mongolia. I've been living in almost thirty countries but Mongolia's girls and women are real partners for lifetime. And so it was happen for centuries. Go to the country's side and you can see there how a women can do hard work or ride a horse. And a Mongolian man is able to care well for a baby, can cook or do other woman's work. This inspired me this much, that I wrote the fable of 'Reindeer-Woman & Reindeer-Man' thinking same time about our Evenki's nomads where such way of life is common since centuries. Dictated by the nature and by hard less romantic life.

Let me end this emotional, by my hard done writing with following facts as seen when ever I have had crossing the border between Buryatia and Mongolia by train or by 'plane and what had shock me first times. I don't like to talk bad, but there is a damn great difference between both countries. I like Russians too but it would suit them better to be open like Mongolians like to be. To have a smile, a friendly glance and a less loud voice, to be less rude and bureaucratic - such attitudes of Mongolians would make at the Russians' and the Buryats' life much easier. And the world's visitors would like it.
Make your application for a visa in a Mongolian consulate and you'll find kindly people. Enter a Russian place for same reason they will treat you as if you would be the intruder who steal their country. They really treat you not like a tourist, like a guest. That's also an opinion of many, many guests of the great Russian Federation.
Ones I stood in Ulan Üüd's main militia-station I started such question for fun: "What's happen when I come along with a Mongolian passport ?", thinking that Buryatia and Mongolia must be closer friends than Germany and Russia are. The answer was: "Then we kick your arsehole!"; so spoken by those people who wouldn't stay well without the Mongolian traders in the days of perestroyka.
As written in the homepage of the culture center, in case I and my project get too much problems at Buryatia's side, means in the great Russian Federation, no question I'll knock on Mongolia's door and I must be the greatest idiot of this world if the people there wouldn't welcome me and my aim. By the way China is already hot for such project.

Last but not least and by all praise for Mongolia, I'm not one-eyed. Mongolians should protect their wildlife better than it is happen in present days and they should pay more attention to their minorities.
It was hard for me to explain the Khalkha-Mongolians who we are the Evenkis, no matter that our people live also in Mongolia and Northern China. But when I used the name Tsaatan or Khamnigan then they got an idea of my people and me. Misunderstanding the Khalkha word Tsaatan is their word for the reindeer herding Turkic people, the Dukha who belong not to our Tungus group. And the word Khamnigan is how they name our “horse” breeding Evenkis in Mongolia's north. I belong to the reindeer herding people of the middle Yenisey-river region being a man of the taiga, That’s why I, depending on wood, water and reindeer, like to establish my cultural center close to the Khövsgöl Nuur or in an other for me comfortable region.

In my article "GRASS OR OIL, NOMADISM OR INDUSTRY", I guess it could suit Mongolia to learn from what elsewhere was badly done.
By the way; the legend of the present Mongol Nation, which isn't a homogeneous nation at all, is very interesting. I believe that ev'ry legend enclose a 'pit of truth'. When this legend tells about the love between a wolf and deer, by my understanding that's the historical story of uniting a northern nation with a southern nation. That's the story of how taiga-people can harmonise with the people of the steppe.
Nevertheless, to criticise can be a sign of sympathy as well of love, 'cause if you do not do so you can not have an interest in the subject, in the people and their country.

Grey Wolf Guruev Michail, Ulan Üüd / Ulaanbaatar / Hamburg September 2001



 

Some Thoughts about Mongolia

Having Mongolia between the Russian Federation and China, I guess Mongolia's political line isn't an easy one at all. My observations' result is that I wish Mongolia could be "The Switzerland of Asia". I believe as well Mongolia has enough potencial, spiritual and material, to be a strong land and could be independend from foreign support by own development. But to learn from others is good anyway. You can take the good and prevent Mongolia from mistakes which are done elsewhere. If somebody could follow my vision that I had after the recognition in "what's happen in China" for example, things would look different. China's the world alarming boom shows China self already the limit of economical increase. Time by time, step by step China recognise also the loss of nature.
Mongolia could be for Asia the region of recovery from modern stress. This branch of service should be much more developed. As I wrote in my article "Grass or Oil" the question shouldn't be how to industrialize the country. The question should be how to develope a sense making mix of industry, service and agraric work without harming the nature. Here I wouldn't like to think about creating gigantic central places of industry and energy, as still happen in so many countries. I guess it would make more sense to develope the economical scheme of decentralization to cause so a hugh pool of autarky.
By the way, in a land of less developed possibility of transportation, having autark regions (aimag) it's good for the national budget and in the case of war. And here I think about the great historical Mongolian leader Genghis Khan, today again present in every yurt (ger); so I saw. I guess to learn from his policy would save the Mongolian state from modern trouble. Even other countries could learn from such regent. Most what impress me is the fact, that he had chosen ones to follow not a dull tradition when he decided to have his most wise son as following regent.
General, so it should happen even in "modern" countries instead of following the system of party machine. That should be relevant for the Russian Federation as well for western countries. Wise people should be chosen to have them as leaders of a nation and not partisans who promise "The Blue of the Heaven" cheating the people anyway.

To say it clear by my opinion, the still wild existing nature is the golden pot what is Mongolia's own. The rosen rate in tourism is a sign for. Mongolia can offer what elsewhere is lost. But it needs people who can think in great steps to cause a true future for this region. Supporting the autarky in ev'ry 'aimag' all together can make Mongolia stronger. Wasn't such happen in Genghis Khan's time ? So I guess my vision isn't so far from the tradition of Old Mongolia's nationalities.
How ever an' ones more. Like my Evenk Nation could Mongolia's nations can offer what elsewhere is lost. That's Mongolia's trump-card in a world of new global economy.

