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Old Believers: Between Disneyland and belief
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-> See slideshow for more information on the Fish-and-Onion-restaurant .
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Source : http://medianetold.djh.dk/sites/international/eitw/2007/religious/plonearticle.2007-04-19.2670231314/
Old Believers: Between Disneyland and belief
.
Estonia is home to many Russian Old Believers who fled to Estonia in the late 17th century because of religious persecution. Most of them settled on the west banks of Lake Peipsi, Europe’s fourth largest lake on the border between Russia and Estonia, where they preserved their cultural and religious traditions for over 300 years. To their dismay, their secluded villages are now being discovered as tourism attraction points.
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By Stephanie Paersch
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Tallinn, Estonia - The one hour bus-ride from Tartu to Kolkja, a small Old Believers’ village on the shores of Lake Peispi, feels like time- travel.
.
Small, wooden houses with a backyard for onion growing are all aligned along one street and the biggest buildings in the village are two worship houses, painted brightly in yellow and pink. There are no electric street-lights, no supermarkets and only the occasional TV-antenna and two parked cars give away the present.
.
Otherwise, Old Believers have preserved their cultural traditions and way of life since they settled here.
.
To their dismay, this cultural originality is now regarded as a potential resource for tourism in the Lake Peipsi region, according to the South-Estonian tourism development strategy of the Estonian Tourism Board for 2007-2013.
.
“Old Believers are an attraction and tourism-tours to Old Believers’ villages are popular”, explains Kristina Krum from the Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation, a non-governmental organisation promoting development in the Lake Peipsi region.
.
“But Old Believers have a much closed community and they are afraid that tourism will change their villages too much. On the other hand, tourism would bring much needed money to the region and also keep the younger generation from moving away.”
.
No strategy against economic decline
For several years, the small local communities at Lake Peipsi have experienced a disadvantaged socio-economical situation.
.
On a short walk through Kolkja’s one street, a closer look on the small wooden houses shows that they are in dire need of repair. A second close look on the smiling faces of their owners illustrate another problem of Old Believer’s current situation, as none of those friendly faces is under 60 years old.
.
The younger generation has mostly left those villages already, looking for job opportunities in the bigger cities as the traditional Old Believers’ local economy, based on fishing and gardening, cannot generate a sufficient income anymore.
.
Although Old Believers are not very happy about the government’s plans to push tourism in their region, it is a fact that this is at least the first more concrete policy on how to tackle the economic problems of Old Believers.
.
“The biggest problem so far is that the government has had no strategy how to help us. Every party has their own ideas what the best way would be and so nothing gets done,” says Pavel Varunin, director of the non-governmental organisation The Society of Old Believer Culture and Development, that strives to solve the social and economic problems of Old Believers and preserve their cultural heritage.
.
European funds as motor of development
The biggest motor behind the new South-Estonian tourism development strategy is the European Union.
.
Lake Peispi shows a very high tourism potential, as the 2005 Consumetric study points out, but so far Lake Peipsi’s shores are a long way from being plastered by the towels of incoming foreigners. Reason for the rather low number of tourists compared to Lake Peipsi’s potential is due to the lack of tourism infrastructure in the region.
.
But with the help of EU- structural funds, the missing roads, sign-posts and tourist information centres are now envisioned to be established around Lake Peipsi.
.
The only question is, if the generous EU-funds are actually being regarded as a blessing by those who receive it. Like in the case of the Old Believers’ church in Varnja, where the icons of the church are now being restored with EU funding.
.
“The people working on the icons don’t even speak Russian. Can you explain how they want to restore a Russian icon, if they can’t even read Old Russian? These icons are now only religious pictures, but no icons anymore,” explains Varunin.
.
“So I fought against that project, because the ultimate goal is to open the church to tourism. But no-one listens anymore when 2 or 3 million Estonian crowns (= 10.000 to 12.000 €) have already been given by the European Union.”
.
Disneyland versus belief
This intrusion into their churches and worship houses by foreigners is feared the most by Old Believer’s when it comes to tourism development at Lake Peipsi, as it is perceived as the downfall of the belief.
