Natasha's Dance (180 page)
Almost immediately Grisha arrived with his soft tread. In one hand he had
Almost immediately Grisha arrived with his soft tread. In one hand he had
Almost immediately Grisha arrived with his soft tread. In one hand he had
his staff, in the other a tallow candle in a brass candlestick. We held our breaths.
his staff, in the other a tallow candle in a brass candlestick. We held our breaths.
his staff, in the other a tallow candle in a brass candlestick. We held our breaths.
’Lord Jesus Christ! Most Holy Mother of God! To the Father, the Son and
’Lord Jesus Christ! Most Holy Mother of God! To the Father, the Son and
’Lord Jesus Christ! Most Holy Mother of God! To the Father, the Son and
the Holy Ghost…’ he kept saying, drawing the air into his lungs and speaking
the Holy Ghost…’ he kept saying, drawing the air into his lungs and speaking
the Holy Ghost…’ he kept saying, drawing the air into his lungs and speaking
* Long after shamanism became fashionable, the Muslim impact on Russian culture rema
* Long after shamanism became fashionable, the Muslim impact on Russian culture rema
* Long after shamanism became fashionable, the Muslim impact on Russian culture rema
with the different intonations and abbreviations peculiar to those who often repeat
with the different intonations and abbreviations peculiar to those who often repeat
with the different intonations and abbreviations peculiar to those who often repeat
With a prayer he placed his staff in a corner of the room and inspected his bed; after which
With a prayer he placed his staff in a corner of the room and inspected his bed; after which
With a prayer he placed his staff in a corner of the room and inspected his bed; after which
Clad only in his shirt and undergarment he gently lowered himself on the bed, made the sign o
Clad only in his shirt and undergarment he gently lowered himself on the bed, made the sign o
Clad only in his shirt and undergarment he gently lowered himself on the bed, made the sign o
An almost full moon shone in through the windows which looked towards the forest. The long w
An almost full moon shone in through the windows which looked towards the forest. The long w
An almost full moon shone in through the windows which looked towards the forest. The long w
Folding his huge hands on his breast, Grisha stood in silence with bowed head before the i
Folding his huge hands on his breast, Grisha stood in silence with bowed head before the i
Folding his huge hands on his breast, Grisha stood in silence with bowed head before the i
At first he softly recited familiar prayers, only emphasizing certain words; then he rep
At first he softly recited familiar prayers, only emphasizing certain words; then he rep
At first he softly recited familiar prayers, only emphasizing certain words; then he rep
For a long time Grisha continued in this state of religious ecstasy, improvising pray
For a long time Grisha continued in this state of religious ecstasy, improvising pray
For a long time Grisha continued in this state of religious ecstasy, improvising pray
Lord, have mercy
Forgive me, O
Lord teach me how to live… teach me how to live, O Lord
The piteous sobs were all that we could hear… He rose to his knees, folded his hands on his
The piteous sobs were all that we could hear… He rose to his knees, folded his hands on his
The piteous sobs were all that we could hear… He rose to his knees, folded his hands on his
29
Writers and artists portrayed the Holy Fool as an archetype of the simple Russian believe
Writers and artists portrayed the Holy Fool as an archetype of the simple Russian believe
Writers and artists portrayed the Holy Fool as an archetype of the simple Russian believe
Boris Godunov
The Idiot,
In Russia
30
Many common elements of Russian clothing were also Asiatic in their origins - a fact refl
Many common elements of Russian clothing were also Asiatic in their origins - a fact refl
Many common elements of Russian clothing were also Asiatic in their origins - a fact refl
kaftan, zipun
armiak
sarafan
khalat.31
31
32
plov
lapsha
tvorog
koumis
milk for koumis. Such practices were practically unknown in western Europe - at least un
milk for koumis. Such practices were practically unknown in western Europe - at least un
milk for koumis. Such practices were practically unknown in western Europe - at least un
koumis.
33
All the major tribes of Central Asia - the Kazakhs, the Uzbeks, the Kalmyks and Kirghiz - we
All the major tribes of Central Asia - the Kazakhs, the Uzbeks, the Kalmyks and Kirghiz - we
All the major tribes of Central Asia - the Kazakhs, the Uzbeks, the Kalmyks and Kirghiz - we
kalmak
34
3
3
3
3
3
To commemorate the defeat of the Mongol khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan Ivan the Terrib
To commemorate the defeat of the Mongol khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan Ivan the Terrib
To commemorate the defeat of the Mongol khanates of Kazan and Astrakhan Ivan the Terrib
The cathedral was originally named the Intercession of the Virgin -to mark the fact that
The cathedral was originally named the Intercession of the Virgin -to mark the fact that
The cathedral was originally named the Intercession of the Virgin -to mark the fact that
inoverets)
(krestianin),
(khristianin).
From the capture of Kazan in 1552 to the revolution in 1917, the
From the capture of Kazan in 1552 to the revolution in 1917, the
From the capture of Kazan in 1552 to the revolution in 1917, the
Russian Empire grew at the fantastic rate of over 100,000 square kilometres every year. Th
Russian Empire grew at the fantastic rate of over 100,000 square kilometres every year. Th
Russian Empire grew at the fantastic rate of over 100,000 square kilometres every year. Th
35
Ermak’s Conquest of Siberia
This religious conquest of the Asiatic steppe was far more fundamental to the Russian
This religious conquest of the Asiatic steppe was far more fundamental to the Russian
This religious conquest of the Asiatic steppe was far more fundamental to the Russian
reinforce this ‘good and evil’ split, the word ‘Tartar’ was deliberately misspelled (with th
reinforce this ‘good and evil’ split, the word ‘Tartar’ was deliberately misspelled (with th
reinforce this ‘good and evil’ split, the word ‘Tartar’ was deliberately misspelled (with th
(tartarus).
