May 2017

REDISCOVERING BILATERAL RELATIONS THROUGH HISTORY

THE IZBORSK FORTRESS HOW THE BECAME THE PIONEER MUSEUMS AND FORT ROSS: TERRITORIES THE BIRTHPLACE OF RUSSIAN IN THE US: FOLLOWING THE SUN OF RUSSIAN AMERICAN AMERICA AND HOW IT REMEMBERS OVER THE NORTH AMERICAN COOPERATION THIS CONNECTION CENTURIES LATER CONTINENT P. 6, 26 P. 14, 22 P.28 REDISCOVERING BILATERAL RELATIONS THROUGH HISTORY

MOST RELEVANT TOPICS: ’s national identity Russia’s foreign policy outlook Best Russian studies programs Russia in the Middle East The magnetic push and pull of the Russian economy Terrorism

Read in the brochures of International Fort Ross Dialogue Conference GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS TO OVER 40 ANALYTICAL REPORTS www.russia-direct.org/archive rg.ru/files/california_en rg.ru/files/izborsk_en EDITORS NOTE The Russian Path to America

In 2017, two important anniversaries in Russia and America’s shared history will take place: 150 years ago, in 1867, U.S. Secretary of State William Seward signed a treaty to purchase from Russia, and 200 years ago, in 1817, Russia abandoned Fort Elizabeth, its last settlement in the Hawaiian Islands. Despite the physical departure of the Russian state from North America, the in uence of the project remains even today, in the memory, history and Alexei Pankin contemporary life of the two countries. Editor Russian and American pioneers began moving towards each other at practically the same time.  e bulk of Russian exploration of the Western Hemisphere began from the Siberian town of Tobolsk, which was founded in 1587.  ousands of miles to the west, Europeans were also reaching beyond the boundaries of their continent, founding Jamestown, the  rst English settlement in North America, in 1607. Moving from east to west and west to east, these two cultures  nally met in Alaska, and Hawaii in the 19th century. Despite our many di erences, one thing Russians and Americans share in common is the drive to explore. To go and discover new lands you need to be courageous, entrepreneurial, full of initiative, able to make decisions quickly and be willing to stand  rm in the face of

di culty.  e history of Russia’s expansion eastward and America’s in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort expansion westward is the story of two great modern nations, economies, national characters and cultures. 1 In this magazine, we will trace the steps of these bold pioneers to Fort Ross, the Russian settlement established in 1812 in Northern California. Just 50 miles north of San Francisco, today it hosts a museum and park where the Russian and American pioneer spirits converge. Fort Ross is an impressive example of Russian-American cooperation.  e Fort Ross Dialogue, a conference that brings together cultural and business leaders from both countries, has taken place there since 2012. In 2017, this conference will take place in Russia for the  rst time. It will be hosted by Fort Ross’s sister museum, the Izborsk Fortress in the Region. At the conference, titled Towards Each Other, representatives from both countries will discuss Russian and American history and what the past can teach us today. In particular, participants will talk about the museum collections that carefully preserve this history. Because this year’s dialogue will take place in Russia, much of the conference will focus on the Russian North and Siberia.  e main topic of discussion will be what Russian history can teach us about Russian America. Izborsk / May 2017 Frontiers: Russian-American  e preservationists and historians of these Russian and American museums also deserve special mention as pioneers. Using the latest technology and innovations, their work both preserves and illuminates this shared history. We look forward to including you in this work.

THIS PUBLICATION WAS PREPARED BY THE EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT OF THE ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA NEWSPAPER AT THE REQUEST OF THE ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA PUBLISHING HOUSE FOR THE BILATERAL RUSSIAN-AMERICAN FORUM “FORT ROSS DIALOGUE - MEETING IN RUSSIA” (IZBORSK, MAY 28-30, 2017), SPONSORED BY TRANSNEFT.

ALEXEI PANKIN — EDITOR LARA MCCOY — ENGLISH-LANGUAGE EDITOR JOE CRESCENTE — PROOFREADER SERGEI TSEYTLIN — TRANSLATOR VLADIMIR DUKELSKY, IRINA RACHEEVA — SCIENTIFIC CONSULTANTS EKATERINA SOBOLEVSKAYA — PROJECT COORDINATOR

PHOTOS: RIA NOVOSTI, TASS, АР, REUTERS, DEPOSITPHOTOS, FLICKR (LORENJAVIER, MARIONDOSS), MUSEUMS OF IZBORSK, , , , , TOBOLSK, TAIMYR, FORT ROSS-IRKUTSK CLUB, VLADIMIR LATYNTSEV, ALEXANDER MOLODIN, FORT ROSS CONSERVANCY, FRIENDS OF SUTTER’S FORT.

© COPYRIGHT 2017, ROSSIYSKAYA GAZETA. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. ADDRESS 24 PRAVDY STR., BLDG. 4, OFFICE 720. MOSCOW, RUSSIA, 125 993. E-MAIL: [email protected] TЕL.: +7(495) 775 3114; FAX: +7(495) 988 9213 Let’s move towards each other!

ti al politi cal, business, cultural and scienti fi c circles from Russia and the U.S. will parti cipate in the event. The fo- rum began at the Fort Ross State Historic Park in Califor- nia, Russian America’s southernmost sett lement on the West Coast. Today, Fort Ross is not only a living symbol of our common history; it is becoming the center of interest in Russian America, a platf orm for comprehensive and ac- ti ve interrelati on among the descendants of Russian im- migrants in parti cular, and for interacti on between Rus- sian and American cultures in general. This magazine is dedicated to the convergence of civiliza- ti ons, as represented by the Russian session of the Fort Ross Dialogue. Its pages elegantly and concisely tell the history of Russian and American pioneers, and the many things that unite the people who conquered the vast ex- panses of Siberia and the American fronti er. The journeys of these pioneers from both East and West, which began DEAR READERS! almost simultaneously in the 16th-17th centuries, fi nally intersected in Alaska, California and Hawaii. Those places You are holding in your hands an unusual publicati on, sti ll retain traces of Russian presence and the memories one dedicated to chapters in Russian and American his- of our countrymen who played an important role in the tory that have been mostly forgott en today. Transneft is history of our two great powers. 2 happy to be a sponsor of this project. It is just one ex- Today, the task of promoti ng mutual understanding be- ample of the many things our company is doing with Rus- tween Russia and the United States faces serious chal- sian and foreign business partners, as well as scienti fi c, lenges. Once again, we must try and move towards each educati onal and cultural organizati ons, to develop infor- other, to search for ways to connect and cooperate in the mal dialogue between Russians and Americans. We are name of the future of our countries and peoples. The suc- working to build constructi ve relati onships across disci- cessful examples from our rich common history should plines — founded on mutual respect and trust, promoted help in this task. by deep knowledge and understanding of our two coun- I am certain that in reading this magazine, Moving To- tries’ histories and cultures. wards Each Other: Russian and American Pioneers, read- These eff orts are bearing fruit. This year, for the fi rst ers will learn about and bett er understand the moments ti me, the Fort Ross Dialogue on U.S.-Russian relati ons will that unite Russian and American cultures. take place in Russia. Representati ves of the most infl uen- I wish you pleasant and engaging reading!

Nikolai P. Tokarev President of Transneft Strengthening our understanding of one another through our shared history

Throughout my 45-year career, I relati ons. Every year, we send win- have had the opportunity to observe ners of this contest from Russia to the ebbs and fl ows in the U.S.-Russia California to parti cipate in the annu- relati onship. I would characterize al Fort Ross Festi val. Another collab- that relati onship as a near-constant orati on supported by the U.S. Em- balance between cooperati on and bassy took place at Izborsk’s open air competi ti on. We have thrived as museum and medieval fortress, competi tors and as partners, and bringing together museum staff woven throughout that relati onship from Izborsk, Fort Ross and Colonial over the years are our cultural and Williamsburg to discuss historic in- historical ti es, of which Fort Ross is a terpretati on and craft s and explore shining example. future cooperati on. These people- This year marks the 205th anniver- to-people interacti ons help build sary of the establishment of Fort bridges between Russians and Ross, the southernmost Russian set- Americans, strengthening our un- tlement in what is now the United derstanding of one another through States. Located in picturesque our shared history. Northern California, Fort Ross is a Like the Fort Ross Festi val, the Fort testament to the meeti ng of cul- Ross Dialogue is an invaluable forum tures, a landmark that witnessed the for discussing our shared interests intersecti on of Russians, Americans, and discovering our shared values. I Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort Spaniards and American Indians. would like to congratulate the orga- As U.S. Ambassador to Russia, one of nizers of the Dialogue and express John F. Tefft 3 my goals is to strengthen the peo- my appreciati on to everyone for Ambassador of the United States to Russia ple-to-people and cultural connec- helping us to strengthen people-to- ti ons between our two countries. A people ti es between our two coun- good example of this is the Fort Ross tries. When our bilateral relati ons Contest, which for the past are so challenged — as they are at three years has highlighted the cul- the moment — it is even more im- tural ti es between Russia and the portant to conti nue to create these United States by inviti ng high school opportuniti es to bring Russians and students to think more about what Americans together to discuss diff er- early life at Fort Ross was like and ences; to enjoy things we have in how the sett lement has contributed common; and to simply embrace to the development of U.S.-Russian our shared culture. Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Frontiers: Russian-American CONTENTS TOWARDS EACH OTHER: ON THE FRONT LINES OF HISTORY RUSSIAN TRAILBLAZERS OVER THE COURSE OF ITS 1,000-YEAR HISTORY, THIS TOWN IN RUSSIA’S NORTHEAST CORNER HAS DEFENDED AND AMERICAN PIONEERS ITSELF AGAINST NUMEROUS INVADERS, SURVIVING TO BECOME ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL CENTERS. 6–11 VELIKY NOVGOROD 12–13 KARGOPOL REVEALING THE RUSSIAN MIDDLE AGES VELIKY USTYUG DUDINKA NATALYA DUBROVSKAYA, DIRECTOR OF THE IZBORSK MUSEUM-PRESERVE, EXPLAINS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IZBORSK AND FORT ROSS. TOTMA

TOBOLSK

OKHOTSK 14–17FOUR PATHS FROM THE RUSSIAN NORTH TO NORTH AMERICA THE LANDS OF WERE THE IRKUTSK DEPARTURE POINT FOR MANY OF THE COUNTRY’S GREAT EXPLORERS. TODAY THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE REMEMBERED IN A DIVERSE SET OF LOCAL MUSEUMS.

