Epic Nenets legend songs
Nenets was only given an alphabet during the Soviet Union. Before that, the only way to preserve history, stories, legends and the memory of ancestors was orally. This was usually done in the form of songs. These could be individual songs about the life of a person, story songs about local events or epic legend songs about the distant past, great legendary events, religious myths and creation stories.
Until about twenty years ago it was still common for people to gather together in the evening in a chum (reindeer-fur teepee) and listen to someone singing an epic legend song. This could go on for several nights in a row. Although this tradition is now very rare, there are still people who know the old songs. They occasionally still sing them at special occasions or when meeting old friends.
All Nenets would traditionally have their own individual song describing their life story. This would be known by the person themselves and their immediate circle of friends and relatives. When mentioning a person in a story or legend
song, it was customary to sing his individual song as an introduction. These individual songs were the only time when adult Nenets would be referred to by their name. In normal conversation, they were (and still are) referred to as “the father of…” or “the mother of…” plus the name of a son or daughter.
As mentioned above, fewer people know the old songs these days. However, there are people who still know them and can perform them. If hearing and recording Nenets legend songs is a priority for you, we will make sure you stay with Nenets who still know and sing them.
The further north you go on the Yamal Peninsula, the better the songs have been preserved. The best area to go is therefore, of course, the Seyakha tundra, hundreds of miles north of Salekhard and only accessible by helicopter. However, if you do not have the time, the money and the flexibility to visit Seyakha, we also know nomadic families in the Yar-Sale area that still sing the songs.
Nenets was only given an alphabet during the Soviet Union. Before that, the only way to preserve history, stories, legends and the memory of ancestors was orally. This was usually done in the form of songs. These could be individual songs about the life of a person, story songs about local events or epic legend songs about the distant past, great legendary events, religious myths and creation stories.
Until about twenty years ago it was still common for people to gather together in the evening in a chum (reindeer-fur teepee) and listen to someone singing an epic legend song. This could go on for several nights in a row. Although this tradition is now very rare, there are still people who know the old songs. They occasionally still sing them at special occasions or when meeting old friends.
All Nenets would traditionally have their own individual song describing their life story. This would be known by the person themselves and their immediate circle of friends and relatives. When mentioning a person in a story or legend song, it was customary to sing his individual song as an introduction. These individual songs were the only time when adult Nenets would be referred to by their name. In normal conversation, they were (and still are) referred to as “the father of…” or “the mother of…” plus the name of a son or daughter.
As mentioned above, fewer people know the old songs these days. However, there are people who still know them and can perform them. If hearing and recording Nenets legend songs is a priority for you, we will make sure you stay with Nenets who still know and sing them.
The further north you go on the Yamal Peninsula, the better the songs have been preserved. The best area to go is therefore, of course, the Seyakha tundra, hundreds of miles north of Salekhard and only accessible by helicopter. However, if you do not have the time, the money and the flexibility to visit Seyakha, we also know nomadic families in the Yar-Sale area that still sing the songs.