.
On the other hand, the benefits of tourism for the economic situation of the region are not denied, but according to Pavel Varunin tourism can only take place outside the church.
.
“People might profit from it, but the true belief would be destroyed”, fears Varunin.
.
Aleksandr Aidarov, from the Tallinn University of Technology, who has recently published a thesis about the social situation of Estonia’s Old Believers, made the same observation.
.
“Tourism is very dangerous for Old Believers, because tourism means Disneyland. You sell something and you have to sell yourself and your culture”, agrees Aidarov.
.
But at the same time Aidarov also stresses the point, that in order to survive, Old Believers would have to become active themselves and open for change:
“In former times, it was necessary for Old Believers to stay secluded to preserve themselves. Today, we have a different situation. Today you have to communicate with other nationalities to survive”, explains Aidarov.
.
A third way of tourism
The solution for the dilemma between tourism development and economic growth on the one hand and preservation of belief and a traditional way of life on the other hand might be a compromise. This is a compromise which has already been adopted by one Old Believer.
.
In 1998, Niina Baranina developed the idea of a restaurant where people can experience traditional Old Believer cuisine with onions from their onion gardens and fresh fish from Lake Peipsi.
.
Against the protests from the inhabitants of Kolkja, she established the Fish-and-Onion-restaurant with financial support from the fund of the Phare-program, the pre-accession instruments of the European Union to assist the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe in their preparations for joining the European Union.
.
“Although people were against it at first, today no-one minds anymore, that sometimes tourists visit the village and have a look around”, says Natalja Dubinina from the Fish-and Onion-restaurant.
.
And also tourism-adversary Pavel Varunin supports this third way of tourism: “This is a way to show the culture without destroying the very heart of it.”
. .
Tallinn, Estonia - The one hour bus-ride from Tartu to Kolkja, a small Old Believers’ village on the shores of Lake Peispi, feels like time- travel.
.
Small, wooden houses with a backyard for onion growing are all aligned along one street and the biggest buildings in the village are two worship houses, painted brightly in yellow and pink. There are no electric street-lights, no supermarkets and only the occasional TV-antenna and two parked cars give away the present.
.
Otherwise, Old Believers have preserved their cultural traditions and way of life since they settled here.
.
To their dismay, this cultural originality is now regarded as a potential resource for tourism in the Lake Peipsi region, according to the South-Estonian tourism development strategy of the Estonian Tourism Board for 2007-2013.
.
“Old Believers are an attraction and tourism-tours to Old Believers’ villages are popular”, explains Kristina Krum from the Peipsi Center for Transboundary Cooperation, a non-governmental organisation promoting development in the Lake Peipsi region.
.
“But Old Believers have a much closed community and they are afraid that tourism will change their villages too much. On the other hand, tourism would bring much needed money to the region and also keep the younger generation from moving away.”
.
No strategy against economic decline
For several years, the small local communities at Lake Peipsi have experienced a disadvantaged socio-economical situation.
.
On a short walk through Kolkja’s one street, a closer look on the small wooden houses shows that they are in dire need of repair. A second close look on the smiling faces of their owners illustrate another problem of Old Believer’s current situation, as none of those friendly faces is under 60 years old.
.
The younger generation has mostly left those villages already, looking for job opportunities in the bigger cities as the traditional Old Believers’ local economy, based on fishing and gardening, cannot generate a sufficient income anymore.
.
Although Old Believers are not very happy about the government’s plans to push tourism in their region, it is a fact that this is at least the first more concrete policy on how to tackle the economic problems of Old Believers.
.
“The biggest problem so far is that the government has had no strategy how to help us. Every party has their own ideas what the best way would be and so nothing gets done,” says Pavel Varunin, director of the non-governmental organisation The Society of Old Believer Culture and Development, that strives to solve the social and economic problems of Old Believers and preserve their cultural heritage.
.
European funds as motor of development
The biggest motor behind the new South-Estonian tourism development strategy is the European Union.
.
