Foreword for a book of Evenki art

Recently we were asked to work on a translation of a foreword to a book of Evenki art. The book contains reindeer inspired art by an acquaintance of ours. We were honoured to be asked to write our own foreword to this book. The foreword will be translated into both Russian and Evenki. Amazingly from a linguistic point of view, our Evenki friends have decided to publish the Evenki in Latin script not Cyrillic. (I'll leave the discussion for another time and place as it is extremely controversial.) Just a few days ago our Evenki friend Katya described the foreword as deeply touching. This was encouraging to hear.


Anyway, here it is:


The Evenki live with the world's earliest domesticated animals, the reindeer. They are an ancient and beautiful people who provide a link to the earilest history of the human race. The Evenki have much to teach us, theirs is a culture that understands creation and the natural world. Theirs is a culture that has been dragged into the modern world at a very rapid pace.

The reindeer inspired art of Maria Andreeva Kochnyova provides the world with a precious and rare insight into a way of life that we would all do better to understand. In a world where we are questioning our use of energy and natural resources, where nations are even eyeing off the water resources of their neighbours, how much could we benefit from better understanding the ancient and simple ways of the Evenki people?

In a world where we are desperately fighting over and trying to secure natural resources, we dare not forget the most precious resources of all- people. The Evenki people are a precious gift that we need to treasure and can not afford to lose. Maria Andreevna opens her heart to share the most precious symbol of her culture with the world. The reindeer play such an important role in Evenki culture. Reindeer have traditionally provided food, shelter, clothing, transportation and even a spiritual link to creation. The reindeer is the most precious gift in creation for the Evenki. And through the works of Maria Andreevna the reindeer gives art back to the Evenki people, something they can proudly say is their own.

When I viewed Maria Andreevna's works of art I was deeply touched by their authenticity. The very smell of the taiga was in my nostrils, along with a sudden desire to fly straight there. These works have a depth of beauty that we can connect to and speak in great volumes that bridge the linguistic divide between cultures. As much as Maria Andreevna felt alienated in her early life from her culture, her art not only reconnects her, but all of us to the beauty of her people and of course the beloved reindeer.