June 17, 2019

The Tatars and Bashkirs of Toronto  have  celebrated the anniversary of the hero-warrior and poet Salavat Yulaev. The meeting was very emotional and saturated. We watched a documentary about the personality  of Salavat.  The pages of his biography were remembered. People got  familiarized themselves with how the name of Salavat is perpetuated, and how the people protect and preserve the memory of him.

They read poems of the poet and talked about his creative heritage. Alfiya Dulatova (originally from Aznakaevo) read  out  the verses  by  Salavat in  original. The eight-year-old son of Rimma Mukhitova (Naberezhnye Chelny) – Emre Tuna – painted by  pencil portrait of the hero. We got acquainted through the screen with the story of creating a book about Salavat on Estonian soil. The Kurultai Canada wants to have this book in his library, as well as to establish friendly relations with Estonian compatriots.

The main event of the celebration of the 265th anniversary of the birth of Salavat Yulaev was a visit to the workshop of the Turkish sculptor Ruhi Tuna, who exclusively showed the members of Kurultay Canada his  new work – the bust of the Bashkir hero. While it is a sculpture in clay. There are many stages ahead – casting a form, ordering material, creating a sculpture and its completion. But today’s impression was completely indelible. The realization that the bust of Salavat is being created on Canadian soil, as well as the emotionality of the moment, cannot be described. All mixed up: pride in the hero, thanks to the sculptor, admiration for what he saw, the joy of being involved in a great undertaking. It is truly unique.

Farida Samerkhanova