TOBOLSK: THE GATEWAY TO SIBERIA 18–19 FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS, THIS OUTPOST WAS THE POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR EXPEDITIONS FORT ROSS IN IRKUTSK HEADING WEST — FURTHER INTO SIBERIA, TO THE THE GOVERNMENT OF RUSSIAN FAR EAST AND ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA. THE IRKUTSK REGION ANNOUNCED PLANS : PRESERVING THE WAY OF LIFE TO DEVELOP THE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE RUSSIAN AMERICA TOURIST BRAND. THE COLLECTIONS OF THE WORLD’S NORTHERNMOST MUSEUM SHOWCASE THE ANCIENT TRADITIONS 2021OF FIVE LOCAL TRIBES. IN 2017, THE FORT ROSS DIALOGUE 22–25 WILL BE HELD IN RUSSIA FOR THE OLD ROOTS AND NEW DISCOVERIES OF RUSSIAN AMERICA

THE FIRST TIME. THE ANCIENT HISTORIANS AND ARCHEOLOGISTS CONTINUE TO WORK TO BRING THE LITTLE-KNOWN ASPECTS OF FORTRESS IN IZBORSK IS RUSSIAN AMERICA TO LIGHT.

HOSTING MUSEUM DIRECTORS FORT ROSS – EXPANDING THE WAYS INTERESTED IN RUSSIAN OF SHARING IN AMERICA

AMERICA FROM BOTH RUSSIA TIM KELLY, PRESIDENT OF FORT ROSS CONSERVANCY, AND SARAH SWEEDLER, AND THE UNITED STATES. C.E.O., SHARE SOME DETAILS ON LITTLE- KNOWN ASPECTS OF FORT ROSS’S HISTORY AND ON NEW INITIATIVES THE MUSEUM IS PLANNING. 26–27

OKHOTSK 28–29 GETTING IN TOUCH WITH PIONEER LIFE OPEN AIR AND LIVING HISTORY SITKA MUSEUMS ALLOW VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE THE LIVES OF AMERICANS FROM THE PAST.

INDEPENDENCE

SUTTER’S FORT 30–31 MUSEUMS SHOWCASE U.S.-RUSSIAN RELATIONS FROM PIONEER PERIOD TO WORLD WAR II COLLECTIONS IN MUSEUMS ACROSS RUSSIA HOST EXHIBITS RELATED TO THE U.S., INCLUDING INDIAN RARITIES, LETTERS WRITTEN BY AMERICAN TRAVELERS AND WEAPONS HAWAII FROM WORLD WAR II. KAUAI ISLAND

RUSSIA AND AMERICA: INTERSECTING CULTURES PAUL RODZIANKO, VICE-CHAIRMAN, AMERICAN-RUSSIAN CULTURAL COOPERATION FOUNDATION, CHAIRMAN EMERITUS, HERMITAGE MUSEUM FOUNDATION (USA) Alexei Pankin

ON THE FRONT LINES OF HISTORY OVER THE COURSE OF ITS 1,000-YEAR HISTORY, THIS TOWN IN RUSSIA’S NORTHEAST CORNER HAS DEFENDED ITSELF AGAINST NUMEROUS INVADERS, SURVIVING TO BECOME ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL CENTERS

6 862 1964, as director Andrei Tarkovsky was prepar- Year founded ing to shoot his film Andrei Rublev, he began looking for a set- ting that could evoke Russia in the early 15th century. Vladimir, the town where much of the film takes place, already contained too many modern buildings. Art restorer Savva Yamshikov, who selected the locations for the film, found his “Vladimir” in the Pskov Region.

442 000 annual visitors “Th e ancient Pskov suburb of Izborsk was perfect for the role of Vladimir,” Yamshikov recalled. Izborsk is mentioned in the Pri- mary Chronicle, the fi rst written source of Russia’s history. It de- scribes how the Slavic and Finno- Ugric tribes that lived in the north- west of present-day Russia invited the (Vikings) from the Scandinavian tribe called Rus’ to govern over them. According to the Chronicle, “the oldest (mem- ber), , settled in Novgorod, another, Sineus — in Beloozero and a third, Truvor — in Izborsk. Th ose three Varangians founded the Russian land.” “Truvor was most likely a leg- endary personality,” said Vladimir Dukelsky, a historian of the region. “His name has folkloristic origins and perhaps derives from Th or, the Archeological fi ndings show that the Truvor mound and the words The city’s military Scandinavian God of War.” Izborsk was founded in the 8th past is reenacted “Remembered until this day” on a Even if Truvor was only a legend- century, and by the time the Va- in the Iron City medal. Today it is displayed in the ary ruler, Dukelsky says that there rangians arrived it was the center annual festival, State Hermitage Museum in St. Pe- is no doubt that the Varangians in- of the Slavic tribal union of Kriv- which attracts tersburg. Th e Izborsk Museum has about 1,000 vaded the region in the 860s. In 862, ichs. Nevertheless, the town’s his- participants a copy. Rurik founded the Rurikid dynasty, tory is tied to Truvor. Th e Truvor and many more 7 which fi rst ruled over Novgorod, settlement, the fi rst fortress erect- spectators. “THE IRON CITY” then Kievan Rus’ and fi nally the ed in this territory, and the Truvor Starting in the 13th century, Izborsk , which Cross on Truvor’s symbolic grave, was Russia’s front line of defense in later became a kingdom. Th e dy- are among its main landmarks. nasty came to an end in 1598 with In the 18th century, Empress the death of Tsar Fyodor Ivanovich, Catherine the Great, who ruled son of . Russia from 1762 to 1796, put

PSKOV ST.PETERSBURG

IZBORSK Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Frontiers: Russian-American in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort

MOSCOW the fi ght against Germanic invad- ers. Although the original fortifi - cations fended off attacks for the better part of 100 years, by the early 14th century, they were no longer TRUVOR SETTLEMENT suffi cient and the town was moved The Truvor to Zheravya (crane) Hill. In 1330, a Settlement — strong stone fortress was built there, the site of the and over the years, new towers and ancient Izborsk Russian Revolution. Perhaps as a Fortress. The defensive structures were added. fortress rampart result, neither the Pskovo-Pecher- Between 1330 and 1480, Izborsk and the Church of sky Monastery nor the St. Nicholas 8 was besieged eight times, but it was St. Nicholas the Cathedral built in the 14th century never taken. Th us, it earned the Wonderworker on the territory of the Izborsk for- (built in the 16th- nickname “Th e Iron City.” 17th centuries) tress, were ever closed. In 1581, the Izborsk fortress fell have been to the invading troops of Polish preserved. A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION Catherine the Great’s King Stephen Báthory. However, in Starting in the 19th century, Izborsk Truvor medal. Rurik’s image accordance with the Truce of Yam- and its surrounding monasteries appears on the front side Zapolsky signed in 1583 between began attracting pilgrims and art- and the backside contains the Poles and Ivan the Terrible, the ists. World-renowned opera singer the writi ng “Sti ll remem- fortress remained part of Muscovy. Fyodor Shalyapin visited the region bered today” and “Truvor Aft er the treaty was signed, the on many occasions and in 1964 Jo- died in Izborsk in 864.” fortress was modernized for the seph Brodsky was inspired to write last time. Over the years, Izborsk lost its signifi cance and the Pskovo-Pech- ersky Monastery evolved into a full-fl edged fortress that provided TRUVOR CROSS for the region’s defense. Izborsk’s The Truvor Cross strategic importance declined even on Truvor’s further aft er Russia defeated Swe- Grave is one of den in the in the symbols of Izborsk. 1721. As a result of the war, Rus- sia gained access to the and Izborsk ceased to be a border region. As a result, the citadel was preserved as a unique example of Russian fortifi cations of the 14th- 16th centuries. In the early 20th century, Iz- borsk became part of Estonia when that country broke away from the fl edgling Soviet Union aft er the PRESERVING TRADITIONS

In the of Sigovo, not far from Izborsk, a branch of the Izborsk Museum preserves the history of the Seto people. The Seto, who are ethnically Finno-Ugric, were among the original settlers of the Pechory District of the Pskov Region. They are sometimes called

Stone crosses found in the peripheries of Izborsk are kept in the historical collection “The Chronicle of Ancient Izborsk from the Beginning of Russia to the Battle of Poltava.”.

Russian-Estonians. According to the 2010 , there are 217 Setos in Russia and more than half of them live in the Pskov the poem “The Pskov Register” af- Region. Many live in the countryside, speak the Seto language and preserve their ter a visit to Izborsk. in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort The town also inspired painter traditional way of life. Nicholas Roerich to begin his cam- Seto traditions are on display in Sigovo, the 9 paign to unite the efforts of state former estate of the Kulaots family. The and society to safeguard cultural estate includes a stone house with a wooden objects. At the turn of the 20th vestibule, a barn and a granary that were century, Roerich made dozens of built in 1899 and a small bath. Visitors to the pilgrimages to old Russian towns estate can see household objects that and became an expert in pagan belonged to Seto people. Every September, structures and Orthodox archi- Estonians come to the international Setomaa Details of a spinning wheel. The museum’s tecture. During a 1903 visit to Iz- ethnographic collection contains many Family Gatherings Festival, which is held on borsk, Roerich wrote in his diary: artisanal tools. the grounds. “Looking at this fortress, you The importance of preserving the traditions cannot help thinking that people of the local indigenous people is another come and go, that their lives are belief that the Izborsk and Fort Ross muse- too short in comparison to eter- ums share. Russian settlers founded Fort nity, but people’s creations outlive Ross on land inhabited by the Kashaya them for a long time, serving as a Indians. Building good relationships with monument to their glorious work them was essential to the success of Fort and activity for the benefit of the Ross. Today, traditional Kashaya festivals held fatherland.” at Fort Ross are among its main attractions, Izborsk / May 2017 Frontiers: Russian-American In April 1935, Roerich spear- as are the Setomaa gatherings in Izborsk. headed the Treaty on the Protec- tion of Artistic and Scientific Insti- tutions and Historic Monuments, otherwise known as the Roerich Pact. It is also sometimes called the Washington Pact, since it was signed in the U.S. capital. Among its first signatories were 21 Ameri- A fragment of the “Russians and the can states. Seto. One Land — a Common History” Exhibition. For many centuries, the two The main ideas of the Roerich peoples have been living side by side, Pact provided the foundation for sharing elements of each other’s culture, the Convention Concerning the life, traditions and rituals. Nicholas Roerich: “Immediately, from first glance SLOVENSKIYE KLYUCHI it seems that all the towers are identical like The Slovenskiye soldiers in gray overcoats, but this is just a fleeting Klyuchi (springs) impression. Their enormous… volumes with arrow are the Izborsk- Malskaya Valley’s slits… create the idea of wild, monstrous power main natural (…) Fortresses like Izborsk’s don’t exist in ancient attraction. Pilgrims come to Russian architecture.” take a dip in these waters. beads, bracelets and earrings from Today the Izborsk Historical-Ar- the 11th-13th centuries. Local resi- chitectural, Landscape and Natural dents continue to donate items to Museum-Preserve function not “Very beautiful the museum. In 2016 alone the only as a historical, artistic and places. You can see museum collection received 143 ethnographic facility, but also as a far away, from high new artifacts. venue for festivals and concerts. It up. A wonderful lake In 2012 Izborsk celebrated its continues to inspire visitors with with streams flowing 1,150th birthday. The settlement its fairytale setting. was presented with a special de- Museum Director Natalya Du- into it. The water is cree from the Russian president. brovskaya, a native of Pskov, re- 10 exceptionally clean and delicious. Swans and ducks. A very calm place, you can even sleep over in order to see everything without hurrying.”

