The more children, the better – it’s an experience for them. Native language is a sore spot for Karelians

House Karelian language in the village of Vedlozero - a unique phenomenon. This is not the House of Culture in the usual sense: it does not resemble it either in appearance or in its content. One of the founders of the House, Olga Gokkoeva, calls it a “multifunctional center.” Meetings, seminars, theatrical performances. People come to the house to attend clubs, read books, play sports and simply communicate in the Karelian language. The history of the emergence of the House is also interesting. The "" correspondent visited the House of the Karelian Language to understand what united the village residents and how the Karelian language will help the development of the republic.

Story

Olga Gokkoeva begins her story about the House of the Karelian Language from the hall. On the walls is the entire history of its creation, from the idea to its implementation in photographs.

In 2012, we decided that a separate room was needed for the development of the Karelian language. Together with the local administration, we chose an old abandoned building on a hill. They wanted to repair it, but they started dismantling the casing and realized that it was impossible to restore it - the load-bearing walls were not removed correctly, the roof had been leaking for a long time, - Olga says and shows photographs.

Olga Gokkoeva

The enthusiasm of the volunteers was enough for a lot: almost every day throughout the summer of 2012 they dismantled the old building and cleared the site for the new one. An architectural bureau in Petrozavodsk helped develop the House project - together with Finnish architects they made a sketch of the future house. And on October 13, 2013, the foundation was laid. However, neither the local administration nor the activists had money for anything more.

It was very scary because there was no funding; we raised all the money ourselves. Donations, help from public organizations, sale of pies, own products, books. Thousands and thousands of gates were baked and sold,” Olga shares.

Together, we managed to collect 4.5 million rubles for the construction of the House of the Karelian Language. There was enough money to build the frame and cover the facade. Another 200 thousand were received from the European Union for the installation of windows.

Today Olga speaks with gratitude about every sponsor and helper. Special words of gratitude go to the head of the republic. Journalists are more accustomed to listening to criticism of the authorities, but Olga Gokkoeva separately notes Alexander Khudilainen’s contribution to the emergence of the House.

In general, this is the first Karelian leader who is really not afraid of activists. I've been doing it for a very long time social activities and through my work I communicate with many leaders from the North-West of Russia and Moscow, and this is in fact rare person, whose very eyes are burning. Usually, managers bypass me, but Alexander Petrovich, on the contrary, has been to the House of the Karelian Language five times in three years, and also turned to enterprises in Karelia, and they allocated us 600 thousand rubles,” says Olga.

With this money, the most important thing was built in the House, without which the discovery would have been impossible - two large ovens. Timber processing enterprises of the republic provided boards. Thus, the work on the first floor was completed, and the House was officially opened.

Life in the house

Inside the House of the Karelian Language it is cozy and warm. This atmosphere was created and is now maintained by the residents of Vedlozero themselves: they bring flowers, curtains, rugs, etc.

All that is inside the House are gifts. We didn’t buy anything ourselves,” Olga Gokkoeva continues the tour. - Alla Zotkina organized the chairs for the seminars from Petrozavodsk, the furniture - from Finland, the cabinets - from the Pryazhinsky school. Our kitchen was made by a master from Finland; he bought materials in Petrozavodsk and made it here on site himself. Among our employees, only a methodologist works part-time; we have neither a watchman nor a cleaner. Everything is done on subbotniks. I don’t even know who brought these flowers or who waters them. I don't know who planted the flowers on the veranda. Everyone lives their own life - whoever can help comes and helps. I think this is such an exceptional phenomenon even on a Russian scale.

Anyone can come to the house at almost any time. Here you can just drink tea, listen to music, read, or you can enroll in handicraft courses or theater Club. According to Olga, the House is loved by both Vedlozero children (after school they come to do homework or play) and local grandmothers (they often come in just to sit and relax on the way home from the store).

Olga shows another “attraction” of the House - the only public sitting toilet in all of Vedlozero. Next to it is a room with a washing machine.

I came to the circle and washed my things at the same time,” Olga laughs.

They also hold holidays (weddings and birthdays), seminars, and creative evenings. The theater troupe appeared a year and a half ago, along with the house itself. Amateur actors perform only in Karelian. The performances have become so popular among local residents that the small hall on the ground floor attracts a full house.