Last but not east, Mongolia should follow the example of Canada. Not so long ago Canada had sold its natural richness and therefor had to buy done products from the USA, till Canada awoke. Today you can buy from Canada exellent done own products. So why, by all those Mogolian talents that I know, can not Mongolia go the same way ? Same theme should be relevant for my home Siberia if not for the whole Russian Federation. This place I promise, by the present policy of economy soon the taiga and tundra will be the place of destruction. China, Japan, Korea in competition with other modern countries will eat Siberia till all resources are gone. And nothing will left to the ordinary people there. 2055 will be the year of dark recognition, so my vision, when the earth will breath more heavily.
Will the human race learn ? Am I too sceptical ? I guess not. Nevertheless, Mongolia could be a place of hope if .... .

Grey Wolf Guruev



 

TALKING ABOUT MY ART, THE SUBJECT TOO
AND FINALY ABOUT MY TECHNIC

More than what were painted by modern men had impress me, that what can be seen in the cavern-paintings of the stone age man. Never beaten even by a Picasso gave me such artworks always the shivers, let my heart attack me. Because such kind of work is more than fine art. It's art coming from an other world. Such works exhales spirituality in its purest form. Same I validate for the thousands of years old rock-engravings. To see ancient done works and to watch what's happen today gives our Evenkis' thoughts, and thus my own, a great relevance. Thoughts which can be in the result of recognition symbolical translate in such way:

Ones the reindeer can't be herded anymore
the human race won't be a human race anymore!

Such opinion you can find also in the, by western society so much admired, anciently myth of the Greeks. Here I talk about their "Stony Age", "Golden Age" and "The Iron Time". The latter talk about the vanish of the human race. It seems to me modern peoples keep on walking such way. Isn't the theme "worldwide climate" like the theme of the tip of a screw ?

My 'vitae doesn't contain any customary training in art. Neither an artschool nor an academy have seen my feet. All my artworks are the result of self-education and own training.
The first years of my 'Artistical Career' were filled with expressing what keep a man busy when he spend thoughts for the theme 'MAN & SOCIETY', 'MAN & NATURE'. Those time motivated me to develop a kind of painted 'Symbolism' telling stories within. Albrecht Dürer, Hieronymus Bosch, Max Ernst, Salvatore Dali & The American Photo-Realists gave me a great input. Many artworks were perfect done but no real style was mine.

As happen so often in my life - by chance, whilst I had to paint a huge picture by an order of the Vancouver's 'Sears-Tower' I became acquaintance with American First Nations' Artists. Our longlasting talks had bear also their questions about my blood, native place and spirit. My new temporary friends, having not any idea about Siberia's First Nations and their culture, gave me at least 'the key' for my future art-style and career.
"You believe in Shamanism, wild animals were with you since birth, you own good 'technics - so why don't you establish your artwork on your greatest interest in nature and animals and use your Siberian roots?" made me more curious for my mother's and other Siberian First Nations' history and culture. Such themes had no relevance for me when I grew up in communist time, being a "Soviet Child".
Result was - I started my present 'style, a unique style today and mine, and became an ethnographer incidentally. Whene'er I spend my time now in the nature of Siberia or Mongolia, my creativity exploded like Kamchatka's vulcanos spit fire. Quite different to my past, that had shown only brainwork and excellent technics, now my artworks are done by belly and spirit.

In remembrance what was happen in my nomadic childhood, what is rooted in my belief, in my never lost connection with the wild nature and its therein wild living "animal-relatives", having good knowledge in Northern Asia's First Peoples' history, culture, tradition & art - all this found place in my own true unique artstyle.
I adopted 'The Altai-Style' that can be found even in ancient Chinese works. I had study 'The X-Ray-Style' of Siberia's thousands of years old pictograms. And the typical spiral-lines in animal-pictures of the old Turk-Mongolian and Tungusic-Manchurian are part of my 'style too. My knowledge in the beast, in our natives' traditional life and in Shamanism help me to create my artworks well.
Our Evenki's artstyle follows the geometrical rules in the north and those of us who live in the south prefer more the rules of natural swinging lines. The latter I admire much, with the result that nobody can falsify my 'style.

Today, no perfect technics or 'Superrealism' do rule my works anymore but a lot of feelings and belief. My exclusive theme is 'Nature & Man' and not vice versa as happen before, because for me men aren't the center of this world.
The wild animal is the subject matter number one - also before much shown in my old works before any wildlife-protection got hip. My sculptures and pictures tell well about our nomadic world that is filled with reindeer-herding, cattle-breeding, hunt, fishery, with Shamanism and legends.

But these are strange topics in a modern regulated world, where only 'Time is Money' count. To make it clear - its o.k. to own money and I'm glad when people can buy my works.

But ones the nature is gone you can't eat money at all.

My point of view is, modern people have lost their relationship with nature; how can they understand then what my artworks express? And to watch, as ones happen, Mr. J. Beuys & a frighten coyote in a downtown exposition - it has nothing to do with nature and Shamanism as the western artscene like to proclaim. In general, this 'scene, always hungry for "what is hip and what not?", act confuse when they get in touch with my 'works.
I'm not wondering anymore 'cause - if a golfer cut his lawn having a pair of nail-scissors in use how can such people understad what a reindeer is all about. And a farmer, being in sorrow for cattle and profit, won't admire a wolf. Not to talk about city-children who think that the cow's color must be lilac just because they have seen such so in T.V.. By the way, I be at daggers drawn with 'esoteric'. As well with all those who have no respect for animals. And on those who grab for or violate our Siberian Shamanism I look with suspicious eyes.

