Long Night at the Vepsian Museum : : The Forest Folk of Northern Russia and the Struggle for Cultural Survival / / Veronica Davidov.

• VerfasserIn: Davidov, Veronica,
• Place / Publishing House: Toronto : : University of Toronto Press, , [2021]; ©2017
• Year of Publication: 2021
• Language: English
• Series: Teaching Culture: UTP Ethnographies for the Classroom
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (160 p.)

This book takes readers to the village of Sheltozero in northern Russia. it highlights a tiny community of indigenous people called Veps, known colloquially as "the forest folk" for their intense closeness and affiliation with the forests in their ancestral territories. Davidov uses a tour of the local museum to introduce a cast of human and non-human characters from traditional Vepsian culture, while journeying through various eras under Russian, Finnish, Soviet, and post-Soviet rule. In the process, she explores how contemporary political struggles mesh with traditional beliefs, illustrating how Veps make meaning of their history and unfolding future. A documentary entitled Museum Night is available for instructors who wish to incorporate it into their teaching.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Illustrations -- Acknowledgments -- Preface -- Introduction -- Chapter 1: History and Memory -- Chapter 2: Vepsian Cosmologies -- Chapter 3: Spruce Eyelashes and Blue Eyes of Lakes -- Chapter 4: The Bad Masters -- Chapter 5: The Long Night of Museums -- Conclusion -- Glossary -- References -- Index