The Taz. Modern Culture and Crafts, Folklore Groups, and Professional Art

In the first years of the Soviet Union, cultural and educational activities were entrusted to schools, village community centers, and village reading rooms subsequently transformed into village libraries. These institutions were established to advance educational and “cultural level” of all residents of socialist villages. Cultural and educational activities were conducted in a variety of clubs, such as a choir club, a theater club, children’s club, etc. and other clubs. Club events almost universally lacked a traditional folk element for they mostly focused on labor and economic achievements of the Soviet people, early execution of five-year plans, and political propaganda.

The Mikhailovka village community center had an amateur theater that staged plays every year and traveled to perform in other villages in the territory. The Taz were leaders in amateur talent contests. Children’s performances that were mostly staged fairy tales (for instance, A House for Guid , Secrets of Health ) were largely attended by parents and acquaintances. After the 1990s, the center reduced its activities. The Mikhailovka village community center operated only as a local cinema and a disco venue.

At the same time, an ethnographic exhibition was opened at one of the center’s small rooms featuring material culture exhibits: costumes, hunting implements, fishing gear, labor implements, works of art, and household items.

The village library has a permanent book exhibition “My Village, My Little Corner in the Taiga” featuring works by Vladimir K. Arsenyev, Nikolay S. Dunkay, photo albums, books written by local authors, albums filled with newspaper clippings.

Mikhailovka holds annual Village Day celebration with a “Play on, Accordion!” program, children’s performances. The community center’s performing groups attend district folk performing arts festival “On the Olga Wavelength.”

In 2006, the inhabitants of Mikhailovka celebrated their village’s centennial. In 2016, they held a large holiday celebrating the World Indigenous People Day and the village’s hundred and tenth anniversary. The “Following the Sun” ethnic cultures festival held pride of place at the holiday. Performing groups working in the ethnic traditions of their peoples from all over the Amur region performed at the holiday. Ethnic foods tasting was another well-established and ethnically colored event of the festival. It also featured a fair selling the works of local artisans, and an Udege shaman performed at the holiday.

Today, the Taz are on the cusp of a resurgence of their cultural traditions and of developing a unique culture. It may be stimulated by developing tourism in the region, including ethnic cultural tourism.