Talking about my habit, nature and work: I've try to live the regulate life of middle classes but I couldn't go along with such one. Better for me is to live right below and thus with the stars, sun and moon. These are parts of my gods' and goddesses' power. I never had and can believe in, by human being created, 'The Only One God' who is by western tongues even 'The Lord' (why not female I wonder). Not to be chained by modern society's rules but living on what heaven, nature and our Evenki's tradition teach me, all this had always a great relevance for me.
I never had a four corner studio as mine. All works, as long they tell about my wild relatives and the life in and with nature, were created outdoor. For me it's a great satisfying, thrilling and thoughtful time when I have the chance to sit nearby a bear, wolf, reindeer or raven. My irons carve then what's in their mind.
Or while I see the dancing cranes, I paint them being filled with the wish to fly with them in the sky, where no people and their rules surrounds you. It's realy a precious gift from heaven when pencil, brush and iron is lead by the spirits and not by yourself.

So I like to say, my artworks are not expressions of mine,
it's art that's coming from my gods and spirits.

Like my far north living colleagues, if I start a sculpture no sketch is with me. Like my Chinese friends create calligraphics, if my brush keps working I easily create Northern Asia's wild life on local newspaper's paper; later much admired in several exhibitions.
It isn't so happen when I stay for certain reason in The West (trying to find support for the culture-center), where ev'rything is quite narrow and overloaded with law, countless in number, and with noise. But as soon I'm back in the wild nature and good air my hands take what ever is good enough for expressing what I have seen and felt.
Whether I sit by the lake Baykal, in the taiga with the murmurous stream coming from a nearby brook or in the middle of the Mongolian steppe - all you need is a piece of birchbark or wrapping paper, a sun-bleached bone, a fancy stone or a strange curved piece of wood and the work will start like by itself.
No studio can be so good than being surrounded by the wispering nature that is full of birds-songs, having above an open wide wide sky in magical colors and the perfumes of wild flowers and the trees' blossoms in your nose.
Does the rain dance on your shelter, comes the darkness with the sunset, does the frost bites your fingers or your backbone is in trouble - being filled by impressions you have to start your work and you keep working as you never would do so for any profit. It's like magic.
Ain't not fooling you: How often wild living animals had visit me being curious for what I'm doing I can't count. Isn't magical too?
In the great outdoor I were with a pack of wolves. To sleep in the middle of a deer-family, as I did, gave me a trill as well.

In comparism with western modern art and theme, I refuse to show the dark side of my people's life 'cause Northern Asia's everyday, and so mine, is already hard enough. Because of all, my people try to find always a balance as much as possible, even in artistically work. In western eyes such artworks looks mostly too much harmonized.
Unfortunately in present days, since "policy changed", some Asian artists try to imitate western expression and theme, just to be famous in N.Y. City or elsewhere in the 'Golden West'. That's not my fall. I prefer our own culture, tradition, belief and nature as theme. What ever I express is good enough to honor my animal relatives, to praise my nomadic friends and our lifestyle.

As for the nearest future, rooted in my belief and in the respect for the wild beast, now I work for my rock-art-project 'The Calendar of Animals' , a giant monument by using my style. Why ? It simply bothers me that the human race like to use animals and their attributes in which way ever, but have build monuments mostly for their personal glory, thinking that they are "the crown of god's creation".

Wherever in this world what would we be without the bad treaten beast?

So thinking after I had a vision, I though it's time to create such work. Will I make it with the help of others ? The near by time will show.

An other wish of mine - I would be simply glad for, if my own people the Evenki and equal First Nations too, especially children, would like to adopt my art-style that is actually their own. I have only borrow from them for lifetime. Because knowledge and riches you can't use anymore when you are gone. But a soul will keep on living as long as people remember you. How ever, it would be the greatest honor for me.

Talking about my art, me and the subject too was the theme. To give a statement here! Being a strong believer, a hunter and fisher, maybe ones again a herdsman to feed my family - absolute no appreciation I have for modern wildlife-managment, sport-fishery, trophy-hunt, mass-productions of meat, long-lasting transportations of cattle, animal-tests, zoological gardens, pet-shops and cruelty to animals.

Ones more - underlining that I kill and butcher the beast, nevertheless it hurts my soul and belief to see an animal in a cage. Think vice versa ! How would it be if YOU would be treaden so?
As for me I take only what's necessary for survival. I know how to make the cattle sleepy to butcher it then without bleeding, giving same moment a prayer for its soul. That's the way as Mongolian herders are doing too.

Last but not least. Viewer and collector of my artworks, admire my artworks. But it would be just good if they could learn how-to admire the nature, the miracle we live in, created by the everlasting heaven.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About my technics: As for paintings of bigger size, they can be done on a wall, wooden panels, canvas, coverlets, a blanket or on wrapping paper of great length. Using mostly natural dyes to create my own 'broken colors' I like to work with swinging arm, if I start a work of great size.
Doing graphics and small size paintings, this can be happen on wood, birchbark, wrapping paper or customary paper, even on newspapers as shown in my two catalogs. Mostly I use then Russian or Chinese water-colors and India-ink.
A typical part of my style is the use of selfmade stencils. This technic is an ancient technic coming from our Siberian ancestry who made stencils of birchbark and rawhide or dryed offals and fish-hide. The idea of stencil you can see as well in the beautiful Chinese silhouettes and carved panels.
Great fascination I find in, when I start the stencil's outline, how to cut them. Then I have to think abstract. In such way of expression ones my scalpel had cut almost more than one thousand stencils of different size and theme in a very short time. I simply couldn't stop. Now I use them for water-color paintings, creating in such way works between outline discipline and the free flow of colors.

