Literary evening dedicated to Kurilov Semyon Nikolayevich
October 10 at the P.A. Oyunsky Literary Museum. A literary evening dedicated to Semyon Nikolaevich Kurilov, a Yukaghir writer and a prominent representative of the Yukaghir people, was held in Yakutsk in honor of his 90th birthday. The event was organized by the Council of Elders of the Yukaghir People, the Association of Yukaghirs of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) and the P.A. Oyunsky Literary Museum.
There were people at the party who knew Semyon Nikolaevich personally, researchers who studied his works and Yukaghirs.
Professor Yulia Gennadiyevna Khazankovich, Doctor of Philology and expert on the literature of the indigenous peoples of the North, opened the evening by talking about the biography of the writer and his literary work. Semyon Nikolayevich tried out many professions: a reindeer herder, a projectionist and a correspondent for Kolymskaya Pravda. He collected materials on the spiritual culture of his native people, remembered his father's stories about the lives of Yukaghirs and wanted to publish them. He was scrupulous, attentive and meticulous in researching the life of his native people, and soon Semyon Nikolaevich began his literary career. In 1961, he made his debut with the short story “See You in the Tundra” (Увидимся в тундре). And in 1969, his famous novel “Khanido and Khalerkha” (Ханидо и Халерха) was published, describing the life of the Yukaghirs in conditions of great changes, their way of life and their vision of life. Then, in 1975, the novel “New People” (Новые люди) was published. The professor noted that he was inspired by such writers as Leo Tolstoy, Stendhal, Hemingway and especially Honore de Balzac. The topics that these writers touched on resonated with what Semyon Kurilov wrote. He was concerned about the social side of Yukaghir life and their place in a changing world. Despite his early death, Semyon Nikolayevich left an important legacy, and already at the age of 29 his works became famous throughout the Soviet Union.
Anatoly Pavlovich Nikolayev, a well-known actor of the Sakha Theater, Honored Artist of the Russian Federation, People's Artist of the Sakha Republic and a close friend of the late writer and his brother Nikolay, shared his memories of the times when Semyon Kurilov's novel “Khanido and Khalerkha” was first staged on the theater stage in 1984. Sledges and deer antlers, tools, and clothes worn by the Yukaghirs were sent from Andryushkino village to be used as attributes. Anatoly Pavlovich admired the quality of the sleigh's manufacture, as such sleds are made without nails, but are supported by ropes, thanks to which they are flexible and do not break. The artists specially visited Andryushkino to experience the Yukaghir way of life and accurately reproduce it on stage in the theater. The actor of the Sakha Theater was delighted with the wisdom and originality of the Yukaghirs, so he wished the participants of the evening to study this people in more detail. Anatoly Pavlovich noted that the novel “Khanido and Khalerkha” was about a faith for him, since at that time in the 1980s the theme of religion and faith prevailed in the mood of the people. The play about the Yukaghirs was included in the productions of the tour and was shown in Moscow and the GDR. At the end of his speech, Anatoly Pavlovich emphasized that Semyon Kurilov's brother Nikolai Nikolaevich, a Yukaghir writer and artist, deserves the title of “Honorary Citizen of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia).”
Then the theater critic Osipova Nadezhda Osipovna spoke about the history of the theatrical “Khanido and Khalerkha". Critics were pleasantly surprised that the play was able to convey the fullness of each person's character and admired the live scenery of the play. The cast members fondly recall this performance and note the special enveloping atmosphere of the novel that inspired them to perform masterfully. The participants of the literary evening agreed that "Khanido and Khalerha" should have a cinematic form.
Writer Stepan Efremovich Sivtsev shared the importance of the publication of the novel “Khanido and Khalerkha" for the revival of the Yukaghir language. The writer also mentioned his acquaintance with Semyon Nikolayevich's brother Gavril Nikolayevich, Uluro Ado, who played an important role in introducing the Yukaghir language into school curricula.
Famous Yukaghir singer Irina Duskulova delighted the guests with a song in Yukaghir “About Yarkhadana".
Then Semyon Nikolayevich's brother Nikolay Kurilov spoke. Nikolay Nikolayevich said that he was one of the first witnesses of his brother's writing endeavors, he read excerpts of his stories to him. When the Kurilovs were young, there were no “Yukaghir” people on their passports, in those days they were recorded as Evens when they did not speak Even. Thus, Semyon Nikolayevich's literary contribution and active ethnic position influenced the Yukaghirs to declare themselves as an original people. Among other things, Semyon Nikolayevich initiated the creation of the settlement of Andryushkino by writing a letter to the Central Committee of the CPSU. Nikolay Nikolayevich notes the eloquence and high-quality Russian that his brother had. He told how his brother flew to Moscow with a handwritten raw version of “Khanido and Khalerha” to publish the work, and how exactly an editor from the Far East came across who accepted to see his novel, and “Khanido and Khalerha" was released.
Also, teachers of the Nelemnoye village school in the Verkhnekolymsky district Evdokia Ivanovna Cheprasova and Irina Alekseyevna Dyachkova remembered Semyon Nikolayevich. At one time, Gennady Alekseyevich Dyachkov, a Yukaghir writer and a friend of Semyon Nikolayevich, planned with Semyon to make a film based on Yukaghir literature and even went to directing courses, unfortunately, Gennady Alekseyevich passed away early. Now the Yukaghirs hope that with the development of Yakut cinematography, one day they will make a feature film based on the Yukaghir culture. Evdokia Ivanovna and Irina Alekseyevna recalled that in addition to his writing talent, Semyon Nikolayevich also had a wonderful voice, he knew folk songs and created personal songs. Guests of the evening sang a short excerpt from a song dedicated to the first female cosmonaut Tereshkova Valentina. As Evdokia Ivanovna and Irina Alekseevna noted, Semyon Nikolayevich is remembered and honored in the village of Nelemnoye, and various events are held in his honor among school students.
The musical ethno-ensemble Kuzhoon Shorile decorated the evening, the singers sang a Yukaghir song based on the poems of Lyubov Demina.
We hope that the creative life and energy of Kurilov Semyon Nikolayevich will inspire the Yukaghirs and other peoples of the North to new achievements in the field of native culture and language.
