Chief Researcher (Ph. D. H. Sc.), Department of the North and Siberia,

Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology, Russian Academy of Sciences 

Anna Sirina 

Evens. Present-day culture and crafts, folklore groups, professional art. 

The present-day Even culture is mostly based on the traditional culture and values, supplemented and developed by reinterpreting the cultures of neighbouring ethnic groups, Koryaks, the Chukchi, Itelmens, Yakuts and Russians. Modern-day Evens have strong traditions of literature, music, dance, song, and art. 

According to researchers of the Even folklore, it is still being used in everyday lives of Evens, albeit in a considerably reduced manner. They preserve the tradition of creating personal improvisational impromptu songs, children’s tales and keeping different taboos. As a way of preserving and developing the language, folklore, traditional arts and crafts, Evens set up different ethnocultural centres, folklore groups, dance groups. There are various contests aimed at preserving and developing the language and ethnic culture. 

For instance, the settlement of Anavgai in Kamchatka sports the following song and dance groups: Nurgenek (“Festivity of Dance”) for young people, Oryakan (“Fawns”) for children, Legenda for women. Often, folklore performers become directors of folklore groups (honoured workers of culture of the Russian Federation M.P.Lomovtseva, L.E.Banakanova and others). Preservation, promotion and popularisation of the Even culture and the cultures of other indigenous ethnic groups of Kamchatka are carried out by such ethnocultural centres as Menedek in Bystrinski District, Dorova and Echgat in Penzhinski District; Heket in Severo-Evenski Okrug, Severnoye Siyanie in Omskuchanski Okrug, settlemef ot Tauysk, Olski Okrug, Magadan Oblast; Aitun in Olenegorsk, Indi in Chokurdakh, Allaikhoski District, Garpana in the settlement of Topolinoye, Tomponski District, Ilin in Berezovka, Srednekolymski District and others. (the Sakha Republic (Yakutia)), the Centre for Ethnic Cultures in Khabarovsk Krai (detailed information on the ethnocultural centres can be found at https://ethnocentrs.ru/ ). 

There are a number of Even folklore groups which are well-renowned both in and outside their own regions:  the Nulgur Even ethnic ensemble (Bystrinski District, Kamchatka Krai) which draw upon the traditions of Kamchatka’s indigenous ethnic groups; the Ngerin Even ethnic ensemble from the settlement of Gizhiga, Severo-Evenski Urban Okrug, Magadan Oblast, Nyoltyn Even children’s ensemble and Maranga Even adult ensemble from the settlement of Anyuysk, Chukotka; the Nevtechen dance group and Istoko and Osikat folklore groups from Arka, Okhotski District, Khabarovsk Krai; the Dolguncha Even ethnic folklore ensemble (directed by A.E.Abramova), Merlenke Even folk ensemble (directed by Z.A.Stepanova) from the Sakha Republic (Yakutia). In Yakutia, the work of M.I.Dutkin, the leader of the ethnic centre, guardian and connoisseur of traditional Even culture, as well as of A.E.Traize-Nulgynech (1948-2020), A.I.Khabaroskaya, D.M.Osenina and many other talented people is well-known and well-respected. The directors of folklore ensembles are enthusiasts, connoisseurs of ethnic culture and speakers of the language. There are children’s ethnocultural ensembles in Yakutia: Nogdan in Abyiski Ulus, (led by Sleptsova A.D.), Moryaenka from Kobyayski Ulus (led by Stepanova Z.A.), Asiktasan from Allaikhovski Ulus (led by Dutkin M), Udin from Momski Ulus (led by Bokova E.N. and Sleptsova D.N.), Solinga from Tomponski Ulus (led by Dmitrieva T.P.), Ayanessa from Eveno-Bytantayski Ulus, Nerget from Ust-Yanski Ulus (led by Sleptsova V.P.)