Visitor’s comment

Protection of the World’s Cul- tural and Natural Heritage, which UNESCO adopted in 1972. This document introduced the idea of “world heritage objects” and brought both cultural and natural heritage sites under protection. Today the Izborsk Historical-Ar- chitectural, Landscape and Natural Museum-Preserve is a candidate for the UNESCO World Heritage Sites list. In 1964, local residents estab- lished a “people’s museum” in the town library. Its inaugural collec- tion featured archeological artifacts found on the site of the original Iz- borsk settlement. Among the finds were household objects including knives, keys, flints, weapons, har- ness details and jewelry including cently took a walk through the for- tress with her son. “It was the end of winter, begin- ning of spring,” Dubrovskaya re- called. “I was returning with my son from school. We were walking through the fortress. We ascended the tower with the open platform. Suddenly we saw swans fly up from the lake. They circled the fortress and flew in our direction. There were seven or eight of them,

white, strong and beautiful birds. We looked each other in the eye. In After he emigrated, front of us is the lake, a pearl val- Joseph Brodsky would ley stretching to the horizon, just coming out of winter. This is the remember his visit expanse of Russia. And you realize, shivering, with tears in your eyes, to Pskov and Izborsk: that this is where the motherland “Looking at those originated. You feel that you are a grain of sand, a speck, a simple in- churches (the most stant in the life of this 1,000-year- old town.” splendid in the whole

Dubrovskaya said that her son in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort empire, I must say).” squeezed her hand tightly and 11 asked: “Mom, the swans won’t car- The “Glory of Russia” Hill. Izborsk’s guests come from every ry us away, will they?” corner of Russia and bring a handful of soil from their native land. Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Frontiers: Russian-American

Savely Yamschikov, architect, restorer and consultant on the film Andrei Rublev: “The ancient Pskov ‘suburb’ of Izborsk was perfect for the role of Vladimir. Keenly studying the fortress ruins by the slopes of the Zheravya Hill, asking me about the battles that once took place here, Vadim Yusov [Ed. the film’s Director of Photography] loved blending with the landscapes of the future film…” The story of the fortress’s “moment in history” can be found in the “Izborsk Land — Holy Places for Russian Culture” exhibition Alexei Pankin REVEALING THE RUSSIAN MIDDLE AGES IEW INTERV NATALYA DUBROVSKAYA, DIRECTOR OF THE IZBORSK MUSEUM- PRESERVE, SPOKE WITH ALEXEI PANKIN ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN IZBORSK AND Last year there were FORT ROSS. 422,000 visitors. How did Izborsk become a During the season we partner to Fort Ross? were working beyond Natalya Dubrovskaya: We are the museum and similar! Izborsk is one of the employees’ capacity... most ancient Russian fortresses, while Fort Ross is one of the last Russian fortifi cations in “Visitors can organize North America. What is a celebrati ons in Izborsk, fortress or a fortifi cation? It including birthday parti es. 12 forms the beginnings of the Any child would be enter- town, a seed from which grows tained by the experiences in the enormous tree of human in- the ancient fortress. teraction. We have visited each other and I think that when you One Land — A Common His- on the Pskov-Riga highway. stand on the California cliff or tory. Th at is when we visited Here, in the large museum our fortress tower and look at each other for the fi rst time. parking lot, we want to set up the horizon, it doesn’t make a A joint online exhibition a similar information center, diff erence whether the wind dedicated to craft s is currently erect modern buildings and blows from the ocean or from being hosted on the websites of build parking lots to make the the Small Valley. Either way our two museums. It is based premises as attractive and com- you feel good. Sarah [Ed. Sarah on classic museum material, the fortable as possible for travelers. Sweedler, C.E.O. of the Fort objects of our archeological col- Th is will be a center for receiv- Ross Conservancy] told me the lection — craft s that have been ing tourists, where Izborsk’s same thing. preserved since ancient times. guests will be able to get infor- In 2010, I fi nished an American Th ey are the objects that helped mation on the museum, exhibi- museum management program people survive, build fortresses tions, excursion itineraries, as called Managing National and create cities from those well as receive accompanying Historical Sites and Museums. fortresses. recreational services, something During my rather long intern- that will increase awareness of The celebrati ons include ship in the U.S., my colleagues What is the primary thing that the historical-cultural and natu- several interacti ve events, and I got to know many interests you from the American ral objects not only in Izborsk, such as a “treasure hunt” in wonderful museums in various side? but also for the entire region. It the fortress, an introducti on cities and states: Washington, N.D.: Together with Sarah will unite all the nearby partici- to history and a souvenir that New York, Philadelphia, Min- Sweedler and her colleagues, pants of the tourism industry in guests can make with their neapolis, Santa Fe. We were told we created the concept of the one partnership network. own hands using old Izborsk about Fort Ross at the Colonial visitor’s center. We familiarized Th e center will work around technologies. There are also Williamsburg Foundation. ourselves with the experience of the clock. An employee will delicious pancakes, fresh air, Th ree years later, we prepared similar American centers in the always be present. A passerby incredibly beauti ful land- a request and received a grant framework of the One Land — could stop and be treated to scapes and much more.” from the U.S. Embassy for a A Common History project. modern services: coff ee or tea, Visitor’s comment museum partnership called Izborsk is conveniently located a comfortable toilet. I insist SARAH SWEEDLER, СEO, Fort Ross Conservancy

By working with the staff at Izborsk we create an ongoing dialogue between museum professionals and we forge new relationship. In essence we add a new and peaceful chapter to the history books. Our parks become a place and a platform for collaboration. Fort Ross is our shared history, and to work on the physical that the center provide not only exhibition hall. We got the idea land together reminds us of this peaceful past stalls for the disabled, but also from our colleagues in Wil- but also brings us together in the present so a room with a baby-changing liamsburg, Virginia in America. table to provide conveniences It is a world-famous open-air that the past informs these new relationships.

for a mother and her baby. museum that includes the art Common ground, as we say. in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort museums of Colonial Williams- In your opinion, what is the role burg. The museum is located 13 of the museum in the modern in a building built in 1773 and N.D.: Last year there were the museum’s holdings, which world? appears as an interesting 422,000 visitors. During the is published in three languages N.D.: The museum must not architectural solution. Behind season we were working with support from Sberbank’s only preserve the traditions of a long beautiful fence there is a beyond the museum and em- Pskov branch. its people. It must become a two-story house, and inside the ployees’ capacity. First and fore- Young people from the farthest reflection of modern culture building there is another floor most, our museum has become regions of Russia come to visit and civilization. When speak- below ground that houses many a favorite place for people from us: from the North, the Far ing about the past, all museums exhibition halls and collections. Pskov. They come here with East, the Urals. They come by must take into consideration We want to do something their families and bring guests. car. These are real pilgrimages. what is fashionable, vivid and similar. On the perimeter, the Furthermore, the pilgrims who That is how they learn about interesting today. If we operate plot of land with the exhibi- travel to the Pskovo-Pechersky their great country. like we lived in the past, we tion hall will be fenced with a Monastery cannot skip Izborsk will be incomprehensible to the high stone wall covered with a since it contains an ancient In your opinion, which Russian- modern public and the youth of wooden splint roof, reproduc- shrine, the St. Nicholas Cathe- American projects does the the 21st century. ing the old stone fence of the dral, where prayer services are museum partnership currently The creation of such centers is Belyanin Estate, which is on conducted every single day. need? also the creation of new work- the premises. It will conceal Between World War I and II, It is necessary that we con- places, and young people will a modern building with an Izborsk was part of the first stantly exchange museum Izborsk / May 2017 Frontiers: Russian-American definitely work in the museum. exhibition hall, which will not Estonian Republic. At that time, workers and specialists in order The Pskov Region, and in par- clash stylistically with the sur- there was a large community to achieve the best representa- ticular its governor, are helping rounding historical buildings of Russian émigrés in the town tion of Russian culture abroad. us implement this project. We in the center of Izborsk. It will from the entourage of Nikolai We must show others that the want to finish it by the begin- be a very interesting exhibi- Yudenich [Ed. One of the most Russian people are much more ning of the new tourist season. tion complex, one that will be distinguished generals of the than vodka, balalaikas and We really hope for the support intricately interwoven with the Tsarist army]. bears. For example, the average of sponsors, patrons — anyone cultural-historical space of the Recently, we have had many American is not familiar with that wants to respond to our ancient town. families from Moscow, St. the architecture of the Russian initiative. Petersburg and other Russian Middle Ages, its uniqueness We have another project that How many people visit Izborsk cities, but also from Estonia, and beauty. We can really show Transneft is helping us with. It annually, and where do they Latvia and Belarus. As a souve- and tell them a lot of interesting is the conceptualization of the come from? nir, we give each guest a map of things. KARGOPOL VELIKY NOVGOROD

any of the Russian VELIKY USTYUG explorers who set out for America came from the Russian North. Th e area, with its extensive network of TOTMA waterways based around the wa- tersheds of the Pechora and Dvina rivers, was particularly suited for exploration. Early Russian explor- ers traveled mostly by water, navi- gating rivers and selecting routes with short distances between wa- terways so that they would have to carry their boats as little as pos- sible. Th e rivers of the north also provided launching sites for major expeditions, such as the fi rst Rus- sian circumnavigation of the globe. Four ancient towns in the Russian North have special connections to expeditions to America. Today they host unique museums that preserve artifacts from these jour- neys and introduce young Rus- sians to this part of history.

NOVGOROD — THE BEGINNING OF 14 EXPLORATION Th e Russian journey to North America began in Veliky Novgorod, one of the most impor- tant cities of the early Slavic state called Rus’. Veliky Novgorod is one of three cities mentioned in the Primary Chronicle, the fi rst writ- ten account of Russian history. Ac- cording to this ancient source, Ru- rik, a Varangian who established the fi rst Russian royal dynasty, FOUR PATHS FROM THE RUSSIAN settled here. Th e city became one of the principal centers of Russian statehood. Th e city’s advantageous geo- NORTH TO NORTH AMERICA graphical position made it one of the most important trading centers THE LANDS OF NORTHWEST RUSSIA in medieval Europe. It housed the WERE THE DEPARTURE POINT FOR MANY indoor market of the Hanseatic OF THE COUNTRY’S GREAT EXPLORERS. League, a commercial confedera- TODAY THEIR ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE tion of cities from Northwestern REMEMBERED IN A DIVERSE SET OF Europe headquartered in Lübeck. LOCAL MUSEUMS. Trade continued even during the endless wars fought between Alexei Pankin Novgorod and its western neigh- bor, the Livonian Order.

