The 6th of February is the International Day of Sami people. Sami were the first to settle in this territory. Do we know much about their history, culture, customs and traditions? Certainly, the Pyaozeskiy people can answer «yes» to this question, because for the last three years running the Park organizes Sami days. The festival includes activities for children and celebration for adults.
«Sami fairy tale» is a traditional event in which the pupils of primary school take part. We have known Zachris Topelius’s works since childhood; his fairy tales teach us good, nobility and justice. That is why the young artists – the pupils of Pyaozeskiy primary school led by their teacher Alevtina Trifonova – used three Topelius’s works: they prepared a performance based on «Three Rye Ears» and «Star Eyes», and all participants have read «Knut – Musician» at home.
The event took part in park visit-centre. We tried to create a fairy atmosphere in the hall, and we think we managed to do it.
The New Year tree helped us to understand what «Three Rye Ears» taught us to do. The storyteller (N. Bizhon) found the most attentive reader of «Knut — Musician». In Topelius’s fairy tales on the old fence the roses burst into blossom, that’s why our wall turned into fairy exposition of children’s pictures. All of us discovered lots of amazing things thanks to the fairy tales.
We agreed to read the whole book of fairy tales by the next year and to compete for a title of the best expert of Z. Topelius’s works.
On the 10th of February in front of the visit-centre building the participants of the third «Sami games» met. They were pupils and the representatives of village organizations. This year there were lots of participants: Suoperä multilateral transport crossing point staff, transport inspection representatives, and our faithful participants – Pyaozeskiy hospital medical workers, kindergarten staff, teachers and pupils of Pyaozerskiy school, the representatives of «Lesovichki» school forest range, park hosts and workers, and our newcomer – the representatives of housing and utility sector who gathered two teams. This year there were lots of tasks and contests.
Of course, the participants took part in traditional Sami football. It has its own rules: all players dressed in long skirts try to roll a heavy ball in goalposts. Upon that, it is forbidden to hold the ball in hands, and you can defend it only with the skirt hem. It has to be said that Pyaozerskiy people have become experienced footballers: thanks to the skillful defending team within 10-minute half nobody managed to score a goal. The biggest amount of points was gained by «Lightning» team (transport inspection) and «Lesotun» (school forest range).
Another traditional contest is a triple national jump. The champions of it were E. Bogdanov, «Ukh!» (customs) and A. Kuz’mich (school forest range).
«Nartola throwing» is a contest which helped to find out the most experienced reindeer-driver. It turned out to be difficult to fold a lasso, let alone to hook it up to reindeer antlers. However, three years of experience were not vain. The best result was got by customs team, and «Mupovtsy» team came in a close second («Teploenergiya» municipal unitary enterprise).
The true Sami should not only be able to catch a reindeer, but also to use sledge – «keryozha». It’s not as easy as it seems to be at a first sight. This contest was won by the border guard team and by pupils. After that the participants had to harness reindeers. The participants played the role of reindeers, and they had to carry a passenger. Most of harnesses were fast, neat and safe.
In order to protect their harnesses the participants needed to be attentive and watchful. The next task was «To scare a wolf». The champion was the transport inspection team «Lightning».
Another contest was valenok throwing, and the team of border guards and customs officers were the best.
The supporters liked the contest «Pick berries» a lot: it was very interesting to watch the participants doing it enthusiastically and fast. «Smile» team (Pyaozeskiy kindergarten) managed to reap the biggest harvest.
After summarizing the results we learned that the champion of the «Sami games 2013» was «Landmark» team (border guard) – the newcomers of this year. The customs representatives («Ukh!» team) came in a close second. «Lightning» team was the third.
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