‘Aziatshchina’
Nowhere were the Russians more concerned to erect cultural boundaries than in Siberia.
Nowhere were the Russians more concerned to erect cultural boundaries than in Siberia.
Nowhere were the Russians more concerned to erect cultural boundaries than in Siberia.
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(Sibir’)
37
This colonial attitude was further strengthened by the economic decline of Siberia in
This colonial attitude was further strengthened by the economic decline of Siberia in
This colonial attitude was further strengthened by the economic decline of Siberia in
* The cultural importance of the Ural mountains for Russia’s European self-identifica
* The cultural importance of the Ural mountains for Russia’s European self-identifica
* The cultural importance of the Ural mountains for Russia’s European self-identifica
fashions in Europe changed and the fur trade declined in importance, and efforts by the Rus
fashions in Europe changed and the fur trade declined in importance, and efforts by the Rus
fashions in Europe changed and the fur trade declined in importance, and efforts by the Rus
38
39
(sibirnyi)
(sibirshchina).
40
The gloomy nature of these lands Is always harsh and wild, The angry river roars Storms ofte
The gloomy nature of these lands Is always harsh and wild, The angry river roars Storms ofte
The gloomy nature of these lands Is always harsh and wild, The angry river roars Storms ofte
Fearing the winters,
Fearing the winters,
Fearing the winters,
Endless and icy,
Endless and icy,
Endless and icy,
Nobody will visit
Nobody will visit
Nobody will visit
This wretched country,
This wretched country,
This wretched country,
This vast prison house for exiles.41
This vast prison house for exiles.41
This vast prison house for exiles.41
41
This Siberia was a region of the mind, an imaginary land to which all the opposites of Euro
This Siberia was a region of the mind, an imaginary land to which all the opposites of Euro
This Siberia was a region of the mind, an imaginary land to which all the opposites of Euro
Ural mountains - was ‘in the depths of Siberia’. Others thought that Vladimir, Voronezh o
Ural mountains - was ‘in the depths of Siberia’. Others thought that Vladimir, Voronezh o
Ural mountains - was ‘in the depths of Siberia’. Others thought that Vladimir, Voronezh o
42
But Russian attitudes toward the East were far from being all colonial. Politically,
But Russian attitudes toward the East were far from being all colonial. Politically,
But Russian attitudes toward the East were far from being all colonial. Politically,
43
* This makes Russia an extremely big exception to Edward Said’s provocative argument
* This makes Russia an extremely big exception to Edward Said’s provocative argument
* This makes Russia an extremely big exception to Edward Said’s provocative argument
Orientalism:
rientalism
There was far more, however, than simply resentment of the West in this Asiatic orientatio
There was far more, however, than simply resentment of the West in this Asiatic orientatio
There was far more, however, than simply resentment of the West in this Asiatic orientatio
koumis
44
45
46
Such a thing would never have occurred in the overseas empires of the European states, a
Such a thing would never have occurred in the overseas empires of the European states, a
Such a thing would never have occurred in the overseas empires of the European states, a
in 1783. To celebrate the victory he built himself a palace in the Moldavian-Turkish sty
in 1783. To celebrate the victory he built himself a palace in the Moldavian-Turkish sty
in 1783. To celebrate the victory he built himself a palace in the Moldavian-Turkish sty
47
48
A living embodiment of this dualism was Grigory Volkonsky, the father of the famous Decem
A living embodiment of this dualism was Grigory Volkonsky, the father of the famous Decem
A living embodiment of this dualism was Grigory Volkonsky, the father of the famous Decem
49
50
During the course of the eighteenth century the Bashkir pastoralists had risen up in a se
During the course of the eighteenth century the Bashkir pastoralists had risen up in a se
During the course of the eighteenth century the Bashkir pastoralists had risen up in a se
The Captain’s Daughter)
were publicly flogged and branded on their foreheads or sent off to the penal camps in the F
were publicly flogged and branded on their foreheads or sent off to the penal camps in the F
were publicly flogged and branded on their foreheads or sent off to the penal camps in the F
51
52
Despite his brutal treatment of the Bashkir population, Volkonsky was an expert on their
Despite his brutal treatment of the Bashkir population, Volkonsky was an expert on their
Despite his brutal treatment of the Bashkir population, Volkonsky was an expert on their
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
khalat.60
60
he wrote to his daughter Sofia. ‘You may consider me an Asiatic -perhaps I even count mysel
he wrote to his daughter Sofia. ‘You may consider me an Asiatic -perhaps I even count mysel
he wrote to his daughter Sofia. ‘You may consider me an Asiatic -perhaps I even count mysel
61
4
4
4
4
4
’A fairytale land from The Thousand and One Nights,’ proclaimed Catherine the Great on her
’A fairytale land from The Thousand and One Nights,’ proclaimed Catherine the Great on her
’A fairytale land from The Thousand and One Nights,’ proclaimed Catherine the Great on her
The Thousand and One Nights,’
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The Thousand and One Nights
This ‘Orient’ was not a place that could be found on any map. It was in the south, in the Cauc
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