Farid Mukhametshin: "Holidays such as Karavon unite our multinational people"
The 27th Russian Festival of Russian Folklore “Karavon” has opened in the Russian village of Nikolskoye, Laishevsky district, which brought together more than 140 folklore groups and ensembles of Russian folk songs from the republic and other regions of Russia to present their work, more than 20 thousand guests. On behalf of the leadership of the republic, the guests and participants of the festival were greeted by the Chairman of the State Council Farid Mukhametshin.
Before the festival, head of the republic’s parliament examined a traditional Nikolskaya fair, where unique handicrafts were presented. This time, a real Parsley Puppet Theater with street musicians turned around on the square, workshops for pottery and lathe work, basket weaving and weaving on bobbins, weaving were working. At the festival, one could visit the village expedition, join the bitty "battle", get acquainted with the special musical traditions of folklorists of the central Volga region, as well as face off with the heroes.
A noisy motley festive round dance with songs, jokes, merry ditties and spells led the guests of the holiday from one colorful platform to another and, finally, they all came to the main stage of Karavon. The holiday itself opened with a bright prologue, after which the concert program began.
“Karavon gathers guests not only from regions of our republic, but also from other regions of Russia, this once again confirms the great interest in the culture, traditions and customs of the Russian people,” said Farid Mukhametshin, “Tatarstan and the Laishevsky district, in particular, are making a lot of effort to preserve these traditions. In a multinational, multicultural and multilingual power of our society. A centuries-old understanding of the world rests on traditions. ” No laws will help build a rule-of-law state if there is no culture in society, the head of the republic’s parliament believes.
Farid Mukhametshin thanked all those gathered for their careful attitude towards preserving the original traditions, way of life, and the unique identity of the Russian Nikolskoye village.
Every year the festival draws into its circle more and more talented amateur and professional folk groups and performers, each year becoming more colorful and larger. Farid Mukhametshin recalled that in the first “Karavone” in 1988 only 3 ensembles participated. This year, more than 140 teams from 41 regions of the Republic of Tatarstan and 6 regions of Russia submitted applications for participation.
“Every year Karavon surprises us, in a short time it turned into a festival of Russian culture,” said the Chairman of the State Council, “for all its novelty, the deep historicism of the holiday remains. Holidays such as Karavon unite our multinational people. ”
Another feature of the holiday, according to the head of the parliament of the republic, is the preservation of the rural way of life. “We are doing a lot to support the village,” noted Farid Mukhametshin, “because it is in the village that the national way of life, traditions and customs of the people are preserved.”
The tradition of the caravan - a large summer dance, symbolizing the onset of spring and prosperity - has more than 400 years, and for more than a quarter of a century there is a new status - the festival of Russian folklore. “Karavon” became not just a bright and colorful, noisy and many-voiced holiday, but a recognized cultural brand, a visiting card of Tatarstan.
The special guest of the festival this year was the performer of folk songs, the finalist of the TV show "People's Artist - 3", laureate of international festivals and competitions Marina Devyatova.
Olga Blagodarova, Press Service of the State Council of the Republic of Tatarstan, photo by Andrey Danilov.