About my sculptures: That's a special theme! As you know by the top writings I'm a nomad and so I can not own a studio. Our Evenkis never carry a lot of things; they must be small and lightweight. Same way, I make only sculptures which I can carry just by myself or, by bigger size, can be assembled. Using only natural materials like wood, bone, ivory, iron, copper, stone, rawhide, feather and selfmade color, I'm always very curious for strange grown materials.
It's like my spirits guide me to find already formed pieces and my hands do then the rest. Even when my irons start already to carve the material, I never know exactly how the result will be.
I never cut against the wood's structure to keep what's in already, to disturb not the wood's fibre's flowing and spirit.
At the end, ev'rything must be smooth as if I had create a huge netsuke. Using sand, dirt, grass and animal grease, it takes houres to cause the final effect. An effect that looks often antique.
The branded lines, showing often the Altai-spiral, underline the inner structure of a body as you can see in the X-ray style of our ancient pictograms. Do I paint partly the sculpture, in some case blue is the color of spirituality and red the color of living power.

No anatomical super-realism is my aim but the sculpture's feelings and spirituality. Telling same times a story is most important for me.

All in all and as already said, all themes are with me as much they belong traditional to our First Peoples' life and our surrounding nature showing also natural and spiritual phenomena.

Analogous to our Shamanism and Animism , very much I shown in my works such theme: A BEAR (never named 'bear' in my mother's tongue) can be an 'old person' or an 'unkle'. The FOX can be a smart shaman. A RAVEN may carry your soul whilst he's eating your dead corpus being same time a helpful friend. Some of the species FISH may be a drowned man's soul that have to be brought back to mortal ground and thus out of the third world. That's also the home of the haten MOSQUITOES. The TIGER is the spirit and master of the southern taiga like the BEAR is the lord of its northern part. The REINDEER is an extra theme. How could our nomads life without it. Do my artworks show a HORSE, it has nothing to do with the theme of European horses. So I have mention only a few of our and so my relatives. Showing them in my artworks as more or less intelligent members in accordance with our belief.
You'll find also hermaphrodites of the human race and hybrids showing animals with a human face or vice versa. They are a common part of our life.
Sun, moon, stars, iron, a stone or tree, frost, water, wind and even the chance or the death - ev'rything and ev'rybody has a 'face'. And I paint or carve a visible voice, unique in artworks worldwide.

Being a believer, some works show the in Europe abused SWASTIKA that is in fact our thousands of years old symbol of our Asia's First Peoples' sun. One of our various gods who allow us to live till all of us will disappear in the everlasting circle of light and finaly in a 'black hole' which will create many of the new universe.
Themes which belong to the most inner parts of Shamanism, such I'll never render in my artworks 'cause they are not relevant for European who are people of different mind. That's why you should note, whensoever you get in touch with artists or a 'shaman' coming from our region and they offer you 'The Secrets of Shamanism', what is a new mode in present days, just do not listen to them 'cause they try only to cheat people and take your money for their own material success. Such guys are quite cunning and charlatans indeed. Not any of our real shamans, if still some exsist, would leave their native place, never ever, for the reason to grab money or to hit a conference as the media had spread. And those tourists and filmmakers who 'got in touch with a shaman', carring "true reports" back home, had seen only a good show supported by a bottle vodka.

As long I am able to express in my artworks what's in my soul and mind, what nature offers, as long the reindeer dance with the wolf - no doubt I will tell stories in my own unique way.
As mention already, more information you can find in my two catalogs which I offer in my own homepage >www.Grey-Wolf-Guruev.com<. So, I guess now you had enogh read, am I right?

Taken from an interview of the channel 'The Buryat T.V.', I like to dedicate this record to my Evenk daughter Ajnana and to my Navajo children Michele and Uwe.

Summer, 1995
ULAN UDE





 

A Supplement to the Buryat T.V.-Interview of 1995

basing on a dictation in 1959
that was partly completed in 1978 in Canada and the U.S.A.

As an artist, self educated, being in jobs since my fifth year of age, who grew up till fourteen with only wild animals as friends I'll give here a statement about my relative The Animal.

Animals of which kind ever but especially the wild, free living one - by our Evenkis' state of mind, in comparison with modern people, they are treaten as more or less smart individuels. They are more or less close relatives for all Northern Asian First Peoples members, if you follow our peoples' legends. By some anciently exceptions such is quite different in comparison with the white European-American culture. But so still it is and was happen since thousands of years. A borderline you may see between our First Peoples' shamanistical belief and those places which are under the dictate of religions. Because such regions' people may only admire the beauty or the power of the beast but have not a true idea about the soul of an animal anymore. Some of them might be curious for what heaven have created. Some of them feel mercy with animals. But different to them, Evenk people treat such relatives like a simple family-member; sometimes well sometimes bad.
To speak out in advance: The theme worldwide 'Wildlife-Protection' advented in The West after people had realized what their own people and their exported civilization have done with nature and the beast worldwide, being now trapped by own visions of future. I guess here it isn't necessary to reiterate the theme use of water, wood, mineral recources, the use of animal in the global industry that owns only "Glasses for Profit".

Our people need, kill and use the beast whilst we give respect, songs of praise and prayers for the animal's soul, being same times thankful for the existence of such relatives and for own survive.
In my mind doesn't exist cruelty against my relatives. To keep an animal as a pet just to own a 'friend' was never happen with me. If a wild one like to join me, quite often it was happen by its own will, it may share a meal with me, it may like my shelter or gave only satisfaction for its own and my curiousity and joy.
It's amazing how an animal can recognize you as a hunter, herder or as being only a neighbor. You like to observe a bird or a mammal? Just sit down and wait. You may wait a long time but it will come to you. And if it is happen it's for the only reason to see who are the intruder in its kingdom.
I ate the meat of the roe and the deer took place right under my 'Iron Tent'. Birds have used my shelter bringing up their children right in front of my nose whilst I was busy with my daily work. But the highest trill you get when a wild living falcon takes place next to you to divide his prey, just because you had help him ones to manage a difficult situation. Isn't great, isn't?