0 1 000 4 000 5 000 10 000 VELIKY NOVGOROD 7 200 MILES / FORT ROSS zinc producer and themainsponsor oftheexhibiti on. tarian projects at NorilskNickel, theworld’s largest nickel and of theNorth,” saidYulia Kantor, ofhumani- academic supervisor willbeanenormous anthology oftheexploratiNorth. “This on regions, includingontheKola andTaymyr peninsulasintheFar ti onsthat willbeheld over thenext two years innineRussian collaborati onofseveral museums,willproduce three exhibi- North —1,000Years ofSuccess.” Thisproject, whichisa The exhibiti oninspired alarger project called “Exploringthe boats andsleighs,skifragments andice-penetrati ngspikes. expediti ons,suchas weapons, details andelements from their in theexhibit hadbeenusedby Novgorod residents intheir hunti ngfuranimalsandbone ps forthearrows. Other objects ti allusions to northerngeographical points, wooden arrows for featured birch barkdocuments with“northern”subjectsand explored thenorthernterritories intheMiddleAges. Theitems cal findings that demonstrated how thepeopleofNovgorod travels ofNovgorod residents eastward. Itincludedarcheologi- ti on “The Route North—TheOrigins,” tled dedicatedti tothe In April,theNovgorod State United Museumhosted anexhibi- EXPLORING THENORTH —1,000YEARSOFSUCCESS sion. in Moscowbased beganits expan- lished lived on as Russianthe state residents of early Novgorod estab- of exploration and that trade the independence.litical But spirit the a war with Moscow and lost its po- 1478, Novgorod suff ered defeat in make it to however. America, In tributeed from Yugra. the members with and traded collect- lished in Veliky Novgorod whose liance, Yugorschina, the was estab- In centuryaseparate 14th the al- Ob-Yenisei Canal, much earlier. Northerntween the Urals and the of Yugra,tribes be- territory the had established relations with the or people 1582,the of Novgorod sack Timofeyevich in 1581 gun with expedition the of Cos- is consideredSiberia to have be- possible introduction to Russian graphs as best the of visit this serve saysAmerica, that photo- the which are dedicated to Russian of sixmuseums inTotma, two of age to Totma. group of Kashaya made a pilgrim- of fort’s the sary establishment, a markedwhich anniver- 200th the Fort honor Ross, still him.In 2012, ans, on lands whose Kuskov built with himto Totma. Prokhorovna. She later returned doxy and took name the Ekaterina woman converted who to Ortho- an heAmerica, married Indian mandant for eight years. While in as itsRoss in1812.He com- served in Alaska and established Fort Kuskov founded many settlements Russian-Americanthe Company. fi1823), the rst deputy director of hometown of (1765- American town inRussia. It is the most the gion, is sometimes called River inthe Re- Totma, founded in1137on the TOTMA —RUSSIANAMERICA INRUSSIA Th e Novgorodtraders did not Although Russia’s conquest of Alexei Novoselov, director the Th e KashayaCalifornian Indi- 15 Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia TOTMA The black on the city’s coat of arms. America. Only by seeing the Na- they can see the California banner From 1800 to 1820, the leading The Day of tive Americans paying homage to hanging on the wall and study the Russian America director of the Russian-American Kuskov in Totma can one appreci- map of the journeys our Totma is celebrated each Company was Mikhail Buldakov, ate the long journey the Russians countrymen made through Alaska July at the Kuskov a first-guild merchant and a cor- took to America. Novoselov says to California,” Novoselov said. House. responding member of the Impe- 16 that 20 large expeditions to Amer- Novoselov one day hopes to cre- rial Academy of Sciences from Ve- ica departed from Totma. ate a full-scale model of Fort Ross liky Ustyug. Several residents also “Our town is indeed amazing,” near Totma. participated in the first Russian Novoselov said. “After a walk along circumnavigations of the globe the quiet and sleepy waterfront it VELIKY USTYUG IMMORTALIZED BY OLD from 1803-1806. Seven of the 45 is hard to imagine that it was here MAN FROST crewmembers on the vessel Neva, that the main waterway from Rus- The small town of Veliky Ustyug headed by Yury Lisyansky, were sia to Europe once ran, that the is best known as the home of Fa- also from the town. merchant ships were unloaded and ther Frost, the Russian equivalent The names of many Ustyug pio- that trade was booming.” of , but it was also the neers and navigators are immor- America is present in mod- starting point for many explorers. talized on the world map: Cape ern Totma as well. Every year on Semyon Dezhnev, who discovered Dezhnev and the Dezhnev Penin- Totma Day, the second Sunday in the , was a native of sula on the Bering Strait’s western August, Totma and Fort Ross ring Veliky Ustyug and another local, coast and the Dezhnev Bay in Ka- bells in honor of each other. Erofei Khabarov, made many im- mchatka were named for Dezhnev. “Each year I have a special feel- portant discoveries in the lands One of the largest cities of the ing during this moment,” said bell along the Amur River. Far East, Khabarovsk, and the ringer Andrei Novikov. “My peal This ancient town is located 250 small nearby railway station Ero- reaches America. Can any col- kilometers northeast of Totma fei Pavlovich are named in honor league of mine brag about some- and 450 kilometers from Vologda, of Khabarov. The names of other thing like this?” where the rivers Sukhona and Ug navigators from Ustyug — Nevod- Additionally, every year in July, converge and create the North chikov, Shalaurov, Korobitsyn and the Day of Russian America The- Dvina River. It was first mentioned Fedot Popov — can be found on ater Festival and the Days of Living in 1207 and today has 32,000 resi- islands, capes and bays throughout History Festival are held. During dents. the Aleut Islands and on Kamchat- the latter festival, visitors can ex- Valentin Rasputin, a Russian ka, in the , the Sea perience something called “Alaska writer who spent most of his life of Japan and the Sea of Okhotsk. camping” and visit cafes dedicated in Siberia, said that it “would be The history of these explorers to California and Fort Ross. just to express and confirm some- and expeditions is preserved at the “Both Russian tourists and our where in the vastness of Siberia the Veliky Ustyug State Historical-Ar- guests from the U.S. enjoy grab- gratitude that Siberians have with chitectural and Artistic Museum. bing a bite to eat at the cafes, where regard to Veliky Ustyug.” It has a large exhibition dedicated to the pioneers and navigators OLEG from the area. Additionally, doz- KUVSHINNIKOV, The Vologodchina is what people call the land of the ens of churches and residences in Governor of the the town have connections to these Vologda Region pioneers and even the homeland of Russian America. explorers. We are proud of these titles. It is very important that Although the museum strug- our museum specialists and their American col- gled to attract visitors in the early leagues form a good partnership and that they 1990s, the situation is improving. become real friends. I hope this partnership develops “In the 1970s-1980s cultural and that new museums join from both countries. tourism was very developed in the country,” said Antonina Andre- eva, director of the Veliky Ustyug State Historical-Architectural and Region, is the birthplace of Al- ate games based on Baranov’s Artistic Museum. “Ustyug, along exander Baranov (1746-1819), travels. The winning team created with other ancient Russian towns, the first principal governor of a quest called, “Help Baranov Re- was popular. The 1990s was a dif- Russian settlements in America. turn to Kargopol.” In the game, the ficult time both for the town and He called himself the “Russian team traced an imaginary route the museum.” Pizarro,” in reference to Fran- that their legendary countryman Andreeva attributes much of the cisco Pizarro, the Spanish con- could have used to return home. renewal to Father Frost. quistador. He left his post due to The route led directly to his monu- “Thanks to the Veliky Ustyug- Artist Vladimir health reasons in 1818 and died ment, which stands on the town’s Homeland of Father Frost Pro- Latyntsev (Veliky in April 1819 on his way home waterfront. Ustyug). “At the near the island of Yava. The team won a trip to St. Pe- VELIKY USTYUG .” It is not by chance that Baranov tersburg, where they visited sev- was the first Russian merchant to eral museums and met with U.S. receive the Gold Medal from Em- Consul-General Thomas Leary, Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort peror Paul I. The inscription on the America’s representative in Russia’s in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort medal says, “To the Kargopol mer- northern capital. 17

gram, which was launched in 1998, Ustyug has again become of interest to tourists,” Andreeva said. KARGOPOL “Family tourism is now very devel- Izborsk / May 2017 Frontiers: Russian-American oped, since primarily children are A fragment of chant Baranov as a reward for his The museum offers various edu- brought to see Father Frost. Chil- an exhibition efforts to introduce, confirm and cational programs for children, dedicated to dren and adults acquaint them- Alexander expand Russian trade in America. starting as young as three. selves with the rich history and Baranov. 1799.” “Children and adolescents have culture of Veliky Ustyug during In December 2016, the Kargo- always been fascinated by the ad- various museum events — celebra- pol State Historical-Architectural venturousness of distant travels,” tions, interactive lessons and mas- Museum organized the Kargopol said Lidiya Sevastyanova, direc- ter classes.” and Russian America Historical tor of the Kargopol State Histori- Quest Competition, commemo- cal-Architectural Museum. “And KARGOPOL: FROM RUSSIA TO THE rating the 270th anniversary of nothing like museums dedicated to WORLD Baranov’s birth. The teams, made pioneers and navigators can satisfy Kargopol, a town with 10,000 up of young people, volunteers their passion and curiosity. Chil- inhabitants in the and museum workers had to cre- dren are our favorite audience.” 0 1500 3000 4500 TOBOLSK 5700 MILES / FORT ROSS TOBOLSK: THE GATEWAY TO SIBERIA FOR SEVERAL HUNDRED YEARS, THIS OUTPOST WAS THE POINT OF DEPARTURE FOR EXPEDITIONS HEADING WEST — FURTHER INTO SIBERIA, TO THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST AND ALL THE WAY TO AMERICA.

