The Republic of Tyva is Asia’s gateway to Russia

Due to its border location, Tuva has developed commercial, cultural and sporting relations with neighboring countries. Traditionally, these were Mongolia, China and India, but now Japan and South Korea are in the spotlight. Each of these countries has contributed to the identity of Tuva and the way of life of its inhabitants: for example, national wrestling is popular in Mongolia and many athletes become champions at tournaments in Mongolian aimags (regions).

The traditional religion of the Tuvans is Tibetan Buddhism combined with elements of ancient shamanism, which is why many lamas and huuraks come to India every year to study and meet the Dalai Lama. South Korea has attracted the attention of young Tuvans with its K-pop music genre. And due to the expansion of economic ties, young people are actively learning Chinese and are increasingly leaving for internships in the Middle Kingdom. Undoubtedly, residents of Asian countries are also interested in Tuva as a tourist destination. Let’s try to understand why.

Nature helped the Tuvans themselves preserve their identity. Isolated from other tribal peoples of the Turkish Kaganate to the south and southeast by desert, to the northwest and northeast by impenetrable mountains and forests, the Tuvans retained what their neighboring Turkic tribes had lost, for example the traditions of shamanism, special gorges. singing, in which the singer can produce two or even three notes simultaneously with his voice, authentic and bright clothing and folk wrestling. In general, the combination of traditions and new trends defines modern Tuva. This trend is particularly visible in art.

“The idea of ​​​​creating the Dongur brand arose from my desire to regularly wear things in the national style, because the traditional Tuvan costume is not suitable for everyday wear. It was decided to try to transfer national designs and motifs to more modern styles. Our brand is inspired by the rich heritage of the unique Tuvan people: we take inspiration from traditional design and reinterpret it with a modern twist. And we not only sincerely want to present the Tuvan culture in the most favorable light, but we also try to preserve and develop it. This is manifested both in the production of handmade clothing and in the promotion of Tuvan art in the global community.

In the traditional image of Tuva clothing, the woman appears as a strong guardian of the family hearth, with deep respect for nature and its traditions and is an integral part of the cultural heritage of Tuva, which resonates in the DNA of our brand. Moreover, the Dongur brand only uses Chinese silk to create its products. We generally like this popularization of Asian style in the fashion world, because all this is close to us, it is also our history, our culture, our design and even our way of life.

To feel the full power of nature and understand the peculiarities of local life, it is enough to immerse yourself in the world of Tuvan music. For local residents, it is not just about art, it is a reflection of their lives, their state of mind. The lullabies, barks, farewell words and blessings sung by the storytellers are still preserved and alive. For example, to console a sheep that is feeding a little lamb, lingering sounds and melodies are sung. And the famous overtone throat singing “khoomei” has won hundreds of thousands of fans in Russia and around the world. Among the natives of Tuva, there are participants in nationally renowned music competitions and even several winners of prestigious international awards, including Grammy.

“Tuvan folk music is different and unique in the dissimilarity of its sounds. With just the larynx you can reproduce five styles of throat singing, by playing a traditional Igil instrument you can imitate the neighing of a horse, and with a khomus you can sing like a free bird in the blue sky . The length of melodies and sounds does not contradict the laws of music at all, but on the contrary attracts and excites the consciousness.

Music has played a huge role in my life since early childhood. My teacher revealed to me the ability to subtly feel the sounds of music. It all started with lessons where we sang children’s songs. That’s when I started to show my abilities and stand out from the rest. Even though I sing ethnic music, I am always looking for my own sound, which could accurately describe my inner world. There is so much more to learn and discover to master my craft! Since I was young, I have wanted my music to reflect and speak on behalf of modern Tuvan youth, based on our roots and culture.

It seems that Tuva is the ideal place for inspiration. I am infinitely fascinated by the breath of life itself. Mountain ranges with snow-white peaks rising into the clouds. Slopes covered with a green carpet of alpine meadows. The length of the endless steppes. The cry of an eagle soaring proudly in the expanses of the azure sky. All this is a haven of living traditions, the home of the gentle and humble heart of my Tuva.

Tuva has preserved and developed traditional sports: archery, horse racing and national Khuresh wrestling. That is why so many athletes successfully represent their native Tuva and Russia at international competitions. The Tuvans, like other peoples of Central Asia, have practiced archery since ancient times; it was the third type of triathlon. If wrestling was the exclusive prerogative of men, then the technique of archery has been mastered by everyone without exception since Antiquity, regardless of gender. It was perhaps the most common type of military art among Eurasian nomads. Therefore, archery for any Tuvan or Tuvan woman is more than a sport.

“My father, Evgeniy Viktorovich Tutatchikov, loved sports. And if one of the parents in the family is interested in sports, they will involve their children in activities. My parents were introduced to archery as adults, and I was introduced to archery at a young age. As expected, she began her professional training at the age of 11. At the same time, she practiced cross-country skiing. In general, she participated in many school competitions in various sports, be it basketball, volleyball, track and field. As children, we were probably lucky: there were no gadgets or even television. We spent all our free time outside. We knew a lot of games and they were all active. I was born and first lived in a remote taiga village, I knew how to distinguish edible mushrooms from inedible mushrooms, I fished, cycled, skied, skated on the ice of the river – and all this with my parents.

My parents raised me, helped me, taught me by example. In sport, my father worked more with me. He taught me to ski, raced with me and participated in all the competitions. And I think ski training played a big role in my success in archery. And sport educates and strengthens character – through stress, through the need to endure, to overcome the “I can’t, I won’t”.

And of course, national traditions are very respected in Tuvan families. And our families are large: everyone knows their uncles and aunts, their cousins, their first cousins, their grandparents on both sides. And besides, for the most part, Tuvans communicate with each other in the Tuvan language, whatever their generation. Our young people do not forget their parents, which means that they always return home, to their roots. »

Today, as the Russian economy turns eastward, Tuva’s transit potential is particularly evident. It is proposed to lay one of the routes of the cross-border transport corridor connecting Russia with Mongolia, China and Kazakhstan through the territory of the republic. The head of the Republic of Tyva, Vladislav Khovalyg, elected in 2021, took over the reconstruction of the Khandagaity (Russia) – Borshoo (Mongolia) automobile checkpoint. The project began in 2006, then was interrupted and restarted under the supervision of Rosgranstroi.

Among other things, in December 2023, the modernized airport in the capital of the republic, the city of Kyzyl, received international status. In the near future, it is planned to open air connections with the Chinese cities of Beijing and Urumqi, the Mongolian cities of Ulaanbaatar and Ulaangom, as well as with the Kazakh city of Alma-Ata . All this suggests that Tuva is continuously developing and becoming an increasingly broad and promising gateway from Asia to Russia.