Now you, who belong to the modern world of regulation, may compare your everyday life with our, with my life. Your breeding, your education have teach you that men is the master of nature and its beast and you treat it as you know it no better in no way else. But it is a wrong state of life and mind. It's wrong to ignore the nature and soul of an animal. How right I am you may see in the newest results of your own scientists printed in a report; recognitions which have been with my people since our nations were created ones.

Many discussions I had with your scholars, philosophers and preachers about the animal's cleverness. Let's mention only two facts!
My modern thinking counterparts spoke that animals doesn't use any tool and can not be creative as the human race can be. My answer was, some use tools indeed but the most have simply not a need for, being busy with various other tasks. Why shall an unattainable perfect created animal build up an airplane, a ship or car when it can fly, swim and run better than any human would be able for? Why must an animal create art when every animal self is a part of god's artwork? A wild cat must not create a fancy, useful dress, a fish has no need for a make-up and ev'ry bird can sing better and more audible than a human can do. Some of our wild neighbors can build a home that's even better than we could do. A home that can face a heavy storm, showers, the day's heat or couldness being warm or cool and cosy anyway.
Animals recognize earthquakes and other natural catastrophs better and long before modern men with all their scientistical equipment can do so. By the way, in such case our herder, hunter and fisher are closer by the wild beast's knowledge than modern people are. And what impresses me at most, is the fact, animals' mind do not bear the idea of malevolence and war except they got teached by man.
Not to mention the point of the beast's high sensitivity. Where the modern man have the need of costly technics, animals can hear, see, smell always better and feel what no human could feel ever with its body. That's one of the reason why our shaman, if some old one still exist, have to turn some times into an animal to own the same possibilities; what is quite suspicious for the modern society. The latter theme is an extra theme. Being absolutely not in sympathy with hip-shamanism and worldwide in "Shaman-Meetings" I wrote a very critical article you can read under the titel "About Shamanism and a little bit more".
Second - Animals do not offer prayers, so modern people do argu. I'm not so shure about this if I remember what I've seen. And no soul they own? I guess you kiding yourself. Did you ever watch an animal-mother standing by her gone offspring?
By the way but not incidental, to see an animal in a zoo owns not my favour at all, even if you talk about age and health of the beast, always enough food and about "...otherwise the rare animals would be gone soon!" Who made some species rare or had brought them to extinct? Wasn't in your opinion 'god's highest creature' who couldn't find an end ? Now you trying to repair the world.
I do not like to be a polemical guy but - imagin YOU have to live in a cage or in a fenced area maybe well feeded but out of your own world, nothing to do and overloaded with bothering eyes, strange noise and smell, stupid commentaries and chemical tests. How would YOU feel then? Or how about to live among YOUR own race but no space enough, without ways to get off or a scientist will grab YOU for the reason to make physical or chemical experiments with YOU to cause profit as much as posible? How about this ?
And, do YOU realy love a pet whilst the foodindustry kill endless other animals in mass, just to let survive YOUR love? Do YOU really love animals whilst vacation have started to overflow the shelter for homeless animals? And just to fill the basket of critic: To use a pelt in our cold regions makes sense but to cover the bum of a fashion lady I'm not so sure about this.
Excuse my sceptical point of view and critic, but all this are true facts.

The news told me that man will dublicate, create or construct the animal new, even seed and men acting like god. Isn't a proof for that the modern human being get mad? Watch what's happen with experiments in the field of microbiology, defence and war and how to heal people. My impression is that the human race will vanish the human race in the neerest future. As for me who doesn't belong to the modern society by soul and never will - you can take only this much from a pot as much is in there and if you put in what is unnatural you have to live with the results.
Such words doesn't come from a sympathizer of the hip 'Green Movement'. People who speak and act same times in different ways, do not own my sympathy and esoteric folk shouldn't visit my tent. Such words come from a man who grew up with the wild beast, who belong to the great outdoor by his birth, traditional lifestyle, belief, heart and soul. If you count 'conservatism' with the true word 'conservation', keeping alive the nature in our way, better you count me into this direction.
By all attested spoken facts you're not out of the game if YOU think that YOU could be a better human being if you turn into a vegetarian. Sorry! Even a plant own a soul and feelings. That's proved too by modern scientists - quite late, whilst our people own anciently knowledge on the nature's causal coherences.
It's realy amazing - so many facts about nature are known by our people since centuries and they are part of our nomadic ev'ryday life. But the modern societies have always a need for a proof of such facts. "The evidence needs the evidence" till the evidence is gone! No wonder that the world turns crazy. Shall this be a better world, this modern one? Your meat and vegetables doesn't tast anymore like our food does and that the modern world is pissing its garbage into the ocean from where at same time the fish is taken - don't call our First Peoples and cultures less developed! Get knowledge on our habit and tabus. We are not rank and fashion, therefor we shit not into our own cooking-pot.

I am a hunter, a fisher and was herder too. I'm an artist who devote devout his artworks the relative animal. Never I took more than necessary. I eat meat and take the pelt for the harsh Siberian winter but I admire my animal-relatives. I adore my gods, goddesses and guiding spirits who have created what is more than a miracle.
How else can I do then than to praise and honor my relatives with my prayers and 'works, to create what seams to be all ready so strange in a modern world? A world that has quit nature as much as possible being sametimes always hungry for an intact nature and its wild living beast. How else can I do then than to give prayers for my animal-relatives' soul and ancestry? Being by now an old man, my last tasks will be to create how ever "A MONUMENT FOR ANIMALS", in the way as my people have done thousands of years before.