A lot of people come. When we first started, everyone said that this would be a hotel for Finns. If in September last year there were 100 visits, then in December there were already 500 per month. And this despite the fact that 1,000 people live in the village,” says Olga Gokkoeva.

The only thing strictly prohibited in the house is alcohol. According to Olga, the residents of Vedlozer meet the alcohol requirement in other houses; for this purpose the House of the Karelian Language is not needed.

Language and Karelians

In Karelian, the name of the House is Karjalan kielen kodi. Even those who do not speak Karelian have learned it. In general, in Vedlozero itself half of the population speaks the language. Meanwhile, activists are confident that the Karelian language can become the republic’s trump card, and will also help Karelia in economic growth and tourism development. There is a fashion for the language - training courses do not accommodate everyone who wants to learn Karelian.

You can imagine: a person arrives and hears speech that is foreign to him on the streets of Petrozavodsk, and he will have the feeling that he has been to the Baltic states, for example. This would attract tourists more than the faceless Republic of Karelia, no different from others. Language can be made into a brand. Tourists don’t usually go to clubs, but they are interested in coming to us and seeing what kind of House of the Karelian Language this is,” Olga shares her thoughts.

At the same time, she is confident that the development and support of the language at the state level will give confidence to the Karelians themselves. Today, thanks to the House of the Karelian Language, it has become spoken more people. Here they teach not only the language itself, but also create an atmosphere in which a person becomes liberated and begins to communicate in Karelian. According to the Karelians themselves, many of them are simply embarrassed to speak in public, despite the fact that they know the language.

Karelians are partisans, they speak the language at home, but refuse it outside. If all Karelians staged a flash mob on one day and spoke only Karelian, then everyone would be shocked at how many Karelians know the language, says Olga.

The future of home

The House of the Karelian Language is not a rural House of Culture. Its owners strongly resist this name. Olga Gokkoeva calls the House a “multifunctional center.” But the plans include the creation of " international center competencies in the Karelian language." Despite the complexity of the name, the idea is simple - the development of the language at the international level.

The local level is those services that are now provided to the local population every day. We want to be active participants in the development of the Pryazhinsky district, we also make our contribution to the republic, and in internationally We want any person from any corner of the world who wants to learn the Karelian language to have this opportunity. In the future, we plan to conduct webinars and Skype training. If we were an ordinary village club, this would not happen. So you will hear more about Vedlozero,” Olga Gokkoeva shares her plans.

Now money for the development of the House is coming in less and less often. According to Olga’s calculations, in order to fully launch the House, another one and a half million rubles are needed. Volunteers earn some money by selling pies, crafts, and other products. Every penny goes into the piggy bank.

In addition to construction plans, the House also needs money for maintenance - paying utility bills. And you have to pay a lot - tariffs for a legal entity are several times higher than for ordinary residents.

We also collect money to pay bills. But they haven’t paid for electricity for three years. There was no book. We’re getting ready to shell out a tidy sum,” says Olga.

Recently, the Karelian Language House project received a grant of 900 thousand rubles from the Perspective Foundation. With this money, a series of thematic meetings on Karelian culture, language and handicrafts and the work of theater groups for adults and children are organized in the village, and a theater hall is equipped.

And on November 4, Olga Gokkoeva became the laureate of the “I am a Citizen” award in the “Development of Rural Areas and Small Towns” nomination. This victory brought Olga a prize of 200 thousand rubles. And they will also go towards the development of the House.

Perhaps some of the readers of "" have never heard the Karelian language. For them - a short excerpt of a song performed by residents of Vedlozero and active participants in life in the House of the Karelian Language.

What do you get when you combine the stereotypes and fears of villagers, the idea of ​​a European social organization, the enthusiasm of a single woman, a building with a rotten roof and five years of hard work?

The House of the Karelian Language in the village of Vedlozero is 100 kilometers from Petrozavodsk, 420 from St. Petersburg and 500 from Helsinki. Somewhere between the forest, the city and Europe.

At this non-obvious geographical point at 500 square meters managed to build out of air, will and labor Cultural Center for nearby villages, a place for preserving language and traditions, social entrepreneurship, theater and language kindergarten. And also explain why the toilet should be clean and why a pensioner should be a member of the board.

