Darwin
Museum continues to explore the topic of fishing with a new photo-exhibition.
It is dedicated to the unsurpassed experts in this industry – native people of
the Russian Far North living on the White Sea coast and the Russian Far East.
We invite
you to find out how and what fish they catch, why native peoples of the Amur and
Sakhalin regions were called “fishskins”? Rare retro photographs from the
museums of Arkhangelsk, Khabarovsk and Komsomolsk-on-Amur will unravel all
secrets.
For the
first time the Darwin Museum will demonstrate a unique series of watercolors of
fish from the Far East by artist I. D. Lyubimov, who was drawing fish right
away after it was caught, as later it could change its colour and loose the
natural beauty. You will also be lucky to find at the exhibition special
recipes for cooking fish in "Nanai-style." (The Nanai people are a
Tungusic people of the Russian Far East).
Beautiful
retro photos will show you the amusing world of fishermen: the processes of
fishing and storing fish, fish “leather” working and the most exciting - inhabitants
of these places in traditional clothes.
Due to the specific
climate of the Russian Far North native peoples inhabiting it have a long
history of catching fish and creating various ways of using it. Fish has always
been the main component of their diet, they also used fish skins to make
clothes, shoes and household items. Many people of this region were considered
to be unrivaled experts in the field of ichthyofauna – knowing a lot about the
habitats and migration routes of fish.
You will as
well see photos of the brave sailors, the Pomors, who conquered the White Sea. With
the opening of navigation, they rushed to the Barents Sea, where they could catch
cod, saithe, haddock, halibut. While herring, saffron cod, plaice could be
caught in the White Sea, and salmon - in the rivers nearby.
Laying
fish in barrels. Late 19 - early 20 centuries. Arkhangelsk. Arkhangelsk
Regional Lore Museum
A woman
from the White sea coast. Late 19 - early 20 centuries. Arkhangelsk Regional
Lore Museum
Fishermen.
1890s Photo by D.P. Petrov. Arkhangelsk Regional Lore Museum
Nanai
costume, presented to the Tsesarevich in 1891. Photo by E. Nino. Khabarovsk
Regional Museum n.a. N.I.Grodekov
Belgo
village. Drying nets. 1960s, anonymous author. City Museum of Local Lore,
Komsomolsk-on-Amur
Summer
preparations for storing fish. Author unknown. City Museum of Local Lore,
Komsomolsk-on-Amur