You dear reader of the modern world may think over 'cause YOUR own survival and those of your children is tatooed with a question-mark. I wish for everybody the joy of the blue unique planet. That its magnificent nature will last. Those who will enter once maybe other planets, where our shaman have been already long time ago, can be only little in number. So what's happen with the rest of human race? Fools are those who believe in scientists' theory that the universe is not endless wide. No way else, our world's human race and our relative wild beast as well plant must survive on earth. On a very thin layer of earth, in rare air.
Ain't no way out till our world will be aten and reborn by the everlasting circle of life and death of universe and its eternity. Take a real attentive look at the wild beast and you'll recognize we are living in paradise. No paradise will wait for you when you're gone as religions try to teach you. Religions are human work but the nature and its animals are the work of gods and goddesses and their countless helpers the spirits.

Was this too much, sorry but facts ar facts. That's all.

Grey Wolf Guruev Michail

ABOUT NATURE, SHAMANISM
AND AROUND
seen with Evenk eyes

INTRODUCTION

When you follow the history of Shamanism worldwide, you will recognize nature, Animism and Shamanism stay in a very close context. For those readers who are not so much in: With nature I mean the us surrounding nature as well our own body who is a little universe by him self, often bad treaten. With Animism you have the statement that everything, everybody in the whole universe, means our earth too, is fitted with a soul. And to explain, to watch, to heal or to guide a soul that's the job of our shaman, if some still exist, that's Shamanism.
The early man's belief in Shamanism is rooted in the phenomena of nature and universe. So happen it was and still is with those who live directly in nature and on that what nature has to offer. As soon man turned into being a farmer the believing in Shamanism got more and more faded. Only some splinter were taken into coming up religions. Today most of the human race have lost the relationship with nature, whilst even some of them try to escape from their own planet. But this is an other theme.
Some natural living people still exist. Since thousands of years still they follow the tracks of their relative animal being a hunter, some are nomadic herders and some go after the fish. All of them must live on what the nature's seasons have to offer, without forming the nature like farmers and industrial men do.
Did I use the word "relative" ? Yes indeed. Evenk people and so I think that animals are our more or less smart relatives. And taking care for them I treat them so.
Perhabs you can find some people's place where by alien eyes seen Shamanism is still in use. You may visit Korea, Tibet or the highland of South-America, maybe the today famous places where North-America's First Nations celebrate a "Pow-Wow", in my eyes Shamanism there is gone.
As soon you form the nature, as soon you are bounded by religion, as soon you live on welfare the ways of Shamanism are gone. Again, in my eyes.


SHAMANISM STAND FOR ?

A lot of books, written only by outsiders, you can read about. You can visit a museum of anthropology or buy an antique artifact of Shamanism. You may have the possibility to visit a shaman with a camera-team. Unfortunately you have to believe then what you have seen with own eyes, after such guy have finished a bottle of vodka. Or "Bingo !" - you have join an "international meeting of shaman". Let me tell you, nothing of all will give you the true knowledge in Shamanism. Even scholars who take care for such theme, non of them have a deep understanding in true Shamanism; 'cause they are outsiders.

But when you see a part of the shaman's belonging, maybe several of different First Nations, this may give you a little idea what Shamanism is all about. Shamanism is so induvidual as art can be. So various like nature may show in detail her face. No matter that you can find in the worldwide Shamanism belongings of resemblance or equal rites, in comparison with religions Shamanism does not follow certain rules. It's an intimate act of a person bounded in his nation, his own tongue, and what count most in the surounding nature and his tribe's every day life.
You have to being of same language, spirituality and mind, in same region living depending directly on nature to know what's going on more or less. Because, only the shaman self have a deep sight in things which are spectacular. And his or her interpretation is induvidual as nature can be.

ABOUT THE TRANSLATION OF ORAL REPORT

Many investigations in Shamanism are done. Two books with the theme Shamanism I like are the book of the Magyar M. Hoppál and of the past Russian S. M. Shirokogoroff. As for the latter, most what impress me is, Shirokoroff wrote clear that the result of his investigation can be only a result of imperfection. He even criticized those colleagues of same branch who spread own knowledge as true knowledge in Shamanism.
Shirokoroff had mention also how difficult the theme translation is. And this when he had quite much knowledge in our Tungus-Manchurian dialects. Well written, 'cause how can you translate a language when you have not equal words in your stock of words ? How can you translate words of a shaman when he speak his own tongue, even not understand by his own tribe ? Not to forget the translaters mind who isn't a part of the tribe. But this have more relevance for ordinary translations.
And if you think somewhere somehow a shaman self will tell you about his work, this would be like an artist does try to explain his own work. To the true point it would never come.


ABOUT MODERNISM
AND THE HUNGER FOR SPIRITUALITY

Now let's talk about, what I have seen and heard when I did my various work in The West. It's not nessecary here to reflect modern man's life complete or to write about what his psychiatrist's journal do offer. More for my own fun I tell here a few anecdotes which were happen in my western time.
City-tired writers like Hermann Hesse, Carlos Castaneda or Marshall Mc Luhan had cross my way, causing a frowning on my head. A well educated German lady was waiting for her Tuvinian shaman. An international "Shaman-Conference" was held, but a true shaman not present 'cause such man of power wouldn't join such spectacle; he or she wouldn't have need for. In Buryatia a Korean lady and later several Russians ask me repeadetly for an shamanistical act. American citizen hunted me because of my traditional done belongings, which you can find so only in a museum. Switching German T.V. what did I see ? A Tuvinian writer from Mongolia stood up, spreaded his arms wide into the audience and spoke: "I'm a great shaman who guide my people into the holy land." Same moment I thought 'fuck this guy'. Exact such people let happen that "Shamanism" you can buy in a "Sears-Store" today or elsewhere in The West. Not to talk about the esoteric market, what is an extra for me quite sad theme.