House of the Karelian Language

Native language is a sore spot for Karelians

Just five years ago, Vedlozero was an ordinary Russian village with its sorrows and joys, a partially established life (a sawmill for work, rural library for recreation, two small shops for food) and completely predictable everyday life (alcohol in the evenings, dinner with TV and church on Sundays). It would have remained that way if not for Olga.

Olga is Karelian by origin. She has been working and living in Finland for many years, in the small town of Oulu in the north of the country, 700 kilometers from Vedlozero. But he often comes to Karelia to visit his mother and sister in the village of Kinerma, neighboring Vedlozero. Fluent in Karelian, Finnish, English, maintaining own home and the family of Karelian traditions, translator Olga decided to organize Karelian language courses for local residents.

Olga (left)

“I wanted to do it for a long time, but I understood that it was difficult. People are embarrassed to speak it, you know. Many people know, at least understand, older people generally know everything, but they only talk at home, in the family. And they are openly shy. When I call a person on the phone and start speaking to him in Karelian, I always immediately understand whether he is at home or in public place. If somewhere on the street or in transport, then he will only speak Russian. But I want to support my native language, I want to give people the opportunity to learn more about their history, their culture.

Native language as evidence of origin, as self-identification - a sore point for Karelians, especially older ones. IN Soviet times it was prestigious and proud to be Russian. Small fraternal peoples, their identity, language, culture and traditions were not exactly oppressed, but not supported.

And openly being a Karelian in Soviet times was considered not only shameful, but somehow awkward.

It’s good that the energetic Olga, who proudly emphasizes her Karelian origin, is determined. She thought over her intention, came to Vedlozero, gathered people and proposed opening a House of the Karelian Language. For example, in the building of a former kindergarten. She suggested, as in the most a real fairy tale, magic three times. And three times the residents had to agree for the miracle to happen.

“I wanted to make sure that local people take responsibility. She asked three times: “Are we going to make a place in Vedlozero where people can gather, or are we not going to?” Until everyone said: “Yes, we will,” the protocol was not written, nothing was started. First, I gathered people at the Union of Karelian People and told them there. Those who were already involved in Karelian culture and language came there.

If there is no one else, it means they don’t need it

Then, 5 years ago, there were very few people who believed in Olga and her idea. Just a few people out of nearly a thousand village residents. Olga did not waste time and organized cleanup days. Although this word only has a common root with Saturday: subbotniks to prepare the House of the Karelian Language took place almost every day in the summer.

“I went to everything then.” Every day throughout the summer I came to Vedlozero and worked. I immediately decided for myself: “If I come to even one cleanup day and there is no one else, not a single Vedlozero resident will come, then they themselves don’t need it. And I give up this idea, I don’t study anymore.” We have such Valery Zakharych, a pensioner, former boss“firefighters”, he is already over 70. And he seemed to hear these thoughts of mine and didn’t miss a single day. He's also so stubborn. Sometimes he and I worked together, no one else came.

Valery Zakharych, a lively, fit-looking man (the word “pensioner” seems foreign next to him), the first and most faithful volunteer, now holds an official position on the board of directors. And still not a single cleanup worker can do without it.

Valery Zakharovich Ivanov

Before the start of the project, he did not know Olga, but for some reason he immediately believed in her unconditionally. And the majority for a long time I was sure that the “Finnish woman” simply wanted to build a hotel from a public building with someone else’s hands and bring foreigners here, profiting from the simplicity of the villagers.

Rumors about the hotel, the mysterious actions of the enterprise and the unclean thoughts of the organizer circulated for quite a long time. Olga, remembering them, just chuckles and says: the main thing is that now they treat the House differently, they care about it and are afraid of losing it.

Subbotnik

“First we decided to renovate the old building, remove the cladding inside and out. For a long time there was hope that we would succeed. But then experts said that it was easier to build a new one than to repair it. It was an old kindergarten; many local residents went to it when they were little. It has been empty for many years. And municipal maintenance of the property, or rather the lack thereof, led to the fact that the house had to be demolished. If only a little care had been taken of it, the roof would have been repaired and there would have been a normal building in which to study. It was built only after the war, it’s not that old.

We were afraid that the residents of Vedlozero would be nostalgic for the past, for their childhood, and would not want to dismantle the house. The Finnish architects who helped us with the building design took this point into account. They made the building visually similar to the previous one. We thought about how people would immediately have an emotional connection to the place and warm memories.

