RUG003 - Siberian Music Festival

Dates: 13th of July to the 28th of July
Location: Chadan – a small Tuvinian town in 300km from Kyzyl (the capital of Republic Tuva, Siberia).
Background Information: The festival Ustuu-Huree (Rep. Tuva, Siberia). The event takes place in the territory mainly inhabited by the Tuvinian ethnic minorities. The Soviet destructing influence and the invasion of Europe meant a culture shock to the Tuvinian nomadic way of life. The Ustuu-Huree Festival is dedicated to the reconstruction of cultural heritage of the Tuvinian nation and therefore presents all kinds of traditional culture like throat overtone singing, folk music played on traditional instruments, shaman ceremonies, horse racing, wrestling. The festival camp is situated in the outskirts of Chadan in a small forest near the river. The area is mountainous, it can be very hot during the day and quite cool at night so don’t forget your hats, warm clothes and raincoats.
Project Tasks: Volunteers will work about 6 hours a day and help with installing the stages, putting the decorations, registration of the participants, collecting garbage, selling T-shirts, distributing leaflets, taking lots of pictures and making notes. Seminars, presentation and performances organized with the help of volunteers will be also possible. During the festival you will be asked make reports in English. These reports will be used for the English version of the website.
Who Can Participate?: Anyone with an interest in assisting.
Optional Activities: The festival provides a wide range of entertainments: apart from music it offers drums and dance jam-sessions, fire shows, bonfires, etc. Local people are very hospitable and will give you many chances to learn something about Tuvinian culture. Please bring your national games and recepies, CDs (we will burn a CD with the shared music and pictures), music instruments if you play any (there going to be jam sessions) and funny light clothes to wear during the festival.
Placement Costs: Food and accommodation provided for free to all volunteers.
Meals: In the festival canteen. Please note that vegetarian food is not easily available in the canteen since it’s not really popular in Tuva. Otherwise volunteers will cook for themselves on the fire. It is not a necessary skill for everyone but you will learn how to do this.
Accommodation: The conditions of your stay are very basic, even survival. It is possible that you will stay in yurts (traditional nomadic woolen tents) together with the organizing committee (to be confirmed). Otherwise you will stay in tents for the whole duration of the camp. A sleeping bag and a sleeping mat are absolutely necessary. The eco-toilet will be available, but the shower will be cold. Generally everybody at the festival swims in the river (please take your swimming suite and a cap – it’s going to be sunny and hot!). Please note, that no Internet access and no permanent telephone connection (except for emergent calls) will be available during the festival days, but you can easily use both during the city part.