Evenki folk song «Mother Aldan»
Алдан эне кочоёлбон
Гунивчакон чинёминэ
Эгэй-эгэй эгэгэлэй
Алдан эне тэнкэкурбан
Тарганмучал кочоямил
Эгэй-эгэй эгэгэлэй
Эгэлэй-да кочоямил
Эгэй-эгэй эгэгэлэй
Алдан эне чокчоколбон
Чокчоличо кочоямил
Эгэгэлэй эгэгэлэй
About the bends of Mother Aldan
I will speak.
I sing and sing, I speak in song.
About the backwaters of Mother Aldan,
About its shallow bends
I sing and sing, I speak in song.
I speak about the bends.
I sing and sing, I speak in song.
About the meanders of Mother Aldan,
The winding bends
I sing and sing, I speak in song.
Avelova (Malchakitova) Anfisa Pavlovna (born in 1932), Metakar family. She was born in the Chita region in the Nichatka area in the family of a hereditary reindeer herder-hunter. Spoken languages: Evenki, Yakut and Russian. From early childhood, she experienced nomadic life and absorbed the culture and language of her people. All of A.P. Avelova's work is connected with the traditional livelihoods of the Evenks. Before her well-deserved retirement, she worked as an accountant, cashier-fur trader in the Chita region and Yakutia.
A.P. Avelova is a nimngakalan storyteller, a performer of folk songs. As a performer, she was recorded from a young age since the 1960s of the 20th century. Thus, her knowledge and performing skills of folk songs were used in the works of the famous musicologist A.M. Aizenshtat, Evenk folklore researcher G.I. Varlamova, and ethnomusicologist Yu.I. Sheikin.
In the songs of Avelova Anfisa Pavlovna, the manner of singing of her ancestors is noted, which is distinguished by its protracted nature, the addition of additional syllables (bi-yayugu, bi-yayu) to match the rhythm. The chants of the Uchur Evenks of the Buta clan begin with a double repetition of the word "eyan" - a flow, which is distinguished by its protracted nature.
A well-skilled connoisseur of folk art, A.P. Avelova is currently the only storyteller and performer of Evenki heroic tales - nimngakans. Her repertoire includes the traditional performance of heroic tales of the eastern Evenki. The most famous nimngakan recorded by her is the tale "Torganai", which has rightfully entered the golden fund of the Evenki people's epic. As a bearer and great connoisseur of the Evenki ethnic culture, she has extensive knowledge of Evenki folklore.
A.P. Avelova takes an active part in music festivals and conferences of various levels - international, Russian, regional. Together with a group of folk performers from Yakutia, among 400 participants from different countries, she took part in a music festival dedicated to preserving the culture of the indigenous peoples of the world. As part of the festival, in December 1997, she performed on the stages of cities in Canada and the USA. In 1997 and 2000, in Yakutsk, she performed at an international conference on musical ethnography.
In 2018, Anfisa Avelova was given the award - a badge "For services to the Evenki people" and awarded the title of Honorary Citizen of the Aldan District by the Association of Evenks of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
At present, despite her considerable age, Anfisa Pavlovna is a promoter of the culture of the indigenous peoples of Yakutia.
She passes on her knowledge and skills to young people. She works a lot with folklorists, making sure that the traditions and culture of the people are preserved in modern times.
Currently lives in the village of Topolinoye, Tomponsky district of Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).
Photo source https://olonkho.nlrs.ru/.
According to the collection of G.I. Varlamova and others. Folklore of the Evenks of Olekma /
Olonkho Research Institute of the M.K. Ammosov North-Eastern
Federal University