Alexei Pankin T he Tyumen Region, lo- house and a center where Russian cated some 1,200 miles east of Mos- diplomats met representatives of cow, is known for two things — the neighboring countries and peo- preserved stone at Tobolsk ples. It was where expeditions were and the oil and gas industry. formed and the place they received Tobolsk, situated in the center of weapons before heading out to  e Prison Castle in the Tobolsk the region, was Siberia’s rst capi- explore new territories.  e town Kremlin bears witness to another Emperor tal. It was founded in 1587 during developed industries and farms Alexander III part of Siberian history — that of the rule of Ivan the Terrible, just to service these expeditions. As a with his family. penal colonies and prisons. Fa- a few years a er Cossack Yermak result, Tobolsk became the largest Tsarevich Nicholas mous exiles and prisoners such as Timofeyevich’s Siberian expedition trading center in Siberia and the Alexandrovich Fyodor Dostoevsky and Nikolai 18 stands in the in 1581, which began the Russian start of the principal trail headed center in a white Chernyshevsky passed through conquest of the area. east. It also became an Orthodox uniform. The here. Russian Emperor Nicholas II In 1620, the rst Romanov tsar, stronghold, from where mission- display is part of and his family also were detained the “Siberia under Mikhail Fyodorovich, forbade aries were sent to bring Russian the Patronage of in the town for several months in navigation in the Kara Sea in order civilization to Siberia, the Far East the Romanovs” 1918 a er his abdication from the to limit the tra cking of contra- and the American territories. exhibition. throne. Eduard Burnashev, direc- band. As a result, Siberia was ac- tor of the Prison Castle, calls this cessible only through Tobolsk. In place “a museum of special pur- 1708, established pose.” the Siberian Governorate, which Following the development of spread from the town of Vyatka more important trading routes in the European part of Russia to south of the town in the 19th cen- Kamchatka. Tobolsk became the tury, Tobolsk lost its signi cance. center of the governorate. But the Tobolsk Kremlin Museum Igor Balyunov, director of the keeps the history of the time when Gostiny Dvor complex in the To- the city was the gateway to the east bolsk Historical-Architectural alive.  e museum, located on the Museum-Reserve, says that as an territory of the last stone kremlin outpost of the , built in Russia and the only en- this “capital of Siberia” served tirely preserved kremlin in Siberia, many purposes. It was a customs was established in 1870 with dona- pervisors said there would no pervisors be area of Yugra eventhough his su- and Ust-Balyk settlements in the gion. He near Megion the drilled of part northern Tyumen the Re- thatcertain there was oil in the gas.” kremlin and other the is oil and said Balyunov. “One of is them the “Tyumen has two cards,” calling THE PIONEERSOFOILANDGAS andcal Cultural Heritage Objects. on List the of All-Russian Histori- andseum, in1961,it was included renamed Tobolsk the North Mu- revolution,the museum the was tions from private citizens. A er the the end of thethe endof 19th-beginning of in auniform from the 20thcentury. A prison warden prison A Geologist FarmanGeologist Salmanov felt Prison andExilePrison An exhibit from the Siberian Museum. bic meters of gas. Urengoi 924billion has carried cu- gas1984, the pipeline through River.” inAzerbaijanoil reserves and the greatertimes than exhausted the “In terms of power, were they ve Russianthe Academy of Sciences. Institute of USAand the Canadaat Problems Security Energy at the rneev, director of Center the for economy,”Soviet said Andrei Ko- its was areal revolution for the east ofdistrict, city the of Tyumen. mous Urengoi inthe gas reserves oil. later Geologists found enor- producesstill 70percent of Russia’s pumpedbeen out, but deposit the have reserves extractable already thirds of its three million tons of largest sixth the world. inthe Two- largest oil deposit inRussia and opened at Samotlor. Lake It is the Salmanov.”all. “I foundKhrushchev: oil. at’s telegram Nikita to leader Soviet persisted, and in1961,he sent a swamps.oil inthose Salmanov Korneev calculates that since “ of depos- e these In 1965,an oil deposit was ditions to le America from Irkutsk. American Company established in 1799.Many expe- Company, prototypethe which became of Russianthe Shelikhovory (1747—1795)founded North-East the sian It America. was here in1781that merchant Grig- one of most the important cities of history inthe Rus- journey fromjourney to Russian Siberia America. nokenty, Enlightener the of Alaska (1797-1879)on his 2017 club members plan to retrace steps the of St. In- ing competition dedicated to Russian America. thousands of participants enter club’s the annual draw- schools and universities club, inthe part take and ing initiative. this Today more than 200students from grams at Fort instrumental Ross, has infacilitat- been was living in Irkutsk and currentthe director of pro- Hank Birnbaum, helped who found club the he while and Four California. exchanges have far. place taken so areties youth exchanges students between in Irkutsk inApril.sary One of club’s the most important activi- kutsk Youth Club, celebrated which its anniver- 20th countries.” futurethe development of relations our between two University. “is museum would important be for museum’s champions and aprofessor at Irkutsk State of Russian America,” said Vadim Shakherov, one of the create a regional center for study the and promotion of is part initiative.seum this tourist brand.  ecreation of aRussian-American mu- gion announced plans to develop Russian the America Fort Ross inIrkutsk In March government 2017,the of Irkutsk the Re- Club president vice Glatskova Larisa says that in Shakherov president the is also of Fort the Ross-Ir- “ e establishment of such a museum would help A nother 1,500 miles eastnother of 1,500miles Tobolsk is Irkutsk — celebration. 200th anniversary the Fort Ross in 2012during in SanFrancisco the RussianCenter Russian America at drawings about presents children’s Irkutsk Club The Fort Ross- 19 Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia Fragment of the Ivan Sorokin Letters on the establishment of the Dudinka Winter Quarters: “Sovereign, we have built winter quarters to collect Yasak on the mountainous side of the Yenisei, below the upper Dudinka River… Written on January 9, 1667.”

0 500 1000 1500 IZBORSK 1900 MILES / DUDINKA TAYMYR: PRESERVING THE WAY OF LIFE OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLES OF THE ARCTIC

In 2017, the polar town of Dudinka turns 350 years old. THE COLLECTIONS OF THE Located more than 1,700 miles WORLD’S NORTHERNMOST NORILSK northeast of Moscow, it is the cen- MUSEUM SHOWCASE THE ter of the Taymyrsky Dolgano-Ne- ANCIENT TRADITIONS OF FIVE DUDINKA netsky District in the Krasnoyarsk LOCAL TRIBES. Territory in East Siberia — the only Russian district located en- Alexei Pankin

 e local population accepted 20 the arrival of the Russians more or less peacefully, as the newcom- ers stopped intertribal con icts and brought tools and food into the area.  is feudal relationship between the Russians and the in- digenous people continued for the next 200 years. “In general, by the beginning of the 20th century Russian mer- chants still held the indigenous population in debt bondage and there were various types of mer- chants,” said Irina Skatova, the principal custodian of the Taymyr tirely within the Arctic Circle. Of A panorama of cluding the Taymyr Peninsula, the Local History Museum. “Some the “Goldboiling the 34,000 people who live in the sovereign estate” northernmost peninsula in Eur- behaved well, others put pressure district, 22,000 live in Dudinka. It in the asia. By 1631, local people recog- on the tribes.  e local population is home to the world’s northern- Fort, Russia’s first nized the rule of Moscow, but were complained about the latter.” most railway, gas pipeline and hy- polar settlement. not particularly enthusiastic about  e Russian Revolution changed droelectric power station. paying tribute. the dynamic throughout the region. Dudinka was founded in 1667 Mangazeya was Russia’s rst “ e tundra rebelled against col- by Ivan Sorokin, a guardsman settlement in the Arctic Circle. Its lectivization,” Skatova said. “ e who had been assigned to collect role was to organize the collection process of depriving peasants of tribute from indigenous people of tribute from the local tribes. their private property and forcing living in the area. Sorokin had As part of these e orts, the com- them to unite in collective farms been sent north by a commander mander at Mangazeya decided to was under way in the country. In at Mangazeya, a fort on the Taz make the collection points closer the the authorities tried River. Aided by the river, which to the tribes. Dudinka was estab- to nationalize the deer.”  ows into the Kara Sea, the Rus- lished as one such collection point. At rst, the Soviet government sians used Mangazeya as a base to  e locals brought furs, as well as conceded to the demands of the lo- explore the area to the north, in- ivory from mammoth tusks. cal people: collectivization ceased, seum, foundedseum, in1937Dudin- gan beliefs. that combine with pa- Orthodoxy and maintain unique traditions hunting, shing and breeding deer life.  supportey themselves by much of traditional their ways of ofas inparts and China Mongolia. found throughout as well Siberia, Taymyrthe region, Evenks can be livewhich almost exclusively in arrived. Unlike otherthe groups, areain the before Russians the Enets and Evenks the lived —all Nenets,— the Nganasans, the the est among  them. e other four and18th centuries, 19th is larg- the was formed relatively late inthe Dolgans, agroup identity whose live on Taymyr the Peninsula.  e PRESERVING THEPAST pated revolt inthe were repressed. farms andhad who partici- those tablished deer-breeding collective however, government the had es- buying was deer paid o. By 1938, taxes were abolished and debt for  e Taymyr History Mu- Local  groupsese have preserved Today, ve indigenous groups years old. Festivities place take will territory. traditions Seto the preserves on its shaya Indians, and Izborsk, which sensitive to culture the of Ka- the peoples with Fort Ross, iswhich for traditions the of indigenous the on planet.” the existent everything between link person, tothe clothing, the to the out to hall the entry of for respect arately. e museum sta closed garbthe andsep- detail to its every he would spendhours to speaking had stopped ashaman. being  en museum,Dudinka saying that he shaman brought his garb to the exhibits,” Dukelsky said. “ elast museum the which its collected window, we’ll world the see from represent, and ifwe out look of the environment that collections their by Vladimir Dukelsky. Kosterkin.  eexhibit was created last Nganasan shaman, Tubyaku fromfacts religious the cultof the lections consists of unique arti- said Skatova. that live on Taymyr the territory,” that represent all ve ethnicities ture of indigenous these peoples. ka, features exhibits about cul- the became aDudinka landmark. was constructed in2009and years old.Its current building History Museumturns80 In 2017,theTaymyr Local In museum 2017,the turns 80  emuseum shares concern this “Museums are inthe immersed One of its most interesting col- “ e museum has collections DUDINKA tusks. came here for their merchants once skeletons. Russian preserved mammoth complex shows well- paleontology The Taymyr Museum peoples. indigenous Taymyr’sof the heritage help preserve street festivals exhibits and Museum camp. annually of 40sections inthe the 220,000-250,000 people were held 1942and 1952,between Between notorious of Gulag the camps. onelag, of largest the and most by and exiles prisoners of Noril- Norilsk Nickel plant were built Port, city the of Norilsk and the aprison.became  e Dudinka world. At same the time, Taymyr ferrous metallurgic facility in the Nickel plant, largestthe non- came gateway the to Norilsk the Territory.  Porte Dudinka be- and nickel ore Krasnoyarsk inthe discovered richdeposits of copper an Arctic explorer and geologist, Union. of overallin the Soviet the security developmentthe of North the and areathe played astrategic role in chapter as well. 1930s, the During Taymyr Peninsula has adarker online. town inthe halls, itself, as well as yearall long museum’s —inthe In 1920s,Nikolai the Urvantsev,  of and ehistory Dudinka the 21 Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia 0 2000 4 000 6 000 10 000 KARGOPOL 7200 MILES / FORT ROSS

In 1799, Kargopol native Alexander Baranov headed the Russian-American Company and became the first governor of Russian territories in America.

THE OLD ROOTS AND NEW DISCOVERIES OF RUSSIAN AMERICA HISTORIANS AND ARCHEOLOGISTS CONTINUE TO WORK TO BRING THE LITTLE-KNOWN ASPECTS OF RUSSIAN AMERICA TO LIGHT.

