I. Ritual
II. Opening Prayers
A blizzard is raging;
Hungry dogs howl.
This is Russia.
Hungry dogs howl.
This is Russia.
When darkness falls,
When at -40 °C people stop smiling,
Start dying,
When hungry dogs roam your city,
It’s no longer time for jokes.
When at -40 °C people stop smiling,
Start dying,
When hungry dogs roam your city,
It’s no longer time for jokes.
Turn to your left — you will see death.
Death is all around:
Death on the road,
Death waits for you in a hallway,
In your own apartment.
Death is all around:
Death on the road,
Death waits for you in a hallway,
In your own apartment.
~a young man in Vladivostok
Russia: perverse nostalgia.
“How do you feel about Stalin?”
Russians say: “Positive.”
“How do you feel about Stalin?”
Russians say: “Positive.”
~a young woman born in St Petersburg, living in Riga
Russia:
Never-ending suspicion.
Milk jugs on platforms along a Latvia farm road,
Russians say: “But everyone can spit in the milk!”
Never-ending suspicion.
Milk jugs on platforms along a Latvia farm road,
Russians say: “But everyone can spit in the milk!”
~an elderly Latvian gentleman in Riga
Russia:
A land of talented people.
Sharp minds,
Individual geniuses
Work separate from one another.
A land of talented people.
Sharp minds,
Individual geniuses
Work separate from one another.
~another young man in Vladivostok
We value less
Our discoveries in science, geography, construction.
Problems swept under the rug.
The people just keep taking it.
Readiness to let it happen.
Our discoveries in science, geography, construction.
Problems swept under the rug.
The people just keep taking it.
Readiness to let it happen.
~a woman of Russian heritage living in Helsinki
Russia:
A country of those free in spirit,
And a country of slaves.
A country of those free in spirit,
And a country of slaves.
~a young man in Vladivostok
III. The Great Litany
Russia:
A huge broken freezer;
Ripe bananas and rotten tomatoes
(Mostly rotten tomatoes).
You were born on the shelf of rotten tomatoes.
An entire life spent trying to get out.
You will not succeed.
A huge broken freezer;
Ripe bananas and rotten tomatoes
(Mostly rotten tomatoes).
You were born on the shelf of rotten tomatoes.
An entire life spent trying to get out.
You will not succeed.
Russia:
A place
Where lost souls go
When they’ve been naughty.
If you killed,
Ate animals and sausage,
In your next life
You’d be born in Russia.
A place
Where lost souls go
When they’ve been naughty.
If you killed,
Ate animals and sausage,
In your next life
You’d be born in Russia.
~a young woman in Vladivostok
Russia: a giant bear sleeps on top of the globe.
Its spirit makes our souls sufferand rebel against suffering.
A spiritual path for those reborn,
they face a test: rebel or remain in utter silence.
Its spirit makes our souls sufferand rebel against suffering.
A spiritual path for those reborn,
they face a test: rebel or remain in utter silence.
~a young man in Vladivostok
Russia:
The fat kid at a birthday party
Who everyone makes fun of.
Gets more and more angry,
Builds dark thoughts and energy
Until he explodes.
The fat kid at a birthday party
Who everyone makes fun of.
Gets more and more angry,
Builds dark thoughts and energy
Until he explodes.
~a young Lithuanian woman in Riga
Russia:
A child of authoritarian parents,
Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union.
The parents met a tragic end:
One murdered, the other committed suicide.
Little orphan Russia
Doesn’t know what to do now.
A child of authoritarian parents,
Imperial Russia and the Soviet Union.
The parents met a tragic end:
One murdered, the other committed suicide.
Little orphan Russia
Doesn’t know what to do now.
Russia:
A patient with broken bones
Treated by several doctors.
Each recommends his own treatment.
The corpse topples back
Toward the Soviet Union.
A patient with broken bones
Treated by several doctors.
Each recommends his own treatment.
The corpse topples back
Toward the Soviet Union.
~a young woman born in St Petersburg, living in Riga
Russia:
A virtuous woman
Who sacrificed everything
For the sake of her children,
Never thinking of herself.
A demanding mother,
Who demands everything from her children,
Making them unhappy
And still dependent.
