Dulzon Readings: Anniversary of the Researcher of Siberian Indigenous Languages and Cultures

The Tomsk State Pedagogical University has concluded the 31st International Scientific Conference «Dulzon Readings», dedicated to the 125th anniversary of Dr. Andrey Petrovich Dulzon — a distinguished linguist, ethnographer, archaeologist, and researcher of the languages and cultures of Siberia’s Indigenous people. The event brought together researchers fr om Moscow, Volgograd, Voronezh, Elista, Tomsk, Novosibirsk, Gorno-Altaysk, Ulan-Ude, Krasnoyarsk, Surgut, Khanty-Mansiysk, Yakutsk, and other Russian cities, as well as scholars from Kyrgyzstan, Kenya, and Tanzania. Special guests included representatives of Indigenous communities from Tomsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai.

The conference opened with a session, headed by Anna Bogdanova, Director of the Institute of Foreign Languages and International Cooperation at the TSPU and Candidate of Philological Sciences. In her welcoming remarks, she emphasized the importance of the conference in connection with Dulzon’s anniversary and highlighted his lasting contribution to the study of Northern Indigenous peoples.

«This year marks the 125th anniversary of Andrey Petrovich’s birth. He was the founder of the School of Field Linguistics, which made an invaluable contribution to documenting and preserving the languages and cultures of Siberia’s Indigenous peoples. He began the large-scale linguistic documentation of these languages, and today his legacy is carried on by the Department of Indigenous Languages of Siberia at the Institute of Foreign Languages and International Cooperation», — said Anna Bogdanova.

Alexander Geyer, Director of the Tomsk Regional Russian-German House, also emphasized Andrey Dulzon’s immense contribution to science, a legacy that continues to live through the annual Dulzon Readings.

«Andrey Petrovich left behind a magnificent scientific legacy. His work lives on, and today’s conference is clear evidence of that. I hope that today there will be plenty of insightful presentations and engaging discussions».

Vadim Stepanov, Director of the Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences and Academician of the RAS, highlighted the interdisciplinary nature of the conference, which included presentations on recent genetic research.

«This conference, undoubtedly, has an interdisciplinary nature — it brings together linguistics, anthropology, ethnography, cultural studies, and, which I am especially pleased to see, genetics, — said Vadim Stepanov. — Andrey Petrovich was one of the first scholars of his time to recognize the power and necessity of an interdisciplinary approach».

The participants were also greeted by Omar Kinyua Hassan, Director of the Kenyan Institute of Foreign Languages and Professional Studies (Nairobi, Republic of Kenya). He emphasized the importance of preserving and studying endangered languages and cultures, noting that this effort helps strengthen scientific and educational dialogue between Russia and Africa.

«The issues of documenting, preserving, and developing endangered languages were brought up at your university by Professor Andrey Dulzon. This work is significant both locally and globally. The scope of research within Dulzon’s school continues to play a vital role in fostering academic and educational collaboration between Russia and Africa», — said Omar Kinyua Hassan.

Her presentation focused on the breakthrough achievements of A.P. Dulzon in the field of Yeniseian linguistics, which resulted in Russia’s first comprehensive descriptions of the Ket and Yugh languages. Kryukova highlighted three major aspects of Dulzon’s contribution to science:

The first aspect was his extensive collection of linguistic materials. Dulzon managed to gather all available data on the Yeniseian languages — materials that are now preserved in the archives of the Department of Indigenous Languages of Siberia.

The second aspect was his prolific scientific publications, including works on the description of Yeniseian languages and folklore texts in Ket and Yugh. Over his career, Dulzon published more than 160 studies, among them the landmark monograph «The Ket Language» (1968), for which he received the National Award in 1971.

The third aspect was his dedication to training new generations of scholars. Four generations of his students and followers continue his work today — some of whom are now employed at the Tomsk State Pedagogical University.

E. Kryukova also highlighted the importance of the work carried out by university researchers who have collected and systematized materials on the life and legacy of Professor A.P. Dulzon. Among these contributions is the monograph «The Tomsk Linguistic School of A.P. Dulzon» by Tatyana Valkina Galkina, Candidate of Historical Sciences and Associate Professor at the Department of World History, Faculty of History and Philology. Another invaluable resource is the photo and document archive compiled by his student, Dr. Olga Osipova, Doctor of Philological Sciences. This archive is now preserved in the Department of Indigenous Languages of Siberia.

Over the course of three days, linguists, archaeologists, ethnographers, and anthropologists presented the results of their research on the languages and cultures of the Indigenous peoples of Siberia and the North.

With the participation of representatives of Indigenous communities from Tomsk Oblast and Krasnoyarsk Krai, the conference featured an exhibition of national arts and crafts. Additionally, a roundtable discussion titled «Russia and Africa: Linguistic and Cultural Aspects of Educational Dialogue» was held, wh ere participants discussed the outcomes of research grants and the activities of the Center for Open Education in Nairobi (Republic of Kenya) — an initiative established with the support of the Ministry of Education of the Russian Federation and the My History Foundation.

Participants were introduced to handcrafted cotton toy sets «Ket and Ketka» and «Selkup and Selkupka». The concept and design of these collections — which reflect the distinctive features of traditional national dress and craftsmanship — were developed by the Center for Museum Pedagogy of the Department of Strategic Communications and Information Policy at the Tomsk State Pedagogical University.

The international conference concluded with the ceremonial opening of a memorial plaque dedicated to Andrey Petrovich Dulzon. Funding for the plaque was raised through donations fr om university staff, scholars specializing in the languages and cultures of Siberia’s Indigenous peoples, family members of Dulzon, and representatives of public organizations in Tomsk and Tomsk Oblast.

«I belong to the generation that worked alongside him [A.P. Dulzon] in the same era. He was an outstanding person. This memorial plaque is not only a tribute to a great scholar, but also a symbol of our country — the country wh ere we studied and became scientists», — said Nikolay Kirillov, Member of the Committee on Labor and Social Policy of the Legislative Duma of Tomsk Oblast, Chair of the Standing Commission on Education, Science, and Culture, and Doctor of Philosophy.

«A heartfelt thank-you to everyone who contributed to the installation of the memorial plaque. It stands as proof that many people know and remember Andrey Petrovich. This plaque is both an expression of gratitude and a way to cultivate respect for the historical and scientific heritage of our university — and of the country as a whole», — concluded Alexandra Kim, Doctor of Philological Sciences and Professor at the Institute of Foreign Languages and International Cooperation.

Reference:

The conference was organized by the Institute of Foreign Languages and International Cooperation, the Museum of Nature and Man (Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug–Yugra), the Tomsk Regional Russian-German House, and the Kenyan Institute of Foreign Languages and Professional Studies (Nairobi, Republic of Kenya).

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