Irina Racheeva

22

sian Merchant Grigory Shelikhov Lituya Bay, Alaska — from Okhotsk along the Eastern a painting by Vladimir Latyntsev, At 4:00 a.m. on March Ocean to the American Shores. It an artist from 30, 1867, Russia signed a treaty has since been published in several Veliky Ustyug. ceding its claims to Alaska to the editions and in various languages. United States of America, and in Shelikhov was succeeded at the October that year, the U.S. offi cially colony by Alexander Baranov, took ownership of the territory. who in 1799 headed the Russian- Although Russia’s colonial experi- American Company and became ment formally ended 150 years ago, Governor of the Russian Terri- Russia’s infl uence can still be found tory in America. Over the course in the areas it once controlled. of 28 years, he sent expeditions to explore the Pacifi c Coast, built ALASKA: RUSSIAN TRADERS, a shipyard and a copper-smelting WARRIORS, MISSIONARIES factory, mined coal and procured Th e history of Russian settlements furs. It was on his initiative in 1812 in Alaska began in 1784 when Ir- that Fort Ross was founded in Cal- kutsk merchant Grigory Shelikhov ifornia. brought a group of settlers to Ko- Baranov was also head of the diak Island. Th e main objective of colony during the Russian-Tlingit Shelikhov’s expedition was to fi nd War of 1802-1805. Th e confl ict sources of furs, including seal and had many causes, but economic , which at the time were factors played a major role. Th e lo- worth more than gold. cal indigenous people did not want Shelikhov spent only three years to compete with the Russians for in America. He died unexpectedly seal fur, nor did they want to pay in Irkutsk in 1795 at the age of 46, tribute to them. In 1799, mem- leaving behind the manuscript bers of the local tribes burned the for his book, Th e Travels of Rus- fi rst fortifi cation that Baranov’s FAIRBANKS names. Some indigenous children studied in the settlements’ schools ANCHORAGE with Russian pupils. In the 19th century, the Russian-American Company gave grants to children KODIAK of mixed Russian-Aleutian fami- lies for study in St. Petersburg. SITKA Girls were educated in one of the (Novoarkhangelsk) best scholastic institutions in the country, the Mariinsky Gymna- sium, while boys were sent to the First Gubernsky Gymnasium. Ioann Veniaminov (1797— Merchant and America for the last 15 years. He 1879), the first Orthodox bishop navigator Grigory traveled to California and met Shelikhov, the of Kamchatka, Yakutia, the Amur founder of the historians and conservationists at Region and Northern Ameri- first Russian Fort Ross and wrote his disserta- ca, created an alphabet for the settlement in tion on the architecture of Rus- Alaska. Aleut language and translated sian settlements in America. He the Gospels into it. He came to uncovered a number of interesting Alaska with his family as a mis- details about the architecture of sionary in 1824 and over the Russian America and the people course of 15 years ministered who used it. among the Aleuts, built churches “Shipbuilders participated in the and schools, vaccinated chil- construction of the bishop’s house dren against smallpox and wrote [ed. located at Sitka National His- 23 down legends of the indigenous toric Park in Alaska],” Molodin peoples. After the death of his said. “In the old ships’ hulls, the colonists built on Sitka Island, the wife, he took monastic vows and builders made high bulkheads so Mikhailovsky Fort, and staged a became known as Innokenty. In that the water would not fl ood the series of attacks against the Russian 1977, he was canonized by the compartments. Likewise, the bish- merchant companies. In 1804, the Russian Orthodox Church and op’s house has high thresholds in settlers re-conquered this territory the Orthodox Church of America order to impede the cold air from and built the Novoarkhangelsk as the Enlightener of Siberia and moving from one room to another.” Fort, which essentially became the America. Today one of Alaska’s According to his research, dry new capital of Russian America. highest volcanoes is named in his sand was initially used to insulate Th e active confl ict ended with an honor. the wooden board ceiling, but it unstable truce in 1805 when the To commemorate the 150th an- Personal lodged into people’s clothing, so Russians agreed to stop trading on niversary of the sale of Alaska, a belongings of first the builders stretched an old sail- Russian Governor Indian grounds. new history museum will open on Alexander Baranov cloth under it. Today there is a plaque com- Sitka Island in the Harrigan Cen- at a museum in “On the ground fl oor there was memorating the war at the Sitka tennial Hall. Th e exposition will the town of Sitka. a school for Indian children and National Historic Park, and in illustrate the Russian northern ex- September 2004, a reconciliation peditions, the traditions of the in- Izborsk / May 2017 Frontiers: Russian-American in Russia Dialogue meeting Ross Fort ceremony took place in Alaska digenous peoples and the relations between the descendants of the between the two groups. Tlingit Kiksadi clan and Russian colonists. Baranov’s great-grand- SEARCHING FOR THE PAST IN THE daughter fl ew in from Moscow. PRESENT Th e Tlingit held the traditional While the basic history of Russia’s Cry Ceremony, which defi nitively Alaskan colonies is well known, put an end to the hostilities. researchers continue to make new While the Tlingit actively re- discoveries contributing to the sisted the Russians, the Aleuts and knowledge of Russian America. Eskimos cooperated with them. Alexander Molodin, an architect Th e colonists married baptized from the Siberian city of Novosi- Aleuts who then adopted Russian birsk, has been studying Russian a seminary and on the first — a A Russian sian language in the home. Today small chapel,” he said. Orthodox church there are between 5,000-6,000 in Nikolaevsk, Painter Vladimir Latyntsev, who Alaska. Russian speakers in Alaska. lives in Veliky Ustyug in central Russia, has also worked to high- PARADISE LOST: RUSSIAN light the missions of these Rus- EXPLORATION IN HAWAII sian pioneers. In the early 2000s, In addition to expeditions along he made three trips tracing their the coast of Alaska and California, journeys in Alaska and painted the Russian-American Company 24 a series based on his travels. One under the leadership of Alexan- of them depicts Lituya Bay, a fjord der Baranov sent ships to explore located on the northern coast of the islands of the Pacific. In 1815, Alaska, which was discovered in a ship called the Bering, traveling 1788 by Russian navigators who from California to the Sandwich were members of an expedition on Islands, hit a storm and ship- a ship called the Three Saints. wrecked on the Hawaiian Island Another Russian settlement Few people in America or of Kauai. The ship’s crew and cargo that is inhabited by Russian were captured by natives, and to speakers today is Nikolaevsk, on Russia know that residents retrieve them, Baranov sent Georg the Kenai Peninsula. The resi- of the distant Hawaiian Schäffer, a German doctor and dents of Nikolaevsk are descen- Islands could have been naturalist in the service of the Rus- dants of Old Believers, a group sian Empire. Unsuccessful in ne- of Russian Orthodox followers speaking Russian today. gotiations with the Hawaiian King that refused to accept changes Kamehameha, Schäffer turned to introduced into the faith during the King’s subordinate Kaumuali’i, the time of Peter the Great. The The ceremony families of this particular group in which Russia left Russia after the 1917 Revolu- transferred tion, crossing the Chinese border Alaska to the United States is and settling in the city of Harbin, reproduced every where they lived for 30 years. Fol- year on Sitka lowing the rise of communism in Island on Alaska China, they emigrated to Brazil Day. and from there to the western U.S., settling first in Washington and Oregon before making their way to Alaska in the late 1960s. Today the Old Believers are al- lowed many of the same rights as the indigenous people of Alaska. They also try to preserve the Rus- American relations.” pagenew of in history the Russian- at alook take our fort, a be it will visitwho Kauai annually come to ofhalf nine the million tourists It cannot abandoned. be Even if is ourElizabeth cultural heritage. from Hawaii,” Molodin said. “Fort ofniversary Schäffer’s departure his project. year’sthis anniversary to promote to its reconstruction and is using trons inRussia contribute will who photos. Molodin hopes topa find ofa model on fort the aerial based University of Hawaii at Hilo, made American archeologist from the mark. Molodin and Peter Mills,an NationalElizabeth Historic- Land of territory the Russian the Fort ment. Today fort the is located on clared aNational Historical Monu sia’s presence on Hawaii. They arethe only remnants of Rus of port the Lihue on Kauai Island. fragments Fort of Elizabeth the at Marshal Barclay deTolly. There are and thirdthe in honor of Field secondthe for Empress Elizabeth in honor of Emperor Alexander I, three forts. The first was named Russian-Hawaiian and dictionary foray inHawaii resulted first inthe established afoothold there. Americans,the had who recently were out squeezed of islands the by speculation.” By Russians 1817,the involved inany kindof further and ordered Schäffer not “to get enthusiastic about either idea the Baranov fleet. military was not burg, however, to refused a send that known became as Schäffertal. received Hanalei the Valley as agift Kauai and Russian the negotiators The Russianflag was raised over and right the to establish factories. nopoly on trade sandalwood the Russian-American Company amo- Russian protectorate and gave the Kaumuali’i agreed to become a in his battle against Kamehameha, supportthe of Russian the empire dreamed of independence. over ruled who Kauai Island and “This year will be the be 200th an yearwill “This In fort’s 1966,the were ruins de Schäffer’s Theof legacy brief The government in St. Peters Sensing that he might obtain ------in 1812. Elizabeth looked shows how Fort aerialphotoson basedThis model

NIIHAU kaulakahi Channel kaulakahi KAUAI Lihue

Kauai Channel PACIFIC OCEAN PACIFIC Harbor Perl

OAHU Honolulu

Kaiwi Channel LANAI KAHOOLAWE MOLOKAI

Alenuihaha Channel Red Hill MAUI Mauna Loa HAWAII Mauna Kea 25 Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia FORT ROSS

