It was in the capital of the Siberian Khanate

August  08,  2018

At the 19th kilometer of the highway Tobolsk-Baigara there is a historical-memorial complex “Isker”, surrounded by a wooden palisade. This place is sacred for the Siberian Tatars. Not  casually it  was the place   that Louisa Shamsutdinova, chairman of the council of the “Naslediye ” RTOO  in the Tyumen region has  chosen   for the construction of the complex. It is located on the high bank of the Irtysh river  near   Kuchumov  settlement.

True, everything has  confused in modern times. And the mausoleums of respectable sheikhs are located in the Russian cemetery. Russians and Tatars live on Siberian soil side by side, in friendship and harmony, so why not to share  the graveyard. I walk past the brick monuments, crowned with a crescent moon, and I can not help but notice that they are being looked after – the grass has been  mown. However, further, along the barely visible path leading to the yar, one should  make his  way through the thickets of nettle almost to human growth. And then to slide on a rather steep slope, along the grass spread on it. And all in order to see in a gray river mist a small peninsula, and maybe already an islet – everything that is left of the Kuchumov site of ancient settlement, and take it to a photographic lens.

Last year, I remember, this way the festival guests shared with me. Today I was alone. And I could not help thinking: I would have suitable clothes, shoes and a sensible local historian as a guide and consultant, and I could try to get to the site of the fortress.

And far away from the centuries-old trees, a holiday rustled, spilling across the whole region with national music, where I rushed. Once there was a wasteland overgrown with weeds. Now, the building  has been erected   in which the museum and the economy block  are located. The construction work on the mosque is nearing completion. But there is still a stage of internal finishing works.

On the perimeter of the square there were tents with national farmsteads. True, this year there were not many of them. In one of them, Khan Kuchum (Mannur Suyuchbakiev) settled. On the “Khanate” he is already the fourth year. It is recognized that with the image of Kuchum has become akin. Especially since Mannur himself comes from the Khan’s clan. But he is surprised that very few people recognize him in life without a khan’s garb. And he works in the protection of a network hypermarket, through which thousands of people pass. But here he will put on a khan’s gown with furs – and everyone will recognize him, turn in line to take a picture.

Marquee of  Khan Kuchum this time shared with his nuker (warrior-bodyguard) Farid Allashev. But the beauty  Suzge this year was not found.

The audience was slowly drawing to the scene, taking up seats in the street parterre. The host of the festival reminded the audience that the XI International Festival of the historical and cultural heritage of the Siberian Tatars “Isker-Jyen” is conducted by the regional Tatar public organization “Naslediye ” in the Tyumen region with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Tatarstan,  World Tatar Congress,  Tyumen Regional Duma,  administration of Tobolsk , Public Chamber of Tobolsk, individual entrepreneur D.T. Ibragimova.

The festival  was opened by honorable guests from Tatarstan, Kazakhstan, Kemerovo, Bashkiria, and, of course, Tobolsk and Tobolsk district. A lot of kind words were said about the ideological mastermind of the festival Louisa Shamsutdinova. She herself, instead of an oratorical monologue, recited an excerpt from the poem. And khan Kuchum   appeared on  the stage likewise.

The festival has started.

Five competitive nominations  have been  introduced this year: vocal (solo, ensemble), instrumental performance (solo, ensemble), choreography (solo, ensemble), artistic word (solo and ensemble reading), arts and crafts. For the objectivity of the evaluation, the contestants were divided into three age categories: the younger (up to 16 years), the middle (from 17 to 30 years), the senior (from 31 years). In addition, the competition was in  national wrestling . The jury also determined the best national farmsteads and the best dishes of national cuisine.

Well, those who are not a lover of country voyages, had the opportunity to touch the national culture by visiting the Palace of Culture “Sintez” concert with the laureates of the festival “Isker-Zhyen”.

It seems that the festival has reached its goals – helped to reveal original talents, brought people together, spiritually enriched. Participants of the festival exchanged experience, made new friends. Oh, someone, and they definitely will not need national identification. After all, they are engaged in a great business – the revival, preservation and development of national culture.