News

Totem Necklace Project Launched

14.08.2012

Russian NGO “Foundation for Sustainable Development of Altai” (FSDA) jointly with American NGO “Altai Assistance Project Inc.” (AAP) launched the Totem Necklace Project in June 2012 in the frame of the US-Russia Civil Society Partnership Program (CSPP) funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through Eurasia Foundation. More about the program at http://www.usrussiacivilsociety.org.

Long-term objective: Promotion of sustainable mountain development through summarizing and dissemination of the best practices, experience and knowledge in development of small and medium-size entrepreneurship among indigenous people and local communities of the Mountain West of the USA and Altai in Russia in the following spheres: local art and handicrafts, development of community-based ecotourism and use of renewable energy generating sources for development of local entrepreneurship.

As pilot sites of joint project two places of residence of indigenous Altai people and Indians are chosen: Altai Republic in Russia and, several regions of National park “Yellowstone” in Montana, USA. Both regions are mountainous and similar according to their richness of biological and cultural diversity, presence of rich Protected Areas, and ancient heritage of indigenous cultures.

The main beneficiaries are indigenous/local communities which have preserved careful relationships with animal and plant worlds, and nature. For instance, there is a notion of totemism of animals, plants and sacred lands which are important to the Altaians, the indigenous people of the Altai Republic, e.g. each Altaian clan has its own totem animal and, plant which are forbidden for hunting, and worshiping site is a totem sacred place for them. Similar relationships with plants/animals/lands exist among the Native Americans.

In the frame of the project it is planned two Meetings with elements of arts exhibitions, master-classes and trainings on summarizing and dissemination of the best practices, experience in development of small and medium-size entrepreneurship among indigenous people and local communities in Montana Yellowstone and Altai. This fall there will be two reciprocal study tours of delegations from each country in the United States and Russia to exchange experience and knowledge in three areas, and visiting members of the network in Yellowstone and Altai.

The project will create social networks "Totem Necklace" through the inclusion of new members of the network and the development of joint social projects and development of entrepreneurship in 2013.