From red choums to innovations. How culture of Yamal changed

This year in Yamal is rich in memorable dates: the 75thanniversary of Great Victory and the 90th anniversary since the day formation of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug.

On the 15th of June of 1945 the division of cultural and enlightenment work was established under the executive committee of the regional council. Today its role is played by the regional department of culture.

Then, 75 years ago, 64 institutions - village libraries and reading-rooms, red choums and a museum, clubs and houses of culture of peoples of the North, a lecture bureau - became centers of enlightenment and education.

According to the document - Protocol No. 12 of the sitting of the executive committee of Yamal-Nenets regional council of worker’s deputies on the 15th of June of 1945 being stored in the State archive of Yamal, the following establishments were set under the jurisdiction of the division of cultural and enlightenment work – the Museum of local lore in Salekhard, the town library in Salekhard, the children’s library in Salekhard, the Regional lecture bureau, 10 public libraries, 31 village reading-rooms, 8 houses of peoples of the North and 11 red choums. Anna Davydova worked as the head of the regional division, and the personnel consisted of three people. 22 thousand rubles, 18 thousand of which - for wages, were allocated for needs of the division.

Now there are 214 institutions in Yamal, what is 3 times more than in the middle of the last century. Among them there are modern cultural institutions and libraries, innovative and original museums, comfortable children’s schools of art, as well as unusual parks of culture and recreation. At the same time, culture as the basis for harmonious development of the society still remains the priority for the state. Without culture it is impossible to build a strong country and a highly spiritual nation today. This was understood both then and now, already in the 21st century.

(The note: a red choum is a nomadic cultural institution that existed in the USSR in the Far North; elimination of illiteracy was its main function).