Pomor Brotherhood: old traditions, new reality

The Association of Pomor organizations called “Pomor Revival” has been working since 1988. Their activities are aimed at revival of cultural traditions of the Russian North and protection of rights of people in the Pomor settlements. Achievements in cultural aspects are not few: publication of the dictionary of the old Pomor dialect; celebration of Pomor New Year in September as a big holiday in Arkhangelsk; numerous folklore song-and-dance groups. But economic situation in Pomor areas is still declining. Unlike Nenets, who are on the list of national minorities in Russia, the Pomors have no right to lead traditional husbandry, such as fishing, hunting. This March the Russian government prohibited seal hunting in the White Sea. It is a heavy blow but the Pomors do not surrender - they protest in mass-media and appeal to the court. Cultural activities of the “Pomor Revival” are supported by the regional authorities. A year ago the Administration of Arhangelsk oblast approved the big-scale programme “Pomor Gang” and actively working for the programme is the museum Malye Korely as the centre of preservation of Pomor culture.

In ancient times Russian Pomors and Norwegian fishermen developed peculiar cultural and educational exchanges based on trade. Their spontaneous contacts were a kind of prototype for the cooperation in the Barents region nowadays. Two years ago Association of Pomors in Arkhangelsk started international activities by establishing the so-called Order of the Pomor Brotherhood using the instruments of Barents cooperation. The idea was to grant the membership to most active partners of Arhangelsk region in Barents cooperation, people known for their contribution to the development of old Pomor ties, initiators of prominent projects. It was not by occasion that Thor Robertsen, an important public figure in Finnmark county and in BEAR, was the first foreigner to be conferred Pomor Brotherhood. He has the full right to be called a Norwegian Pomor.

In April Thor Robertsen visited Arhangelsk in the frames of the project “Colours in the water” and met his Pomor brothers to talk about prospects for the further cooperation in the office of Barents Information Centre. Among the discussed ideas were opening of a section of Pomor brotherhood in Vardoe, participation of Arhangelsk Pomors in the Pomor festival in Vardoe, work on development of Pomor Museum in Vardoe.

There are several reasons for implementation of those ideas. First of all, recently has been launched the 3-year project “Vardo – Waterway to Russia”. Secondly, a group of Pomors in Vardoe is growing. On the eve of Orthodox Palm Sunday Anne-Lise Berntsen, the leader of the project ”Vvardoe – Waterway to Russia” and artist Asbjoern Nilsen were initiated to Pomor Brotherhood during their visit tp Malye Korely.

More about pomors on our web-site:

Pomors press for the status of indigenous people: http://www.barents.no/pomors-press-for-the-status-of-indigenous-people-.299420-41098.html

Arkhangelsk met new 7516 year: http://www.barents.no/arkhangelsk-news.43294.en.html

Pomor Roots of the Barents cooperation: http://www.barents.no/pomor-roots-of-the-barents-cooperation.307689-41098.html