What realy I do not understand, Christian monasteries offer a lot spirituality. Why must western people grasp now after our Northern Asian Shamanism being grasping for "top spirituality" ? By the way but in such conherence, I apprecciate the guys of the Hopi Nation who still do not allow the white man to enter their "kiva". Having self twins among the Dene Nation (Navajo) I was invited ones to join their medicinman's work, healing a little Dene lady. But where ever to my feet had brought me, when I was employed in 25 countries, my place is there where my spirit's home is. And so everybody should go for and not hunger for what isn't his orgin at all.


THEME DRUGS AND SPIRITUALITY

Last years it got hip in The West to use drugs of which kind ever. Talking about mind blowing and higher levels of spirituality, western, today city-people in the east too, follow the astray going line that drugs let them enter the level of Shamanism or similar level. The esoteric market does march on the same line. It's absolute not possible to convince western people's mind, young or old, drugs of which kind ever blow only up that what is in each person's mind.
And when such part of human race does talk about visions, such are not visions but results of delirium.

The mode of western people to be dressed like an American Indian or, new in the last time, like an Mongolian trying to imitat their lifestyle, seams to me that this is a drug as well and shows their state of sprirituality, means their mind's deficit.
Such kind of exotism bother me personal. Why ? When and where ever I spend my days in The West, I can not count how often I was confronted with such silly questions "... are you an American Indian ?" knowing not Siberia. Or "... how come that you speak so well our language ?" not knowing how well Asia's people can be educated.
But what's the hack, as soon a Nanai or Chukchi do enter Moscow, people ask them there "... are you from Viet-Nam ?"

MY TOP-THEME ANIMAL

Alike fire, rocks, a tree or stars animals have a soul too. They are our closest relatives, even so but very slow recognized by the sience of different direction.
This troubles the modern man. Especially by his recognition that more and more animal species will be extinguished by his own habit and greediness. Such kind of habit and greed had ones in Russia's history overwhelm all Siberian First Peoples also. The hunter had to shoot what ever brought profit, so happen till today. In soviet times we filled the pockets of communist leaders and today the stomach of our families, 'cause other jobs are not available anymore. Our unwritten centuries old rule not to take more from a bucket as it shall last for our children too was out. Today our First Peoples started to think about. And the heavy grown oil-gas-industry f. ex. force such thinking.

How ever, the way how I feel Shamanism was gone, is gone perhaps. What you see by the Renaissance of Shamanism is the simple fact that communism doesn't rule our people anymore. Therefor the ghost of the new global economy. Our peoples are simply in fear. In fear for our children's future we worry as well for nature and the relative animal. No wonder that Shamanism is actual again.
And the modern man is punished with the way how he tread the beast, what is actually his relative too.
Myself being a hunter for own food and pelt, no question for me to care for the soul of an animal. And to learn from them is a never ending lesson.


LITTLE BIT ABOUT MY ARTWORKS

Following my own style, wherein a lot of Northern Asian traditional lines are included, no question in my artworks most I tell about the animal and our people's life, often I tell about Shamanism. But I do so after having had my own experiences.
Some examples: You make it to move like a deer with the spontaneous aim to take rest right in the middle of the herd. So happen at night. Next morning's sunrise the deer let you be with them without fear. Guess what kind of sculpture I create then. Or a pack of wolves join you, what kind of picture I paint then ? And how come that deer or wolves treat you as their own ? Maybe others who believe not in Shamanism can do the same ?
One step higher: Ones in Canada I was acquainted with a mask-carver from the Kwakiutl Nation who had worn by his own hands done hawk-mask. Dancing for certain reason, longer than the body's power allow he flew where ever to. I think he had seen a lot. Same happen with me when a flock of crane is above me. But the greatest trill you get when you join the stars of the endless universe.
Our shaman have been in touch with them long before modern men have startet their rockets. Unfortunately such sort of people need always a proof of everything.


RESULT OF ALL

Some people might be better educated, some scholars may persevere on their state of knowledge. As for me I'll keep my point of view, growen on what nature and the universe tell me day and night.
Shamanism - you can not like religions describe completely. An other but important fact is, Shamanism and Animism are twins. One does not exist without an other. The latter also you can not describe. To believe that even a rock has a soul is my line too. Modern people start to smile about such theme. But as soon you let one of them stay complete without what modern men surround, quick he will crimp his forehead. As for me I will die with the help of Shamanism.
An other important point is, Shamanism was always open for religions. Vice versa it was not so happen. Do we have the Islam, Buddhism, Christiantity or Judaism, none of them have allow that Northern Asia's First People can live their own belief. Now, after the break down of communism, the American church does knock. So it was happen at my Buryat wife's door.

At the end of this subjective written article let me say: You as foreigner have a lot of wise people which are with you. Why don't you follow what sientists have proved with results. Results which are part of our shaman's knowledge long before sientists got the kick for. In this case I talk about the planet earth with all the problems which are caused by people's never ending hunger for more.

You have your Y. A. Gagarin, L. Armstrong and G. Cernan who spoke in unison
"What a wonderful world !"

No need you have to crave for Shamanism or for what ever belong to our people. You are rich enough since centuries. No need to make our people again poor. To walk after Shamanism is for you like following the will-o'-wisp.

Willy-nilly nothing more is to say.

Written by Michail Grey Wolf Guruev
2001 September, Ulan Ude / Hamburg / Ulaanbaatar

Little bit about
Nature, Animals and my Artworks

Those people who belong to the modern way of life, at least most of them, dream about freedom, free roaming animals and a life that’s happen under an open sky. They are fascinated by seeing an eagle flying high and higher in the sky or they admire a powerful bear, a tiger in the snowy forest, a loving pack of wolves or a fish swimming in the crystal-clear water of a stream. And they dream about such people who are living in and directly from the nature; I speak about our nomadic herders, hunters and fishermen.
But such kind of life isn’t an easy one, really not. It doesn’t matter if you’re a bird, mammal or fish or a member of a nomadic nation, ev’rybody have to see how to survive. As for our peoples, whether they live at the shore of a great water, in the taiga or steppe, all of them are faced by the great outback’s weather. I don’t mind to say that our people’s life is pawned with a lot of schizophrenic feelings. On one’s hands to burn your fingers in the icy snow, to suffer under the wind shaking bones but being same times hand and glove with the nature, refusing a life in modern civilizations - that’s our style.