The chairman must be a local person

Olga's openness, hard work and charm, willingness to tell, show and explain ultimately won over the distrustful villagers. Gradually, more and more people began to come, inquire about how to help, and take initiative. More local residents came to the community cleanup days, and ideas emerged to conduct language classes on their own and teach each other handicrafts. A group of the most proactive and responsible emerged.

A little later, when everything is formalized, active grandparents will become the Board of Management. Not as a puppet, to play around and feel your own importance, but as a real one, with the right to make decisions, accountability and the mission of the project.

– I am the chairman of this public organization, we have a charter and a board. But I don’t want to be the chairman, I think it should be a local person. I tell them this all the time.

For three years I cultivated democracy, and everyone expected me to be like Putin: “Olya said it, and we do everything.” They told me: “Olya, come on, you are the mistress.”

And each time I explained the same thing: “This house is owned by a public organization, I can be re-elected at every meeting, we have a board of seven people, and we make all decisions together.” Three years have passed, and it has finally happened! Sitting in Oulu, I wrote an application for a financing project to supply us with solar energy. We are now waiting for an answer on it.

And since almost none of the board members have the Internet, it was inconvenient to call everyone and ask if this application could be sent from us, I just quietly wrote and sent it. And then I come and tell them that such an application has been sent. And they told me: “Olya, why didn’t you approve it at the board meeting?” Glory to You, Lord, you have achieved it! (laughs). Now we have democracy, and this is very good. Now no one expects anything from me, and when people don’t expect anything, they take responsibility for themselves. AND less problems in every way.

The more children, the better - it’s an experience for them

Today is Sunday and we are going to the barn. There are already several men sawing logs and chopping firewood.

– Either elderly people who remember Soviet times, or even children, go to cleanup days. Now we need to put the firewood in the woodpile. We have two stoves, we need a lot of wood. Children will also fold. The more children, the better: they stand in a chain, there is no need to go anywhere, they simply pass the log to each other. It turns out both fun and fast. We also play all sorts of Karelian games at the same time.

And young people say to me: “Are you going to pay us?” - “No, I won’t, this is being done for you.” But they and their parents do not yet understand that this is an experience. If now, instead of sitting at home for free, the child will go and work for free, he will gain experience communicating with people of different ages. In the near future, the most important skill is the ability to communicate. People with good communication skills will find jobs. Those of our children who have been going to subbotniks for all five years can different people communicate, especially with older people, which is important. They have no boundaries between ages; they can talk to everyone.

But we immediately began to hold these cleanup days; we completely dismantled the old building during cleanup days. They didn’t spend a penny of money, they just came every day and took it apart. It wouldn't have worked any other way.

And now people already understand that they are doing this for themselves. They take care of it and appreciate it.

The House is sunny, clean and cozy, there are fresh flowers everywhere, the rugs are washed, the dishes are put away. There are no hired cleaners, people come on a voluntary basis, organize shifts themselves, and restore order. Someone is watering the flowers, someone is washing the rugs, someone is laying out neatly brought clothes. It lies in even, washed piles on a long bench with the announcement “Everything for 10 rubles.” Finns bring some things, locals bring some things. There are good sports sweaters, quality jackets, pants, and children's clothes.

– Here is our social store “Everything for 10” (laughs). People bring it themselves and buy it themselves; many Finns bring good, high-quality clothes. Popular. There are many socially difficult families in Vedlozero, and this is a good help for them. There is little work here, only state farms and budgetary organizations.

The majority of donations now, of course, come from Finland; pensioners donate money. There is a civil society there, people understand that there is no one to wait in the village - neither an oligarch, nor a president. I want to live well now. This is exactly what drives Finnish society: they don’t wait for anyone, they work themselves. This project is very popular in Finland, and a lot of newspapers write about it.

What else is happening in Russia that is good and positive that we can write about? Civil project being done real people. It is unique not only on the scale of Karelia, but on the scale of Russia. I went with him to Moscow, and we received the Citizen Award (behind the modest “we” is the award “I am a Citizen” received by Olga Gokkoeva, the award of the Public Chamber of the Russian Federation in the nomination “Development of Rural Territories and Small Towns”). And there they told me that this is probably only possible here, in Karelia. No, it’s possible everywhere.

