Tuva or bust

Tannu Tuva, pensaments i anècdotes sense ordre - segona part.

Al segle 19 un anglès excèntric de qui ningú sap el nom, va decidir viatjar fins al centre de cada continent per construir-n’hi un petit monument. Ell va calcular (amb algun petit error, ara sabem) que el centre de Asia estava a Tivà (nom actual de Tannu Tuva).
Referent a la seva historia, originalment un poble escites (s’han trobat autèntiques “joies” arqueològiques d’aquest període), la regió de Tivà estava controlada pels Mongols des del 1207 fins al 1757, i llavors va passar a formar part del Imperi Xines fins l’any 1911. Durant la següent dècada turbulenta, va passar diferents períodes de temps baix el control dels russos “blancs”, dels russos “rojos”, de la Xina, i fins i tot van estar independents, fins que a l’any 1921, amb els Bolxeviks al poder, van declarar la República Popular de Tannu Tuva, donant el nom Kyzyl (literalment, vermell) al seu capital.

Però, quan Tannu Tuva va mirar cap a Mongolia i el Budisme, els russos van instigar un cop d’estat per tenir un líder pro-rus a la dècada dels 30, i finalment a l’any 1944 el parlament de Tannu Tuva va “demanar” formar part de la URSS, on es quedaria fins la dècada dels 90 i el final del Unió Soviètic. Ara forma part de la Federació Russa.

La clima és continental, i pot variar enter els 40 graus baix zero fins 40 graus positiu!
La meitat del país esta format per muntanyes, el més alt sent el Mongun-Tajga a 3.976m.
Esports – els agraden els cavalls, el tir amb arc, la lluita lliure ...
La bandera actual està formada per tres colors, groc que representa la prosperitat, blau per coratge i força, i blanc per la puresa.

El cantant de blues Paul Pena va viatjar allí per a gravar el documental Ghengis Blues, el qual ha ajudat a donar a conèixer la música de Tivà, per exemple el cantant Kongar-ool Ondar, qui ha fet moltes gires pels paisos de l’occident.
A l’actualitat si volem sentir alguna cosa, els Alash Ensemble estan de gir pels EEUU fins el mes de maig.

A molts de col·leccionistes de segells, els intrigaven els segells i els seus dibuixos dramàtics publicats a Tannu Tuva als anys 1930. El físic Richard Feynman havia tingut aquests segells quan era un nen, i va preguntar al seu amic Ralph Leighton a l’any 1977 si sabia que havia passat amb aquell país que per llavors havia desaparegut dels mapes .... aquella pregunta els va posar Tannu Tuva dins de les seves vides, i van passar anys i anys buscant informació (pre-Google) i intentant fer un viatge. Aquest interès, o potser obsessió, és el que ha ajudat, en gran part, donar a conèixer aquest país i la seva cultura – cosa que es intenta continuar fent des del grup informal, Friends of Tuva. Fem click.

Tannu Tuva, random information and anecdotes – part two.
In the 19th century and eccentric Englishman decided to search for the centre of each continent and erect monuments in the relevant locations. He worked out that the centre of Asia was in Tannu Tuva (with a slight error as we now know).
Back to Tuvan history, but with more dates. This region was originally Scythian as can be seen through magnificent archaeological finds. From 1207 to 1757 it formed part of the Mongolian Empire, before being taken over by China. It remained in Chinese hands till 1911. The following decade was a very turbulent one politically speaking and Tannu Tuva would spend periods of time under the control of the White Russians, the Red Russians, the Chinese, and even existed as an independent country. When the Bolsheviks came to power in 1921 they declared it to be an independent country, the People’s Republic of Tannu Tuva, naming the capital city as Kyzyl (literally, red).
However, when Tannu Tuva looked for political and spiritual support from Mongolia and Buddhism, the Russians encouraged a coup to install a pro-Russian government. Finally in 1944 the Tuvan parliament officially “requested” to join the URSS. It remained here until the Soviet Union broke up and now it forms part of the Russian Federation and is known as the Tyva Republic, or simply Tuva.

Continental climate with temperatures varying between 40 degrees Centigrade, and minus 40!
Half of the country is extremely mountainous, with Mongun-Tajga being the highest peak at 3,976m.
Sport-wise. Tuvans enjoy horse sports, archery, and wrestling ...
The current flag is made up of three colours – yellow for prosperity, blue for courage and strength, and white for purity.

The late blues singer Paul Pena travelled there to record the excellent documentary Ghengis Blues, which has helped to make Tuvan music world-famous. One of the most popular singers who featured in the film is Kongar-ool Ondar, who has toured extensively in the West.
If you want to catch some Tuvan singing, the Alash Ensemble are currently on tour in the USA.

Many stamp collectors were, and are, fascinated by the stamps printed in Tannu Tuva during its brief independence in the 1930s. The design and illustrations are very impressive and unusual. The physicist Richard Feynman collected these stamps as a child, and in 1977 he asked his friend Ralph Leighton if he knew what had happened to Tannu Tuva as it no longer appeared on any maps .... this simple question led the two friends on a life-long adventure, or obsession, to find out all they could about this country (this was before Google!) and even attempt, unsuccessfully, to travel there. Thanks to them and their interest and efforts, Tuva and its culture have become much more well-known in the West, a knowledge-spreading task still being carried out today by the informal group Friends of Tuva. Click here.

And, why not some music?

Paul Pena and Kongar ool Ondar

A bit more Kongar



And the Alash Ensemble. Party all night!!