Lake Peispi shows a very high tourism potential, as the 2005 Consumetric study points out, but so far Lake Peipsi’s shores are a long way from being plastered by the towels of incoming foreigners. Reason for the rather low number of tourists compared to Lake Peipsi’s potential is due to the lack of tourism infrastructure in the region.
.
But with the help of EU- structural funds, the missing roads, sign-posts and tourist information centres are now envisioned to be established around Lake Peipsi.
.
The only question is, if the generous EU-funds are actually being regarded as a blessing by those who receive it. Like in the case of the Old Believers’ church in Varnja, where the icons of the church are now being restored with EU funding.
.
“The people working on the icons don’t even speak Russian. Can you explain how they want to restore a Russian icon, if they can’t even read Old Russian? These icons are now only religious pictures, but no icons anymore,” explains Varunin.
.
“So I fought against that project, because the ultimate goal is to open the church to tourism. But no-one listens anymore when 2 or 3 million Estonian crowns (= 10.000 to 12.000 €) have already been given by the European Union.”
.
Disneyland versus belief
This intrusion into their churches and worship houses by foreigners is feared the most by Old Believer’s when it comes to tourism development at Lake Peipsi, as it is perceived as the downfall of the belief.
.
On the other hand, the benefits of tourism for the economic situation of the region are not denied, but according to Pavel Varunin tourism can only take place outside the church.
.
“People might profit from it, but the true belief would be destroyed”, fears Varunin.
.
Aleksandr Aidarov, from the Tallinn University of Technology, who has recently published a thesis about the social situation of Estonia’s Old Believers, made the same observation.
.
“Tourism is very dangerous for Old Believers, because tourism means Disneyland. You sell something and you have to sell yourself and your culture”, agrees Aidarov.
.
But at the same time Aidarov also stresses the point, that in order to survive, Old Believers would have to become active themselves and open for change:
“In former times, it was necessary for Old Believers to stay secluded to preserve themselves. Today, we have a different situation. Today you have to communicate with other nationalities to survive”, explains Aidarov.
.
A third way of tourism
The solution for the dilemma between tourism development and economic growth on the one hand and preservation of belief and a traditional way of life on the other hand might be a compromise. This is a compromise which has already been adopted by one Old Believer.
.
In 1998, Niina Baranina developed the idea of a restaurant where people can experience traditional Old Believer cuisine with onions from their onion gardens and fresh fish from Lake Peipsi.
.
Against the protests from the inhabitants of Kolkja, she established the Fish-and-Onion-restaurant with financial support from the fund of the Phare-program, the pre-accession instruments of the European Union to assist the applicant countries of Central and Eastern Europe in their preparations for joining the European Union.
.
“Although people were against it at first, today no-one minds anymore, that sometimes tourists visit the village and have a look around”, says Natalja Dubinina from the Fish-and Onion-restaurant.
.
And also tourism-adversary Pavel Varunin supports this third way of tourism: “This is a way to show the culture without destroying the very heart of it.”
-> See slideshow for more information on the Fish-and-Onion-restaurant .
.
Source : http://medianetold.djh.dk/sites/international/eitw/2007/religious/plonearticle.2007-04-19.2670231314/
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| Started By | Thread Subject | Replies | Last Post | ||
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| John_Alden | Icons no longer icons | 0 | Dec 3 2008, 2:15 AM EST by John_Alden | ||
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Thread started: Dec 3 2008, 2:15 AM EST
Watch
Holy Ikons are no longer actual Ikons. The situation for many Old Believers has truly changed into that of being Disneyland for the masses. The strict Old Believers have always been warned that western ways like photography would turn Holy Icons into spectacles, where people become mere spectators and not actual worshippers. Now this has gone completely full circle. It is illustrated so clearly by this article. The Internet itself is similarly antichrist. It is true, as this article suggests, that if holy things which are reserved for the faithful, are then given to unbelievers, then the very Faith itself is lost. It is similar to the idea that photography is robbery of the spirit. It is delusion to say nothing happens. What happens is that a contrary tradition is made, replacing the most ancient with what is deviant. What is seen as survival is actually their undoing. May we take heed from such worldliness before ruin quickly faces us all.
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