Language kindergarten: the main thing is to hug children

In one of the rooms, spacious and bright, there is a group for children from one and a half to 6 years old. It seems to work like an ordinary kindergarten, only all classes and games are conducted in Karelian. Starting in September, the kindergarten will accommodate 9 children of different ages. They come for the whole day, eat, walk, and study here. Such a private kindergarten with full-time mini-groups would cost parents in Moscow and St. Petersburg between 30 and 50 thousand rubles. In Vedlozero it is free.

– Our idea is for children to speak Karelian. We collect teachers' salaries from private donations, mainly from Finland. We announced a collection in both Russia and Finland, but no one responded in Russia, but in Finland it is ongoing. Our salaries are slightly higher than the average in the village. Teachers receive 20 thousand in cash, which is very good for Vedlozer.

The only thing is that we cannot lure workers from the school with this salary, because teachers there receive good benefits: they get free firewood and all utilities. And there are very strong teachers of the Karelian language. Our teachers are happy because we can take care of children. They don’t have to write plans, reports, no ladies from RONO come to give lectures. They can mind their own business, their children, and develop them.

Olga says that the modernization of the education sector in Finland began with the fact that inspections were stopped there. And the Finns passed a law on compulsory higher pedagogical education for all teachers. The next step was kindergarten teachers with only higher education by specialty. And they believe that if a person has a higher education, then he is a specialist.

The municipality in Finland organizes refresher courses three days a year, and everyone is required to take them. But a teacher, for example, is free to choose the textbooks he will use to teach. He was given a task: by the end of the year the child should be able to do this, that and that, and how he gets this result is his space for creativity. Some people don’t use textbooks at all. Teachers are given freedom.

– We have the same goals: the same skills should be developed as in educational program. But here they develop faster, because fewer children and more adults. The children, of course, have a good time: they sculpt, draw, and sing songs in Karelian. They come back from the party and sing to everyone in Vedlozero (laughs). Teachers have the time and energy to deal with children.

There is a state kindergarten in Vedlozero, but it has not been certified and can no longer accept new children. I don't know how they will get out there. Now we have two teachers and a specialist who runs this project, a language nest. This is a little more difficult than a regular group. In the language nest, children speak only Karelian, all materials are in the language. This is the only way to save the language.

Natalya Antonova – specialist in “Language Nests”

Of course, at first they don’t understand anything, but at the same time they don’t have any stress. The main thing for children is to be hugged and held in your arms. We launched the project in the spring, now they have completed three months of training and already understand everything that is being said to them.

Wash your hands, and walk, and eat - everyone already understands this. In a language nest, children learn a language as if it were a second mother tongue. There is a whole technology here with immersion in the environment. The child has a code in his head: this adult speaks only this language, and the brain is rebuilt. Of course than younger child, all the better. We don’t take five-year-olds, because two years before school they don’t have time to be so immersed. It takes at least two or three years for them to walk like this all the time, listen every day, and not just words, but sentences with which they could express their thoughts. After all, their parents are almost all Karelians, but they themselves do not speak the language.

In addition to the kindergarten, a real outlet for Vedlozero parents, and Karelian language courses for adults, the House has a children's and adult theater, an embroidery and knitting group, and there are looms on which women learn to weave elegant striped rugs.

– Our women do handicrafts. Our Alexandra Ivanovna knows and can do everything. They weave carpets, do embroidery, and work with one needle. She is the only craftsman in Karelia who can still knit, the old fashioned way, with one needle. There is a special Karelian needle for needlework. And so she teaches others, transfers knowledge, preserves it. Weaving looms were brought from Finland by volunteer Mauri. I found them somewhere and collected them myself. And women are slowly learning to weave with them, embroidering napkins and rugs. And finally they began to sell them little by little, as souvenirs. It turns out that they preserve handicraft traditions, support culture, and also earn a little money for themselves. I think this is very important.

It's important that people make a commitment

Olga falls silent and thinks about something. I, too, am silent and think that just as it began like a fairy tale, in a deep Karelian forest the kind sorceress decided to ask three times and keep the answer, and so it turned out fabulously: they built a palace, and good fellows, the Prince Ivans cut wood in it, and Vasilisa Beautiful rugs weave, and the evil wolves pass by.

