Holiday-rite “Feeding the Master spirit of the sea”

On June 25, 2022, on the shore of the Gulf of Patience in Poronaysk, an Intermunicipal holiday ceremony “Feeding the Master Spirit of the Sea” was held with the support of the Government of the Sakhalin Region, the Administration of the Poronai City District, the Sakhalin – 1 International Consortium, its company Exxon Neftegaz Limited, a local Public Organization of Indigenous Peoples of the North of Poronaysk, Council of ancestral farms, communities and national enterprises of the city of Poronaysk.
Representatives of the indigenous small–numbered peoples of the North of the Poronai district annually, for thirty years, have been carrying out the rite of “Feeding the Master Spirit of the Sea”. Since ancient times, the northern peoples believed that if they did not appease the owner of the sea before the main way of the year, he would get angry and would not give fish. In order for the big fishing to be successful, the elders present specially prepared food to the spirit.
A delicacy from each ancestral farm and community was placed in a wooden bowl — the best dishes from berries, mushrooms, meat. The main thing is not to put the fish by mistake. The spirit of the sea, having accepted such a gift, could think that a person does not need fish, and Putin will be unsuccessful.
Traditionally, the ceremony is conducted by a man — the head of a clan, tribe, family. Women give parting words and prepare treats. And representatives of the stronger half send dishes to the sea element. The rest of the sea menu goes to the spirit of the forest and the spirit of fire. The elders ask the owner of the taiga for strength and health, and the smoke from the fire, according to legend, drives away evil spirits. After performing the ceremony, its participants return to the campfire. The passage through the sacred gate is accompanied by the sound of tambourines and musical logs – tyatich chharsh.
Over time, the family tradition of feeding the spirit of the sea has grown into a mass event of the regional level with a rich cultural program.
This year, more than 2000 people have become participants of the holiday ceremony. These are residents of the Poronai city district and representatives of six municipalities of the Sakhalin region: Okhinsky city district, Nogliksky city district, Alexandrovsk-Sakhalin City District, Tymovsky city district, Smirnykhovsky city district, Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk.
Seven teams, announced from the ancestral farms of the traditional residence of the above-mentioned areas, took part in sports competitions of national sports: archery, deer fishing with the help of maute, national wrestling. As part of the competitions, contests were held on slicing yukola and cooking dishes of national cuisine, after which everyone could taste dishes of national cuisines of the northern peoples. Also, a competition of dwellings was traditionally held, which the participants made in the national color.
The exhibition of decorative and applied art presented the works of artisans, representatives of tribal communities: fur clothes, paintings made of fish skin, dishes made of birch bark, jewelry made of beads in ethnic style. Guests of the event could purchase a souvenir of their favorite product.
The concert program this year included dance numbers of the people’s national ensemble “Mangume Ilga” (Silver patterns) of Poronaysk and guests of the festival of the people’s national choreographic ensemble “Ari la myth” (Land of the North Wind) of the village. Nogliki.