Materials on Mongolic Visual Anthropology: A Cinematic Chronicle by August Kern Reviewed
Introduction. In 1923, Swiss filmmaker August Kern took motion pictures of Kalmyk settlements. Those were further used to compile an ethnographic film titled ‘Mysteries of Kalmyk Steppe. Glimpses of Kalmyk and Tatar Lifestyles’ (Fr . Les mystères de la steppe kalmouk. La vie des Tartars et des Kalmouks). Only one part of the film survived to the present but it does provide an extensive insight into the then life of Kalmyks. The newsreel depicts a short period, supposedly late spring to early summer, while one subtitle mentions Kern was able to film ‘an important religious feast of Kalmyks’. Goals. The articles attempts an analysis of ethnographic materials contained in A. Kern’s newsreel. The film is a unique and only early 20th century cinematographic document that shows religious rites, sporting events, and Kalmyk dance culture during festivities. Materials and methods. The work examines one variant of the cinematic chronicle archived at Kalmyk Scientific Center (RAS) and containing religious scenery. Results. Key elements of the storyline - clockwise circumambulation of sacred entities, respects to banners, recitations of holy texts in Tibetan - can still be witnessed in Kalmyk religious practices. However, the depicted clothing patterns of Kalmyk clerics are gone and replaced by unified monastic robes typical for all sects of Tibetan Buddhism. Nowadays only a small share of Kalmyk priests wear traditional garments, even the latter usually styled after Mongolian patterns. Conclusions. The analysis concludes the mentioned changes have resulted from interrupted religious and cultural traditions during antireligious struggle witnessed by 20th century Russia. Meanwhile, Kern’s materials attest to that 1920s Kalmyks - though separated from the rest of Mongol world - were successful enough in retaining their traditional culture.