Olga seems to hear my thoughts:

“I still don’t believe that we succeeded.” Sometimes I sit and think that just five years ago a village group got together, talked, and built such mansions.

Apparently, this very idea was in the air. We keep a log of visits, we had 5,000 visits last year. That is, this is a truly popular place among local residents. Children from school can come here for after-school activities and work out between training sessions. Women go to the store, come in to drink tea and chat.

Even those people who said something bad about us are gradually getting involved. I’m just happy, I don’t care what they said, the main thing is that they changed their minds.

This is why it was done, for the local residents. Now, on the contrary, they are worried that the house will be taken away. All municipal property is now in disrepair: the roof of the hospital has collapsed in one of the offices, it is impossible to inspect it, it is impossible to enter the cultural center, it is not heated, you have to sit there in winter in jackets, the kindergarten is not certified. The municipality needs the building, and our residents are afraid that it will be taken away. But, in the end, if the municipality takes over, they will do the same for the people. Another thing is that everything will probably be done completely differently.

Vera Dmitrievna Ivanova – theater director

Olga laughs. In general, she smiles and laughs almost all the time, speaks very quickly, and at the same time always does something with her hands. The feeling of being able to do a hundred things at the same time does not get tired, that it comes easily to her. In the two days we spent together, I was only able to detect something resembling anxiety once. When, in passing, as if thinking out loud to herself, Olga quietly admitted that it was not clear where to get funding for next year. In response to doubts, difficulties, uncertainty about what will happen next, the talkative Olga singled out only five quiet words that I might not have heard. I ask if she is afraid of something.

– The consciousness of an ordinary person is structured like this: you work, you work, you do everything, and then there is rest. And in public organizations, when you have real estate, you need to continuously work with it and take care of it. I'm afraid people will just get tired of it. At the very beginning, I still understood what this meant: this was for the rest of my life - fundraising, maintenance, everything in general. In fact, there will never be any rest. It is important that people understand this and make a commitment.

We have one woman in Oulu, Maya. She took upon herself an assignment, albeit a small one: every Wednesday she comes to physical education classes, makes an agreement with the teacher, and classes go there. Almost 90 women go there, to the school gym.

She collects money from everyone and settles accounts with the teacher. She's there every week on Wednesdays. And he has been doing this for twenty years. This is such an acceptance of obligations. In Finland, people do not expect any recognition when they engage in social activities. This is part of their life, the understanding that you work, including for yourself. If society is prosperous, you will be better off and your children will be safer walking the streets. When you do community service, this does not mean that you do it for others, sacrifice something for the sake of ideals. No. You're doing this for yourself.

In Finland, if you have been doing something for 15 years, yes, you will be noticed: the person has really made a commitment. But not before. But we have this: if you went to a community cleanup, then that’s all, a feat.

A clean toilet is not a small thing

Our people tell me all the time: “Olya, come on. Thanksgiving letters Let’s write!” Russian tradition – these letters of gratitude. Should I write them for every subbotnik? It seems to me a huge plus that people can come here and see how they can live, how to arrange their everyday life. That there is a clean toilet, where it’s so clean you can walk barefoot.

Teachers told me: “Our children don’t know how to go to the toilet carefully.” In our House of the Karelian Language, my very first goal was to have a clean seat on which everyone sits. Like in all European countries. I arrive and see droplets: the boys left and didn’t wipe up after themselves. I go into their room, both boys and girls are sitting there, and I explain: “Everyone sits in our toilet, even boys, because we all want to sit.” That's it, after this time there was no need to say anything more. For some reason our toilet is clean. And the same children come to us. It’s no longer a shame to go somewhere with our children, like Finland, because they know how to use the toilet normally. Otherwise, as a translator, I’m usually the last one to come in and usually clean up after everyone, because I’m ashamed that the Finns will see ours go to the toilet.

These seem to be small things, but these things are actually very important. Our people are the same as those abroad, they just want to live well, and they take democratic decisions with great pleasure. All people like to be treated as people, when their opinions are respected and listened to. It’s just that sometimes they are so blinkered that they have forgotten that this is even possible. But if you give them this opportunity, they seem to wake up.