Myself had try to be a nice “civilized” guy living in a flat of a big city; it was ones happen but only for a certain time and never, never again. I grew up in the forest and there I will die.
By the way, I admire a filmmaker who create a beautiful report that reflect the life of the wild beast. But such people disappear quick in their cosy apartment as soon the motion picture is done. Same is happen with famous adventurers and “explorers”.
Sorry, but there is really a big difference between a temporary visitor of wild nature, which have no pity with you, and those of our people which have to live always under an open sky.
Well a lot more I could tell about but it should be enough here.

If you ask me about the theme animals - first , who can tell better about their life than themselves. You only have to watch them. In my people’s old belief, and so in my own, we have always treat our animal relatives as more or less smart creatures.
Second - what since my first years of age had always impress me is the simple fact, that wherever, whene'er people like to move they have a need for a lot of technical equipment. Is it to swim, to run, to fly, to see, to hear or to sniff like animals, animals can do it always better without any unnatural help. Or to overcome our relatives, it wouldn’t be possible without acting tricky, without using technical weapons.
Well, that’s the difference between man and animal. By such theme I could say more about chance and care, about being fair or being greedy.
You dear reader shouldn't misunderstand my writing. I’m also a hunter. I live on the body of my relatives. But I respect them and pray always for their soul being thankful for each part of given flesh and hide. And never I take more than what is necessary.
As for me no doubt, I belief that animals can dream too, have wishes and estimate a breath taken rainbow, a beautiful sunset or the sparkling stars like our people do.

Let’s talk about my art now. While modern people treat animals like toys or simply as “a thing”, “a matter”, “an issue” or “a case” by law, it’s my pleasure to observe and to learn from them. Do we talk about ecological disasters ? My aim was and is to let my artworks reflect exclusively the theme “Nature and Man” and not vice versa. And so it was happen long before the theme environment got hip, long before organisations like “ Greenpeace” or the “W.W.F.” were founded.
By the way - complete different in comparison with others, it was my opinion for lifetime, no war on earth have been more horrible than this over centuries lasting silent subtle war against nature. A war against the base of life. It makes me simply sad to see how the human race’s greatest part rape the earth. Does such creatures really think that elsewhere in the universe will exist a place for survival? It also simply harms me to see imprisoned or poisoned animals or for the human being’s fun tamed one.
Being a believer in Shamanism and Animism no wonder that I care mostly for the theme free roaming animal and the First People who still live with them. People who live with the stars, the moon and the sun. What would we be without them?
Even when I was living in several cities world wide, often it was happen that I had to sketch a top seating bird who was able to overtrump the noise of the daily rush-hour.
To say it clear and not unintelligible - in comparison with written belief, like the Bible, Koran etc., as a matter of facts I believe that the paradise exist on earth and not in a kind heaven. Such idea you get when you’re a part of nature by body and soul. But the most people do not realize such idea, otherwise they wouldn’t shit into the ocean whilst same time they take their food from same place - just to speak about one attitude of the modern man.

Most visitors of my exhibitions can’t understand the true meaning of my artworks but at least they estimate the style of my art. I don’t blame them at all. Because, how can city-people, being trapped in their civilization of noise and concrete, have an idea on what I’m talking about in my works which are filled with a lot of natural life and spirituality.
When children of a city do seriously think that a cow’s hide’s color must be lilac whilst our nomads’ children do run with the reindeer or other cattle - no question both are living in a complete different world. The latter and their parents understand my artworks well.
As for me, my hands are only the tool for inspirations given by my people's olymp and guiding spirits. I won’t stop for lifetime to tell bout the universe, nature, animals and our people's life in my way.
Being overwhelmed by the beauty of nature, created so for which reason ever. Or can you, dear reader, tell me exactly why does a bird or a four leg animal or a fish wear a certain color or decoration? Isn't incredible, amazing ?
Wouldn’t be good to see further on the reflections of a blue sky or sparkling water, the image of a free roaming or flying animal in our children’s eyes? No money, no diamonds, no shining technical success or hills of green bucks can replace such pictures. That's my point of view, my iron thoughts.

I don’t care for common art-trends. And to be famous is nothing being les than a drop of eternity. I don't have to expose myself with a coyote in the middle of New York’ City. Why should I do so when wolves are living with me being good company by their own will. And to sketch or paint or carve themes of horror, just to be hip, is not my fall either. Our people’s life is hard enough in the daily fight for survival. That’s why we hang on the theme harmony. That’s Asian style. Often misunderstood by The Westerners.

Short about my ‘style: Wooden or bony sculptures are the result of materials which nature gave already an interesting shape. I only carve them till the full idea is visible. Traditional lines I add to underline their meaning. Graphics, paintings, textile work or designed merchandise, ev'rything does base on our anciently artists’ X-ray-style, swinging lines and the centuries old Altai-style. Also our northern Asiatic pictographics have a great influence in my art style. And to use our people’s very old technique of stencil-print trill me and my artworks. Ones having a knife in my hand, in a very short time I had cut more than one thousand stencils. I couldn't stop to work night and day.
Here at the written end let me say: It would honor me at most when our students of art or craft would like to adopt my art-style that was taken ones from their ancestry ‘s various art. This would be a kind of "take and give" in a honorable way. In such way the soul of a man can survive for a very long time. That's all.

Michail Grey Wolf Guruev

Your Commentary please on: info@menschenrechte3000.de