0 15 30 45 60 75 90 FORT ROSS 95 MILES / SUTTER’S FORT

Irina Racheeva FORT ROSS — EXPANDING SARAH SWEEDLER, THE WAYS OF SHARING RUSSIAN C.E.O. of Fort Ross Concervancy 26 EW CULTURE IN AMERICA INTERVI IN MAY, THE ANNUAL FORT ROSS DIALOGUE WILL TAKE PLACE FOR THE FIRST Sept. 22, 2017 will mark the TIME IN RUSSIA. TIMOTHY KELLY, PRESIDENT OF THE NON-PROFIT FORT ROSS 200th anniversary of the CONCERVANCY, AND SARAH SWEEDLER, C.E.O. OF THE CONCERVANCY, WILL HEAD cooperati ve agreement A LARGE DELEGATION OF AMERICAN MUSEUM EMPLOYEES WHO ARE TRAVELING signed by the Russians and TO PSKOV FOR THE CONFERENCE. IRINA RACHEEVA SAT DOWN WITH KELLY AND the Nati ve California tribe, SWEEDLER TO GET SOME DETAILS ON LITTLE-KNOWN ASPECTS OF FORT ROSS’S the Kashaya Pomo, who lived HISTORY AND TO LEARN WHAT NEW INITIATIVES THE MUSEUM IS PLANNING. on these lands for centuries. Russian words can sti ll be found in the Kashaya Indian ON THE TIES BETWEEN SUTTER’S windows from the buildings the pre-Gold Rush story and language, including yabloko FORT AND FORT ROSS — and he moved it all inland to the connections between our (apple), moloko (milk) and his Sacramento settlement. For two parks — not to mention koshka (cat). Representatives of Sutter’s several years Russians made the that many Russian-era items are Fort are in your delegation, trip to Sutter’s Fort to collect on display at Sutter’s Fort. but Sutter’s Fort is a museum payment, but Sutter was not dedicated to the Gold Rush, able to pay off his debt. Had he ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE which began in 1848 on land defaulted, the contract stated HISTORIC WINDMILL owned by John Sutter. What do that the Russians would own these two forts have in common? his Sacramento fort. Imagine We know that in 2012, Russian Sarah Sweedler: Our two parks — Russians were this close to restorers from the city of are historically connected. John gaining a good amount of ter- helped re-create a popular Sutter purchased Fort Ross ritory in what is now our state 17th century Russian windmill from the Russian American capital. But Sutter’s son, without construction in Fort Ross. What Company. He did not buy his dad’s permission, sold a part was the reaction to the windmill? the land (Russians leased it of the family land and paid off S.S.: Everyone loves the wind- from the Kashaya) but he did the debt. California’s history mill! Fort Ross was the site purchase the movable items — often starts with Sutter because of the first windmill west of every millstone, the cattle, glass he discovered gold, but we tell the Mississippi. The Russians resource, but it exists today still desire to pursue anatural was created by human the Fort aplace that Ross was also together. if we canways find to work ferences makestronger us all The lesson here is that our dif- way and from learn eachother. together inagenerally peaceful backgrounds were able to live people from different radically time. Fort Ross is aplace where worldthe to remember at this important for people around important lessons that are Ross presents anumber of Timothy Fort Ithink Kelly: Ross for peopletoday? What isinteresting aboutFort PRESERVING NATURE ON THEIMPORTANCE OF our countries. strengthens relations between by doing so, collaboration this mote our shared history, and together to and preserve pro- understand that we are working andflot Chevron. partners Our — Renova, Transneft, Sovkom- to work our with all sponsors We are tremendously grateful ment. icon for our agriculture- settle Itfriends. visual is aperfect master craftsmen close became architect and two the Russian with its construction. The cans were totally unfamiliar little Ameri metal. - with very that is constructed mill the builders werelocal impressed an American architect. The put it together, with help from ter craftsmen from Russia to sent They California. two mas- disassembled and shipped to waswhich built inRussia, then us with replica the windmill of Times Foundation presented 2011, Viktor Vekselberg’s Link Company explorers hailed. In many of Russian the American Vologdathe region, whence central It post. was typical for of with a type windmill ticular stolbovka,was called apar brought technology, this which - history. on lessonsreflecting the of naturalin the beauty, while world to visit, connect and bask a place for people around the futurein the is that it becomes My vision of Fort Ross now and knowledge.than military important to long-term success knowledge more canlogical be powers. that Ithink often- eco than from any military rival far more trouble from gophers The inhabitants of fort the had neveryet fought they abattle. that Fort Ross had cannons and Finally, it Ithink is fascinating wild. our run greed treat it withand respect not let bounty is vast, but we to need The lesson here is that nature’s exploitation of that resource. place reasonable limits on the peoples worked together to differentbecause nations and Conservancy President of Fort Ross TIMOTHY KELLY, to attract young visitors. How to Russian are America trying Russian museums connected families On appealingto children and celebration celebrationwinter a the world.the teaches students from over all aschoolsomedayto run that world out there. My dream is and history the natural the Fort Ross, to teach about them to bring more students out to of focus initial my work was regularly for my whole life. The fort. Ihave gone back there students on aridge above the schoolofa small less than 100 attended Fort Ross Elementary, present and future. As achild, I T.K.: Fort Ross is my past, stays with forever! them It is aformative that experience lives incharacter for 24hours. Alaska Native Everyone food. sing songs, eat Russian and Russian-American company, costumes, of raisethe flag the try’s past. Kids wear historical andact explore coun their - 10-year-olds are eager to play —these curriculum history the through aschoolprogram and S.S.: We bring to kids Fort Ross Fortdoes Ross dothis? FORT ROSSEVENTS: Saturday of the month at 12:00 p.m. 12:00 at month the of Saturday first — Demonstration Windmill Saturday. other every Monitoring Mammal California of peoples indigenous the for JUNE 10 20 MAY APRIL 22 JANUARY 21 JANUARY 1 CITIZEN SCIENCE OCTOBER 14 JULY 29 —Fort Ross Festival —Alaska Native Day — Metini Day — a holiday a — Day Metini — — Spring holiday Spring — —TheFirst Day Hike — Kolyadki —Kolyadki — —Harvest Festival —Marine

FORT ROSS FORT SUTTER’SFORT, SACRAMENTO 27 Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia GETTING IN TOUCH WITH PIONEER LIFE Irina Racheeva

SALEM SALT LAKE CITY INDEPENDENCE SACRAMENTO SANTA FE

OPEN AIR AND LIVING cans explored further. Thousands A pioneer family. HISTORY MUSEUMS ALLOW A difficult and of wagons began moving west, tak- dangerous journey VISITORS TO EXPERIENCE ing colonial families first across the west. THE LIVES OF AMERICANS Appalachian Mountains, then the FROM THE PAST. Great Plains and finally past the THE COLONIAL PAST UNDER Rocky Mountains and the deserts THE OPEN SKY of the southwest. The most famous open-air mu- As a result of this long westward seum is the Colonial Williams- T here are more than expansion, much of the history of burg Foundation in Virginia. The 28 35,000 museums in the United America is the history of the fron- center of Williamsburg, the state’s States with almost half of them be- tier. first capital, has been restored to ing estates or “museums of living “Americans are incredibly fas- its 18th-century heyday and strives history.” Many focus on the brave cinated by the subject of pioneers to recreate the spirit of colonial pioneers who explored the west and their drive from the East Coast America. Visitors walking along and created a new country en- to the West Coast,” said Amy Bal- the streets or riding by in a car- dowed with the frontier spirit. lard, senior historic preservation riage can discuss issues of the day specialist at the Smithsonian In- with a local resident — a museum A NATION OF PIONEERS stitution. “This is the history of an employee trained to interact with The first English settlement in enormous quantity of people — guests as an archetype of the era. North America, Jamestown, was indigenous inhabitants, Spaniards, The museum opened in 1934 and founded in 1607, and by the time representatives of various religious is visited by nearly one million the U.S. declared its independence and ethnic groups, people who tourists annually. from Great Britain on July 4, 1776, wanted to start a new life. And I the country consisted of 13 states think that these people are very TAKING THE TRAIL WEST that stretched along most of the proud of belonging to this pioneer One of the best-known symbols of eastern seaboard. While cross- c u ltu re .” the pioneers is the covered wagon ing the ocean was already a major Much of this history is presented — the “home on wheels” that car- accomplishment for the original best in non-traditional museum ried most early settlers west. The colonists, after the Revolutionary formats. One popular way of pre- Mormon Pioneer Trail Wagon War ended in 1783, new Ameri- senting frontier culture is through Wheel Monument in Bayard, Ne- open-air museums. These exhibi- braska pays tribute to these ve- tion spaces try to demonstrate how hicles. The Pioneer Trails Regional early Americans lived in authentic Museum in Bowman, North Da- historical-cultural environments. kota exhibits clothes, tools, sewing machines and crockery that the settlers took with them. No luxu- ry goods were brought along, al- though some musical instruments made the journey. In the National Frontier Trails Museum in Inde- pendence, Missouri, visitors can century. fight for women’srights the 21st in includes dedicated to asection the race, religion or nationality. It also women of region, the regardless of plishments of of all American the boy wives and honors accom- the illustrates diffi the cult life of cow- a mother and child. Th e museum Visitors are greeted by astatue of cated to lives the of female settlers. in Ponca City, Oklahoma is dedi- founded by Mormons. City, inSalt Lake seum Utah was Daughters of Utah Pioneer Mu- religious groups. For example, the museumstier on focus particular family audio archives. fron- Other grant life and has recordings from museum shows fi lms about immi- there’s an old schoolnearby. Th e with and abarn workshops and featuresseum atraditional church grants moved who west. Th e mu- lights lives the of immi- German in Fredericksburg, Texas high- groups.tler Th e Pioneer Museum set- of history the particular serve 1843. wagons moved along trail in the lustrates how settlers the in120 An exhibitall. at museum the il- haps most the famous one of them ginning of Oregon the Trail, per- Th elocated is museum be- the at andCalifornia Mormon trails. and Clark, Lewis Santathe Fe, thoroughfares from east to west: information on main the pioneer Frontier Trails Museum contains Th e collection theat National soldiers and Native Americans. sionaries to passages the by taken of merchants, farmers and mis- west — from well-worn the paths two horses. a coveredride wagon drawn by stead designed exhibitsstead designed that could masterpieces of great and art in- traditional museums. Th ey had no are who those not to visiting used homa originally were created for Montana, Kansas, Texas and Okla- and South Dakota, Wyoming, Museums established in North LEARN TO DOITYOURSELF Th e Pioneer Woman Museum Some pioneer museums pre- Th ere were many trails thatled weaving. master classes on embroidery and weekends, museums these hold recipes and to learn spin yarn. On petting zoo, pies bake using old Guests can animalsfeed the at the participate intraditional activities. work of trained artisans, as well as museums, visitors the can observe ated as frontier At . these in Staunton, Virginia were cre- and Frontier the Culture Museum Village Museum inDenison, Texas with interactive experiences. culturetier draw on that history that were created to fron- preserve touched.be Today, many museums Th e GraysonCounty Frontier belonging to thispioneerculture. Americans are very proud of the East Coast to theWest Coast. pioneers andtheirdrive from fascinated by thesubjectof Americans are incredibly Colorado. Kit Carson in the legendary Monument to birthday inpioneer style. possibility of celebrating their farm. Here guests are off ered the upis set like an ordinary pioneer Park Museum City, inCedar Utah born there.born and of seven his 10 children were Josefa. Th eylived in it for 20 years a wedding gift forthird his wife, style. CarsonColonial bought it as 1825, is constructed Spanishin the Th e whichdates building, from cated inCarson’s former home. inTaos,seum New Mexico is lo- U.S.the fi nestequestrian monuments in Colorado is considered one of the and Carson the statue inTrinidad, is located in a former train depot Museum in Kit Carson, Colorado statues.several Th e KitCarson honored with two museums and are named aft erhim and also he is day, and river valley aCalifornia general inUnionthe Army. To- 1865) he was appointed a brigadier West. War Civil the During (1861- protector of pioneers Wild inthe and scout, he was legendary the memory. A courageous hunter place inAmerica’scial collective son (1809-1868)occupies aspe- a group of pioneers. Kit Car- standing individual rather than Some museums on focus an out- CELEBRATING THESELF-MADE MAN Th e Frontier Homestead State Th e Kit Carson House and Mu- 29 Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia MUSEUMS SHOWCASE U.S.-RUSSIAN RELATIONS FROM PIONEER PERIOD TO WORLD WAR II The historic DS-3 COLLECTIONS IN MUSEUMS ACROSS RUSSIA HOST EXHIBITS RELATED TO THE Douglas planes, U.S., INCLUDING INDIAN RARITIES, LETTERS WRITTEN BY AMERICAN TRAVELERS part of the AND WEAPONS FROM WORLD WAR II. Alaska-Siberia 2015 project, Yekaterinburg. Irina Racheeva