Photo: KARJALAN KIELEN KODI/HOUSE OF KARELIAN LANGUAGE

The Karelian language received registration in the village of Vedlozero, Pryazhinsky district. Volunteers spent almost three years building the house, and the whole world collected money.

The first New Year's fair in the House of the Karelian Language also became a kind of housewarming. Building inside for the most part Still in progress: floors are being laid, heating is being installed. Only two spacious rooms on the first floor are ready for the festive reception of guests. Here they already speak Karelian and surprise with the local exotica: they serve sulcinat - according to volunteer Sofia Gokkoeva, this dish is older than wickets.

The idea of ​​creating a House of the Karelian Language arose in Vedlozero several years ago. At first, activists planned to rebuild the old one-story building of the former kindergarten. However, this turned out to be impossible: the wooden building had been abandoned for many years, the roof was leaking, the floors and walls had become unusable. It was decided to use volunteers to dismantle the old building and build a new house in its place.

We sorted it out an old house all summer. Elderly people, over 80, and young people, and even children attended the cleanup work: the youngest volunteer was 5 years old. They worked every day, sometimes 2-3, sometimes 10-15 people. Moreover, not only the village residents, but also those who came here to visit their relatives.

Simultaneously with the dismantling work, money was being collected for the construction of a new building. Residents of the village, district, capital of Karelia, as well as Karelians living abroad, donated their personal savings and what they managed to earn at fairs, performing in concerts and selling products. Several pensioners from Petrozavodsk collected 150 thousand rubles, and one of the residents of Finland donated all his savings for construction.

“The public, through their own efforts, built such a magnificent building in order to protect and develop the Karelian language. This is a unique event not only for our region, but for the entire Republic of Karelia,” said Oleg Ermolaev, head of the administration of the Pryazhinsky National District.

Through the efforts of the public it was possible to collect a huge amount: 4.5 million rubles. We used this money to purchase materials and hire professional builders. Another 500 thousand were received from the European Union for the installation of windows. Soon, after the holidays, work will resume. A large stove will appear in the living room, and in other parts of the house there will be rooms for children’s games and arts and crafts, gym with a virtual trainer in Karelian.

“It’s actually very difficult to talk to people outside the family. I know this from myself... I would really like the House to raise the status of the Karelian language,” says Olga Gokkoeva, chairman of the House of the Karelian Language.

According to the activists, the House of the Karelian Language should become a new spiritual center, where residents of not only Vedlozero, but also its neighboring settlements will be able to gather to speak and learn in the traditional Karelian language of these places. And thus, gradually return it to everyday life.

We live in the wonderful Republic of Karelia, but not all of us know the Karelian language. Yes, unfortunately, the Karelian language is gradually losing its position. At various conferences and seminars, scientists prophesy a sad fate for the Karelian people. It's like that. But in fact, this is not the time to give up! This is exactly what they decided in the village of Vedlozero and decided to build the House of the Karelian Language! Home is a place where the Karelian language will always live, since there it will be possible to speak only Karelian and all his activities will be in the native language of the Karelians. “Karjalan kielen kodi” is not a House of Culture in the usual sense - it is a Village House, where you can come to chat with friends, do fitness, bake pies or learn some arts and crafts. There will also be a laundry service and a small hotel on the second floor. The House of the Karelian Language will be the first organization where courses on learning the Karelian language for adults will be conducted not only through live practice, but also remotely via the Internet.

The construction of the House of the Karelian Language is a unique project to preserve the native language of the indigenous population of the region, therefore the public initiative was supported by the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the administration of the Pryazhinsky National District. Republican Center national cultures And folk art organizes two charity concert: Russian orchestra folk instruments"Onego" and the symphony orchestra of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The first concert will take place in Pryazha on November 10 at 16:00. And November 17 Symphony Orchestra will perform in Petrozavodsk at the State Philharmonic.

But that is not all! On November 9, with the support of the Center for National Cultures, an ethnic party will take place in Pryazha, at which youth folk groups from Karelia will perform. All funds raised from ticket sales will be used for the construction of the House.