A virtuous woman
Who sacrificed everything
For the sake of her children,
Never thinking of herself.
A demanding mother,
Who demands everything from her children,
Making them unhappy
And still dependent.
~a woman of Russian heritage living in Helsinki
Russia
Thrust into the future.
No technology
But handed an iPad.
Pretending to be like other civilized countries –
Never really thought of how to become a civilized country.
Thrust into the future.
No technology
But handed an iPad.
Pretending to be like other civilized countries –
Never really thought of how to become a civilized country.
~another woman of Russian heritage living in Helsinki
Russia
Eats its own children.
We don’t know
Who gets swallowed next.
Eats its own children.
We don’t know
Who gets swallowed next.
~a retired lady of Russian heritage, who considers herself a ‘dissident’, living in Helsinki
IV. Kathisma
Russian identity
Ascribed to Russian classics
No longer exists.
Russian identity:
A collection of people
Playing the roles of victims.
Ascribed to Russian classics
No longer exists.
Russian identity:
A collection of people
Playing the roles of victims.
The ineffable Russian soul:
Drama rages;
We are the victim inside a hero;
It prevents us from living, enjoying life,
Respecting ourselves,
Creating around ourselves.
Drama rages;
We are the victim inside a hero;
It prevents us from living, enjoying life,
Respecting ourselves,
Creating around ourselves.
Necrophilia,
Love of death,
Drama, tragedy.
A catharsis that leads to death
Which we love more
Than we love life.
Love of death,
Drama, tragedy.
A catharsis that leads to death
Which we love more
Than we love life.
~another young woman in Vladivostok
On TV they say:
It’s a great country, a great nation.
What’s great about it?
It’s a great country, a great nation.
What’s great about it?
~a 21-year old woman in Vladivostok
The Russian people have never lived free.
The Russian people don’t know how.
They have always had a master.
We demand from the government,
From someone else,
To take responsibility for our life.
The Russian people don’t know how.
They have always had a master.
We demand from the government,
From someone else,
To take responsibility for our life.
~another young woman in Vladivostok
Russia is a country of sufferers
Who believe happiness must be earned.
Suffer to reach happiness at the end.
It’s rare to see a smile
Just because it’s a nice day.
Who believe happiness must be earned.
Suffer to reach happiness at the end.
It’s rare to see a smile
Just because it’s a nice day.
~a 21-year old woman in Vladivostok
Getting out of victimhood
Will take another 500 years.
Will take another 500 years.
~another young woman in Vladivostok
V. Troparion
Russia:
You are the slave of God
“раб божий”.
Moscow must be first
They’ll do anything
To keep this position.
You are the slave of God
“раб божий”.
Moscow must be first
They’ll do anything
To keep this position.
~an elderly Latvian gentleman in Riga
Russia will become
What it has always been:
Wealthy and poor,
Strange and creative,
Full of suffering and happiness.
If it is not yours,
Better to stay away.
What it has always been:
Wealthy and poor,
Strange and creative,
Full of suffering and happiness.
If it is not yours,
Better to stay away.
~a young Russian man, immigrant to Latvia, living in Riga
We believed we had to be patient
And work.
The best was ahead of us.
We were building a country,
The country we wanted to have.
And work.
The best was ahead of us.
We were building a country,
The country we wanted to have.
~an older Russian woman, immigrant to Finland, living in Helsinki
Dictatorship or autocracy
Dictatorship or autocracy.
Forever.
Dictatorship or autocracy.
Forever.
~an elderly Finnish gentleman in Helsinki
Russians:
Half of them ran away
To America and China.
This is not running away;
It’s an informed choice.
Half of them ran away
To America and China.
This is not running away;
It’s an informed choice.
~another young woman in Vladivostok
When I look at emigrants
I treat them with disdain.
I treat them with disdain.
We leave
But the country doesn’t change.
Avoiding the problem,
Not wanting to look at it.
But the country doesn’t change.
Avoiding the problem,
Not wanting to look at it.
~a 21-year old woman in Vladivostok
VI. The Litany of Fervent Supplication
A fine history, a splendid future.
Russia was an empire, now itʼs a mess.
Itʼs a force. Itʼs aggression.
Because of this thereʼs hope for change.
Hope for change, in closed minds.
