Photo: Svetlana PAVLOVA / NEFU Newsroom

On November 10, the international conference dedicated to the cultural heritage of traditional communities, problems of translation and intercultural dialogue was held at North-Eastern Federal University. According to NEFU Vice Rector for International Cooperation Vladlen Kugunurov, culture and languages become important in the period of globalization.

Professor of NEFU Institute of Foreign Philology and Regional Studies Endryu Sotiros Musalimas presented a report on the origins of translation practice in Yakutia - it started with the translation of church books. "In 1852, archbishop Innokenty wrote that the Yakut language prevails in the region - even Amga farmers, many Russians have forgotten the language of their ancestors, and speak the local language. Half a century after archbishop Milenty wrote the same, surprised that the priests, who were born here, the children of the clergy started to speak the local language", the professor said. Church texts contributed to the beginning of intercultural dialogue with other people, he said.

Yan Borm, Vice-Rector for International Relations at the University of Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, told about early perceptions of Europeans about Tungus. "German travelers encountered with Tungus tribes, wrote that they were "French of tundra”. This statement interested me: what do we have in common? As it turned out, they were light-minded, with courageous spirit that reminded them of the representatives of the French people", he said. The professor told about the first mentions of the northern tribes in French literature.

Federal University scientists presented reports on the translation of cultural masterpiece - olonkho, the traditional culture of indigenous peoples of the North, the translation in the history of the Yakut literature. On November 11, discussion will be continued on the section meetings.