It should be noted that not only the authorities support the idea of ​​​​creating “Karjalan kielen kodi”. The Center for the Development of Volunteering of the Republic of Kazakhstan is forming a team of volunteers, which until the summer of 2014 will organize and conduct events in support of the House. The first large-scale event of volunteers together with the Ethnocultural Center of the Pryazhinsky District will be the Fair of Cultural Initiatives. The fair, which will bring together representatives of all ethnocultural centers of Karelia, will take place in Pryazha on November 10 from 12 to 15 hours.

Each Ethnocultural Center has its own direction, the development of which it is engaged in: the Pomeranian Folk Choir preserves unique heritage head singing, the Olonets ethnocultural center carefully preserves the craft traditions of its region, Kalevala is the land of rune singing and the traditions of making Karelian folk instruments. The Republic has a huge cultural heritage of the Karelian, Russian, Vepsian, Finnish and other peoples living in our region. And it is at the Fair that you will be able to get acquainted with the activities of ethnocultural centers, purchase souvenirs from artisans, attend a concert of folk groups of Karelia, attend the presentation of the House of the Karelian Language and see performances by Karelian-speaking theater groups Republic. Performances by the Essoyl children's group "Rodnichok" and the theater "Čičiliušku", famous in many European countries, will be presented, which will present children with an excerpt from the play "Koirien Kalevala". Guests will be able to take part in master classes on pottery, birch bark weaving, making kozyul - traditional Pomor baked goods, creating wicker belts and much more.

The “culture” of Karelia is uniting for a big and significant cause - preserving the Karelian language and traditions of the people, but without the support of the population of the republic and, most importantly, the Pryazha region, all efforts may be in vain! Come to the Fair - support the project of the House of the Karelian Language and thereby the entire Karelian people!

House of the Karelian language in an ancient Karelian village Vedlozero Pryazhinsky National District known both in Karelia and abroad. This phenomenon is unique.

Instead of mourning, together with the majority of Livvik Karelians, the extinction of the Karelian language and all three of its dialects Olga Gokkoeva turned to the residents of Vedlozero with a proposal to build such a house, open to all villagers, young and old, in which they would concentrate cultural life sat down. And the main thing is that it is possible and necessary to speak Karelian.

Olga Gokkoeva is from the ancient Karelian family of the Egorovs, whose roots are in the village neighboring Vedlozero Kinerma. Olga and her sister Nadezhda Kalmykova were born in Petrozavodsk. Nadezhda chose the restoration of the historical appearance of Kinerma and its status as her life’s work, and the sisters began and successfully continued the process of “revitalizing” and updating Kinerma together. But in 2013, Olga headed the Karelian regional public organization "House of the Karelian Language" in Vedlozero. The organization's Charter outlines two main goals: developing the Karelian language and improving the quality of life of local residents.

Funds for the construction of the house were collected all over the world. We organized charity events in Pryazha, Petrozavodsk. But what is characteristic is that they did not stand with their hands outstretched, but tried to make money: they participated in competitions, received grants, gave paid concerts, baked and sold an unlimited number of delicious wickets... The foundation of the building has an area of ​​500 sq. m was laid in 2013, and in January 2015 The first circles began to work in the House of the Karelian Language. At the end 2016 construction has begun on the second floor, where it is planned to arrange theater hall and several guest rooms for volunteers and guests of the House.

Cooperation with a school, kindergarten, and library helps to attract the population to both Karelian lessons and master classes on Karelian handicrafts and Karelian baking. Members of the “Interlocutor” club gather here, but, friends, look at why the residents of Vedlozero and surrounding villages come to the House, and you will understand that it cannot be called either a club or a rural house of culture. This is a completely new community of people who have their own good home.

In the House you can do physical exercise with a virtual trainer in Karelian, wash clothes in the laundry, access the Internet, listen to audiobooks in Karelian, take books home to read or buy books, measure blood pressure and purchase products manual labor local craftswomen.

in spring 2017 A “language nest” for children began operating at the House of the Karelian Language preschool age, whose work is also funded through donations and grants. In the spring, the “language nest” will work every day for half a day, and in the fall it will be open all day. In the “language nest” children speak only Karelian, which will help children master Karelian as their native language.

In the assets of the National Editorial Office State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company "Karelia" there is an educational and entertaining program "Fixu-Muksu" for curious schoolchildren and their parents in Karelian with subtitles in Russian. We invite you to watch one of the episodes of this program, the theme of which is the House of the Karelian Language in Vedlozero.