A group of 20 monks arrived in Kyzyl from Tibetan Gyudmed monastery, which was founded 600 years ago. The will carry out a cycle of tantric ceremonies here.

It is the largest group of monks of the Yellow religion visiting Tuva. The Dalai-Lama blessed this trip. Two ritual ceremonies will be included in the program on his recommendation: ritual of Goddess Tara and  reading of the names of the Buddha Shakyamuni. In his opinion, they will specifically help the development and flowering of  Republic Tuva.

Yesterday was the opening day of the International Ethnographic Festival-contest "Voices of the Golden Steppe - 2011". About 1000 participants from Russia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan will be performing. Minister of Culture of republic Tatarstan, Alexander Abdeyev sent greetings to the ethnographic forum.

From 7 to 10 October 2011, on the invitation of the Gosduma delegate Larisa Shoigu and with the support of the Foundation for  preservation of cultural and philosophical traditions  of Tibetan Buddhism "Save Tibet ", the famous physician and Buddhist monk Barry Kerzin has been visiting Tuva.

B. Kerzin is an American, who received classical medical education in the USA.  In his own word, he had experienced many sufferings in his life since young age: he had been seriously ill, had been comatose, his mother died and then his young wife… Then he began his path of spiritual search, which took him to Tibet and  turned him to Buddhist philosophy.

Today Tuva lost one of the most vivid representatives of the traditional school of Tuvan khoomei, the owner of inimitable performance mastery of kargyraa style, National khoomeizhi of Republic Tyva, Aldyn-ool Sevek. In the words of musicologist Valentina Suzukei, his manner of throat singing was unique to such an extent that it was unmistakably recognizable, just like Soruktu Kyrgys, Ak-ool Kara-Sal, Maxim Dakpai, Kyzyl-ool Sanchy, Khunashtar-ool Oorzhak, Gennady Tumat and many of our prominent khoomeizhis. He was the only khoomeizhi whose performance so far nobody in the world could copy or imitate, despite all striving.

A huge kurgan wit a diameter of more than 100 meters, where, possibly, the very same people are resting who raised Arzhaan-2  - that is the so-called elite funerary-memorial complex Chinge-Tei I.  South-Siberian archeological expedition headed by Konstantin Vladimirovich Chugunov has been occupied with study of this historical monument already for three years.

This year, 25 scientists have been working on excavations of this monument. So far, only a small proportion of the work has been finished. In three years, a small part on the edge of the kurgan has been dug up, it is still far from the center, and to excavate that, technology has to be brought in.  Financing of the project, performed by the State hermitage is not that large, and the work moves only slowly. However, the scientists are glad: nobody hurries them, and it is possible to study the object in  scrupulous detail.  There is plenty to study. The kurgan is interesting both by its structure and by the finds. Chugunov himself speaks of the results of his studies willingly, even though he does not consider them to be something special.

One of the most vivid representatives of the traditional school of Tuvan khoomei, who is the possessor of  inimitable mastery of performance in the kargyraa style, is the National khoomeizhi of Republic Tyva Aldyn-ool Sevek.

At the State District Art Museum, an exhibition "The World of Nadia Rusheva's graphics" opened on 31 August. The exhibition consists of 68 graphic works from the collection of Aldan Maadyr National Museum of Republic Tyva.

The girl genius did not live a full 17 years (1952-1969). They used to call her "Pushkin in drawing".

"Today I see your look is especially sad, and your arms are so slender, hugging your knees.

Listen: far, far away by Lake Chad, an elegant giraffe is wandering in the breeze."

There, to Africa, to Lake Chad, where Nikolai Gumilev's elegant giraffe is still wandering, is where Elisabeth Gordon wanted to go from Australia - to study musical traditions of Nigeria.

But she ended up on another continent: in Russia, in Tuva, where there are no African drums, but instead there is women's khoomei, the mystery of which bewitched  the young Australian woman.

The first constitution of Republic Tannu-Tuva ulus (Uriangkhai nation), was adopted 90 years ago, on 15 August 1921. This article about that event  is based on archival materials.

The Pan-Tuvan Founders' khural (Congress), which took place from 13 to 16 August 1921 in Sug-Bazhy near Russian village Atamanovka (now Kochetovo), two projects of the Foundation Law, similar in content and intent,  were evaluated. On 14 August 1921, a third project was reviewed, concerning the Constitution of Tannu-Tuva ulus.

The 2^nd International Felt Festival "Patterns of Life", dedicated to the 90^th anniversary of Tuvan People's Republic will take place on 15 August on Arat square.

It will be possible to see and obtain felt products and souvenirs made in various corners of Russia and Mongolia. Master craftsmen from Republic Altai, Bashkortostan, Khakassia, as well as from many aimaks of Mongolia will participate in the festival. There will be an exhibition and sale of yurts, a fair of folk industries products, felt-making workshops by artisans who have preserved traditional methods, and competitions.