Sakhalin Indigenous Reindeer Breeders Celebrate Kuray Holiday

YUZHNO-SAKHALINSK. September 2. VOSTOK-MEDIA – Sakhalin indigenous reindeer breeders too have their professional holiday. The “Kuray” holiday took its name from an ancient rite. From times immemorial Ujlta, an indigenous people of the North Sakhalin, gathered their reindeer and herded them into a corral, a reindeer-fenced area, to count their heads. To exorcise malign forces and spirits and propitiate good ones the reindeer breeders celebrated a holiday. As a matter of fact, the word “kuray” means “corral”.

The organizers of the holiday told Vostok-Media news agency that this year the holiday was held at the Kharkuta river, near Val village, Nogliksky Region. This is the key residential location of the lowest numbered native minority on Sakhalin – Ujlta.

Taking into account the ancient traditions, the programme of the holiday featured sports events, ethnic cuisine contest, performances of folk ensembles and exhibition of crafts pieces made by Ujlta craftsmen. Ekaterina Koroleva, Head of the Department for Indigenous Affairs of the Sakhalin Administration, congratulated the reindeer breeders, bid them Good Luck and stated that they perform a very useful and unique work by conserving the traditional Ujltain way of life and developing reindeer breeding.

The holiday was held with financial support from Sakhalin Energy and Exxon Neftegaz Limited.