Points of Russia: Exploring the Land of the Tsars

Discovering Russia’s Cultural Diversity Russia, the largest country in the world, is known for its beautiful landscapes and its complicated history. But what is often overlooked is its remarkable cultural diversity. From traditional Russian Orthodox traditions to the folklore of the Tatar, Udmurt, Sami, and other indigenous minorities, there is something to appeal to everyone. Traditional Russian Art and Music Traditional Russian music has a long and varied history, with roots stemming from Byzantine devotional music and the Western European classical style. Russian artists and composers have continued to develop their music into the 21st century, blending elements of Celtic and Finnish music with traditional ethno-music, as well as incorporating elements of jazz and classical music. Russian art is just as diverse and unique. Russian artists draw from various historical and cultural periods, from the Russian Minimalism of Kasimir Malevich, to the Realism of Ilya Repin, and the Symbol...

Exploring the Origins of Russian Folklore Most of us know of Russian folklore – whether it's the classic firebird legend, or Josef Yastrab's animated masterpiece, Nevesta-Vorona – but its true origins are often shrouded in mystery. It's the purpose of this article to discover the forgotten stories and mysteries that form the heart of Russian folklore. There are two primary sources from which Russian folklore comes from: pagan myths and Orthodox Christian beliefs. Both of these religions have strong ties throughout Russian history, and have heavily influenced generations of storytellers over time. The earliest records of Russian folklore date back to the 10th century when the Slavic peoples of eastern Europe began to migrate into the region we now call Russia. Around this time, the myths and legends of the pagan religion were first recorded, living on in times of peace, war, and revolution. After the adoption of Christianity in Russia in the 10th century, many of the pagan ...