R ussian-American rela- Museum in St. Petersburg. That almost 60,000 servicemen to the tions have had more than their fair museum’s collection contains arti- Russian North. In Arkhangelsk, share of ups and downs, and this facts from the indigenous peoples another important city in the Rus- complex history of bilateral rela- of Alaska and California, includ- sian North, an obelisk stands on a tions can been seen in monuments ing rare findings from the 1820s. mass grave in remembrance of the and museum exhibits in many A shaman Among the many exhibits are wig- casualties of the intervention. Russian cities. Often, the most mask from the wams, pottery, masks, weapons “America and other Entente interesting exhibits of American Tlingit tribe. and accessories made of feathers, countries’ intervention in Soviet artifacts are found in unexpected Kuntskamera, fishing and hunting tools, as well Russia meant getting involved in 30 places, in regional museums far St. Petersburg. as objects used in ancient shaman the Civil War, something that em- from Moscow and St. Petersburg. rituals. Tribal members from the bittered both sides of the conflict Alexander Kapitanov, director of San Francisco area have visited and prolonged it,” said Mikhail the Ryazan Museum of Travelers, Kuntskamera to examine the relics. Myakhov, the scientific director knows this first hand. His museum, The Arctic city of Murmansk of the Russian Military-Historical which collaborates with the Russian hosts a monument dedicated to a Society. “This is a black stain in Geographical Society, organized a more recent period in U.S.-Russian relations between Russia and the traveling exhibit entitled “Russian history. On the city’s central square, West.” America: The Return to the Native there stands a 75-foot-high monu- Next year, Myakhov’s organiza- Shores.” The exhibit has made stops The Encounter ment dedicated to the American tion plans to commemorate the in Moscow, Arkhangelsk, Oren- at the Elbe servicemen who participated in 100th anniversary of this event burg, Ulyanovsk, Samara, Yaroslavl, Memorial in an intervention during the Russian by opening a Regional Museum St. Petersburg and Kaluga. Moscow. On the Civil War in 1918-1919. During of Intervention and Civil War in right: cosmonaut Kapitanov is also a member of Alexei Leonov, that time, the U.S. and its allies sent Arkhangelsk. the group organizing an exhibition member of the commemorating the 150th anni- Soyuz-Apollo versary of the sale of Alaska. It will flight. On the be displayed in the main building left: Bruce McClintock, of the Russian Foreign Ministry in Military Attaché, Moscow. U.S. Embassy in “The main part of the exposition Moscow. consists of the photographs and artifacts that polar explorer and Hero of Russia Mikhail Malakhov brought back from Alaska,” Kapi- tanov said. “Nine of his expedi- tions repeated the itineraries of the Russian pioneers.”

INDIANS, SAILORS, HOLLYWOOD STARS Many early American items can be found in the Kuntskamera 1943. Brynner actually died aSwiss died actually 1943. Brynner but took American citizenship in wasinVladivostok, born Brynner ored with a monument in 2012. The SevenMagnificent was hon- for his work inThe King and I and The actor Yul Brenner,bestknown izen with a statue in Vladivostok, in Vladivostok. Arsenyevthe Primorsky Museum and photographs are on display at tion and War. Civil Pray’s letters and through Russian the Revolu atEast end the of era imperial the portrait of life Russian inthe Far 18,000 handwritten pages paint a letters to her family inMaine. The day,1884-1930. Every she wrote Pray, lived who city inthe from is amonument to Eleanor Lord citycoastal of Vladivostok, there Far to east,Pacific the in Pray isn’t only the American cit - - Moscow. Museum in Land Lease andThe Allies in Vladivostok. Eleanor Lord Pray dedicated to Monument theoretically could fly today,even museum,the says that plane the principal curator of collections at Russian North. Irina Skatova, the Historymyr Museum Local inthe in 1947is on display Tay inthe and crash-landed Arctic inthe program ofpart Lend-Lease the that came to Union Soviet the as An American plane S-47Douglas aresia dedicated to alliance. this many museum exhibits inRus itso comes as nothat surprise closest during World War II, U.S.-Russian relations were the BROTHERS INARMS avoid paying taxes. his U.S. citizenship in1965to citizen, however —he renounced - - the project.the cow and one of fundraisers the for Americanthe University inMos- Edward Lozansky, president the of shaking eachother’s hands,” said aresian and American servicemen of Russian the capital, and Rus flags are waving heart the in very on day, this Russian and American twotween the countries are today, cow, participated ceremony. inthe taché at U.S. the Embassy inMos - McClintock,Bruce Defense the At Soyuz-Apollo flight in1975, and Leonov, amember of famous the Nazis in 1945.Cosmonaut Alexei ofbol sharedthe over victory the graph that has becomesym the ment reproduces aclassic photo- organizations.by social The monu ganov and paid for by funds raised created by sculptor Alexander Bur on River. allies the Elbe the It was honor of historic the meeting of erected center inthe of Moscow in mander had used. Willisthe army that jeep com the Rokossovsky gave museum the Marshal Soviet ary Konstantin example, grandson the of legend to donate to museum. the For brought World War IIeraitems Region. Many Muscovites have mini-motorcycle from Ryazan the man astank well as an American belonging to crew the of Sher the tains that boots were of part aset World War II.The exhibition con Union Soviet the received during zations. It includes rare items that with help the of veterans’ organi- programLease was established cated and to Allies the Lend- the could off take again,” Skatovasaid. supplySiberia route. Worldthe War IIera Alaska-to- year of as part a project to retrace cow from Fairbanks, Alaska last for aircraft. the Moss to flew Mos andto procure help try spare parts era planes,Douglas has promised inWorld specializes who War II Arctic Circle. years frozen inthe tundra of the though it spent more than 70 “As complex as relations be In April 2015, amonument was In Moscow, amuseum- dedi “It would great be plane ifthe Glen Moss, an American pilot ------31 Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia Russia and America: Intersecti ng Cultures

ussia was a friend and will always continue to R ON to the United States before it OPINI exist between the American was even a country. Catherine and the Russian people. the Great declined several re- PAUL  e restoration of Fort Ross quests from King George III RODZIANKO, is but the physical manifes- to hire 20,000 to Vice-Chairman, tation of the centuries-old suppress George Washington American- connection between our and the American Revolution. Russian Cultural countries. Of far greater im- Cooperation A er the colonists were suc- Foundation, portance is Fort Ross’ value as cessful, many constructive in- Chairman a catalyst to further explora- teractions took place between Emeritus, tion of our shared past. Just the Russian Empire and the Hermitage as one dot of an Impression-  edgling United States.  ese Museum ist painting does not give an Foundation included the establishment (USA) accurate impression of the of full diplomatic relations whole, neither can one mu- (1809); the sale of the Russian- seum. Great artistic treasures American Company’s inter- reside in many museums and ests in North America (1842, private collections in both 1867); the ’s countries. Together, they can friendship visit to New York tell the history of our peoples and San Francisco (1863); and our interactions more and Grand Duke Alexey’s The extensive shared history of our fully than any one can possi- extended visit (1871-1872) bly do separately. We should 32 including a visit to Chicago countries cannot and must not be not allow arti cial barriers to a er the Great Fire, a Bu alo denied. Nor can the fundamental prevent full and free collabo- Bill bu alo hunt and partici- ration. As the idea behind pation as an honored guest sympathy that has always existed the Fort Ross Dialogue makes at the Mardi Gras celebration abundantly clear, overlaying in New Orleans. Later, Rus- and will always continue to exist the tangible aspects of our sians participated in both the shared history with intellec- 1876 Philadelphia Centen- between the American and the tual discourse should lead to nial Exposition and the 1904 a much-needed greater un- St. Louis World’s Fair. On Russian people. derstanding and appreciation the American side, a number of each other. of Americans corresponded So let us think long-term. with and visited Leo Tolstoy A huge reservoir of funda- and in 1905, President  eo- Over the last 25 years, and many others, the level mental historical good-will dore Roosevelt facilitated the much has transpired between of awareness in the Unit- exists between our nations, Treaty of Portsmouth, which our countries in almost ev- ed States about the many, notwithstanding these di - ended the Russo-Japanese ery sphere of human en- many points of commonal- cult times. Let us re-discover War and won him the Nobel deavor.  is period has seen ity between our people, our together the history that binds Peace Prize. American indus- the creation and  ourishing cultures and our countries us through these museums trial companies participated of American organizations has never been higher. Cul- and collections. Let us invite in the NEP programs and Rus- championing Russian cul- tural diplomacy and honest each other’s scholars as well as sia and the United States were tural accomplishments in art dialogue — such as the Fort ordinary citizens to visit these allies in two world wars. Even and music, literature, dance, Ross Dialogue — represent collections and landmarks. though political interactions architecture and more. Some essential prerequisites and Let us  nd ways to make it decreased during the Cold of these include the Amer- platforms for developing a easy and attractive for them. War, cultural exchanges con- ican-Russian Cultural Co- solid base for understanding Let us share in the excitement tinued at the highest artistic operation Foundation, the each other. of discovery as promoted by levels. Americans of Russian Russian Orthodox  eologi-  e extensive shared his- the Fort Ross Dialogue. Only descent also did much to con- cal Fund, the Hermitage Mu- tory of our countries cannot within a fully-understood tribute to American society as seum Foundation (USA) and and must not be denied. Nor historical context can we  nd well as to maintain a presence the Clarion Music Society. can the fundamental sympa- the necessary answers to to- of Russian culture in America. Because of these initiatives thy that has always existed day’s geopolitical problems. REDISCOVERING BILATERAL RELATIONS THROUGH HISTORY

MOST RELEVANT TOPICS: Russia’s national identity Russia’s foreign policy outlook Best Russian studies programs Russia in the Middle East The magnetic push and pull of the Russian economy Terrorism

Read in the brochures of International Fort Ross Dialogue Conference GET FULL DIGITAL ACCESS TO OVER 40 ANALYTICAL REPORTS www.russia-direct.org/archive rg.ru/files/california_en rg.ru/files/izborsk_en Russian-American Frontiers: Izborsk / May 2017 Fort Ross Dialogue meeting in Russia