Crafts and trades of the Old Believers of Estonia

The authors of the book are Pavel Varunin, Chairman of the Council of the Union of Old Believers Communities and the Society for the Culture and Development of Old Believers in Estonia, and Marina Kuvaitseva, researcher-folklorist of the Narva Museum.
Much has changed since the first settlers began to inhabit the shores of Peipus Lake. Some crafts and activities have disappeared or changed, some have become simpler and not so difficult. Many of the old crafts still exist.
From the book you can find out which crafts and trades were important for all Old Believers in Estonia, and which could be taken only by those people who had a calling and talent. The book will introduce the tools needed in each craft, and the ways in which people achieved success in it. It will be interesting to learn about the local, Old Believers’, names for activities and tools, as well as to guess the riddles that accompany all sections of the book.
The publication is vividly illustrated by Pavel Grigorievich Varunin, who used the traditions of a handwritten and old-printed Old Believer book and lubok, cheap popular print.
Table of Contents: Fisherman. Gardener. Bricklayer. Сarpenter. Stove-maker. Small dealer. Blacksmith. Shepherd. Dyer of Fabrics. Tailor. Embroideress. Icon painter.
The book is intended for children, so a coloring book is publicated in pair with it. But also adults will find this edition no less interesting.
Tartu, 2019. 52 lk.

Spiritual Poems and Favourite Songs of Old Belivers of Estonia

Compiler of this songs’ collection is Marina Kuvaitseva, the researcher-folklorist of the Narva Museum. This is the second Estonian publication of folk songs that have been recorded with Old Believers of Prichudye during folkloric-ethnographical expeditions in 2008–2010. The collection includes spiritual poems, children’s song, soldier’s song, round dances’ songs, ballads and romances.
The musical notation, decoding of lyrics and computer editing is made by M. Kuvaitseva.
The design of the song-book in the style of cheap popular print, aka “lubok” was made by Pavel Varunin, the Chair of the Council of the Union of Old Believers’ Communities in Estonia, the Chair of the Cultural Association of the Estonian Old Believers.
Spiritual poems from Tiheda, Varnja and Kallaste were recorded by Marina Kuvaitseva together with Nadežda Moskaljova who is the member of the folk ensemble “Supryadki”. Poems from Raja village were recorded by Olga Rovnova, the dialectologist and the senior researcher of the V.V. Vinogradov Russian Language Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (Moscow) in 2004. “Kryuki recordings” (hooks) for poems were made by confessor Vladimir Shamarin – the leader of Nevskaya Old Believers pomorian community in St. Petersburg.

Narva, 2012. 120 lk.

Calendar folk games

The author of the book – Marina Kuvaitseva, the researcher-folklorist of the Narva Museum, set as the purpose to show a resemblance of Estonian and Russian cultures through folk game. Games which are presented in the book have practically identical rules and quite often also have similar names. The association of games with ceremonial holidays or a season of their conducting coincides also.

There 28 pairs of games are presented, 10 of them – round dances’ games (with notated musical refrains), the others 18 pairs – for growth of strength, dexterity and balance. Each pair of games is accompanied by the colourful drawings made by Pavel Grigoryevich Varunin.

The book doesn’t claim to be the full list of identical games in two cultures. The simplest and understandable games which don’t demand specific skills and any stock, except the simplest, were chosen for this edition. It is possible to play them with children, since five-year age, without special preliminary preparation.

Narva, 2012. 80 lk.

Zastolitsa. Cuisine of Old Believers of Estonia

Tartu, 2010. 320 lk.

Calendar 2010

Narva, 2009 PDF

Favourite Songs of Old Believers of Kallaste

Narva, 2008. 78 lk. PDF