Hope that people will change without violence.
~ two Latvian women in Riga
VII. A Prayer
Essentially
Weʼre misunderstood because weʼre different.
Weʼre misunderstood because weʼre different.
Essentially
People are frightened of things that are different.
People are frightened of things that are different.
Essentially
Russian culture is being mistreated because itʼs different.
Russian culture is being mistreated because itʼs different.
Essentially
Western people must walk their talk.
Western people must walk their talk.
Essentially
Theyʼre saying what others want to hear.
Theyʼre saying what others want to hear.
Essentially
Iʼm Ellen, by the way
Iʼm Ellen, by the way
~ Ellen, a Russian woman living in Helsinki
It was generous and open-hearted.
Screams, greed, money-grubbing —
It all showed up overnight and
Now it’s everywhere.
Screams, greed, money-grubbing —
It all showed up overnight and
Now it’s everywhere.
~an older Russian woman, immigrant to Finland, living in Helsinki
Russia
Has become more accepting.
Has become more accepting.
~ another young woman in Vladivostok
Wait for an era to pass,
For the shadow of the Soviet Union to pass,
Until Russia will admit its mistakes,
And not fear its accomplishments.
For the shadow of the Soviet Union to pass,
Until Russia will admit its mistakes,
And not fear its accomplishments.
I want to live in a happy society,
Where there’s space for thoughts,
Where you won’t get your hands tied
And your mouth stuffed shut,
For going to a demonstration.
Where there’s space for thoughts,
Where you won’t get your hands tied
And your mouth stuffed shut,
For going to a demonstration.
~a 21-year old woman in Vladivostok
Es gibt eine sehr geringe Diskussionskultur
Findet die hinter verschlossenen Türen statt,
Und muss mit Waffengewalt verteidigt werden.
Findet die hinter verschlossenen Türen statt,
Und muss mit Waffengewalt verteidigt werden.
The culture of discussion is small;
It only happens behind closed doors
And must be defended by force of arms.
It only happens behind closed doors
And must be defended by force of arms.
~Frederike, a young German girl of Baltic German heritage, visiting Riga
Ihmisilló Venójólló ei oo sananvapautta
Asiat menevót yhden totuuden mukaan
Haluan, ettó on tilaa useammalle totuudelle.
Asiat menevót yhden totuuden mukaan
Haluan, ettó on tilaa useammalle totuudelle.
People don’t have freedom of speech.
Things according to a single truth.
I want there to be room for multiple truths.
Things according to a single truth.
I want there to be room for multiple truths.
~ A middle-aged businessman in Helsinki
Russia is a danger, mostly to itself.
I hope there will be no war.
I hope there will be no war.
~ two Latvian women in Riga
People will get poorer,
More bitter.
Tough to survive.
I hope I live long enough
To see my country become great again.
More bitter.
Tough to survive.
I hope I live long enough
To see my country become great again.
~an older Russian woman, immigrant to Finland, living in Helsinki
VIII. Eternal Memory
Russia:
A fine history.
A fine history.
All beautiful and great
Until the revolution.
Until the revolution.
~women of Russian heritage living in Riga and Helsinki
Russia
Is the most awesome country.
Maybe because I’ve gotten used to it.
Is the most awesome country.
Maybe because I’ve gotten used to it.
What was Russia like before?
What it was before, it is now.
What it was before, it is now.
What will it be like?
Just as good!
Just as good!
Unless someone breaks it up again.
Has someone broken it up before?
Has someone broken it up before?
Yes. Before we had Belarus, Ukraine. Yes.
It used to be one country.
It used to be one country.
Then some guy came –
Yeltsin, I think –
and broke everything up.
Yeltsin, I think –
and broke everything up.
Russia is the most awesome country.
Maybe because I’ve gotten used to it.
Maybe because I’ve gotten used to it.
Maybe because I’ve gotten used to it.
Maybe because I’ve gotten used to it.
Maybe because I’ve gotten used to it.
Maybe because I’ve gotten used to it.
~a young girl and a young woman both living in Vladivostok
We are Russians. God is with us.
We are Russians. God is with us.
We are Russians. God is with us.
We are Russians. God is with us.
We are Russians. God is with us.
~another young man in Vladivostok
