Letter from Dena Fisher January 2003
My name is Dena Fisher and I am a British volunteer here at Kitezh. My viewpoint and my impressions are those of a foreign guest, but in the 7 weeks that I have been here, I have participated in many aspects of Kitezhan life and I hope, therefore, that my words give an accurate account of this very special community at this very special time of year.
It is difficult to write about ‘Christmas in Kitezh’ without first setting the climatic scene. I awoke on my first day in Kitezh to be greeted by a stunningly beautiful December morning: The freshly fallen snow was sparkling in the rays of a brave winter sun, a sun which was hanging low but shining brightly in the clear blue sky. The branches of the trees creaked and groaned under the weight of their heavy white burden, and cast shadows on the on the glittering ground below. The houses stood proudly with their snow-clad roofs and smoking chimneys. To me, their walls looked not like wood but like gingerbread. In effect, the scene before my eyes betrayed the images of bleak Russian winters I had previously imagined, and instead brought to life pictures from a Fairy Tale book! The bitter cold was, however, the price to be paid for the blue skies, and served to remind me that this wasn’t a Fairy Tale but a reality – a very cold reality!During the last few weeks of December, and my first few weeks in Kitezh, the weather remained cold but beautiful. An occasional rise in temperature would allow for more snow to fall, and then the blue skies would return. It is a commonly known fact that the best way to combat the cold is to keep moving - Well, in Kitezh, that’s not a difficult thing to do! My arrival coincided with the last few weeks of the school term and the preparations for the New Year Celebrations. Therefore, in addition to the daily routine of lessons, homework, outdoor activities and household chores came play rehearsals and dance lessons.
Under Marina’s tireless supervision, the children from the 6th to the 10th class were preparing a performance of “Jesus Christ – Superstar”. I was made assistant director of “My Fair Lady” and was set to work straight away with my my actors from the 11th class. Our performance is due to take place in February, but certain scenes had been selected for a New Year’s Eve preview. A small number of inspired adults had, themselves, decided to add to the evening’s festivities by preparing a surprise performance of comedy sketches, and somehow thought it fit to involve the unwitting foreign guest! Our task of writing and rehearsing the scenes was further complicated by the desire to keep the proceedings a secret in this, a very closely-knit community, where secrets can never be kept for long! No time for standing still, indeed!
25th December – My first white Christmas! However, it was ‘business as usual’ in Kitezh due to the fact that the Russian Orthodox calendar places Christmas on the 7th January. My 5th class pupils were somewhat bemused when I wished them a ‘Merry Christmas’ and made them draw Christmas trees and puddings in their copy books. They humored me but I don’t actually think they believed my explanation! It didn’t really feel like Christmas anyway. I was glad to be away from the awful festive hype that had already seemed endless by the time I left Britain, and I knew that a religious ceremony would mark the same occasion in January, so there was certainly no need to make a fuss. A phone call to my family at home was better than any amount of presents could have been... However, the evening did allow me to replace the traditional sherry with that of a glass of Vodka as we celebrated the birthday of Sergei Khlopinov. So there was laughter and merriment after all!
The holidays began in the Banya! What better way to relax than a long steam followed by a long sleep? Last minute preparations and rehearsals were completed in eager anticipation of the forthcoming celebration. Then, on New Year’s Eve, we swapped our moon boots for polished shoes and removed our heavy coats to reveal shirts and ties and glitter and sparkle! The temperature outside was -20 but the atmosphere in the beautifully decorated dining room was much, much warmer. We sat down to tables laden with tasty pickled vegetables and fish salads before raising our glasses to Kitezh and to the coming year. Our feast continued with roast pork and potatoes and then, to the children’s delight, came chocolates and lovely sweet mandarins.
The meal was delicious, but for me, the real treats of the evening were to be found not on the tables, but in front of them – during the various performances and musical interludes. The first part of the evening’s entertainment was provided by the actors and singers of “Jesus Christ – Superstar”. Andrei and Vasya (7th class) excelled in the roles of Jesus and Judas. Andrei’s big blue eyes seemed to portray the whole specter of emotions felt by Jesus in his final few days, and Vasya’s dramatic performance certainly highlighted Judas’ turmoil. Mary Magdalene was played by Valya (9th class) whose singing was faultless. Such talent! Yegor (last year’s Jesus) made a guest performance as the troubled Pontius Pilate and gave extra meaning to the line ”You look so small, not a king at all”!! It was absolutely brilliant. Alone, the music is very powerful, but it was undoubtedly the children’s performance which brought tears to many of the spectators’ eyes.
Midnight arrived and so did Father Christmas! There were smiles all round as each child was presented with his or her gift. Then, the evening’s entertainment continued with the adult’s surprise performance – and what a performance it was! Mummies wrapped in toilet paper, outrageous waltzes and a comical japanese family transformed smiles into outright laughter! It was genuinely very funny and the participants enjoyed it as much as the spectators, so we were relieved to see that our late night rehearsals had been worthwhile. No doubt, we were a hard act to follow, but the actors of “My Fair Lady” did a great job! Masha (Pichugina) played the difficult role of Eliza, accompanied by Stas, Yegor and Sasha (Surchanian). Transforming a Russian accent into that of a cockney flower girl or a respectable English Gentleman is no easy task, but the young actors managed incredibly well and really brought the roles to life! We are all looking forward to the next, more lengthy performance.
Guitar playing and dance routines completed the evening’s show, so then we turned out the lights and made room for the disco! Everyone left their seats to join the dance floor and some didn’t stop dancing until 5am! What a night!! It was not like any New Year’s party I have ever been to before, but I’m sure I will always consider it to be one of the most memorable...
The rest of the holidays remained bitterly cold but just as busy: Various people left for short periods to visit family or friends in Moscow and elsewhere, whilst those who remained took part in games and activities and the necessary everyday chores. The winter months represent constant effort to keep the houses warm, and the men have the unenviable task of keeping the fires burning. Wood is chopped and coal is carried, numerous times throughout the day and night. The simple technology which pumps heated water around pipes and radiators is remarkably effective, the houses are cosy, but the work is tough.
We celebrated Christmas with a ceremony in Kitezh’s beautiful chapel. I didn’t understand the words but, being amongst the Icons and the candles, it was easy to feel the holiness of the occasion. We then had a meal in the dining room with another small performance before retreating to our houses to continue the celebrations.
During the following days, everyone returned to Kitezh. The children marked the end of the holidays with another disco and we all made our preparations for the beginning of the new school term. That term is now well and truly underway and we are back to our ‘normal’ routine. There has recently been a new addition to Kitezh – another volunteer – Anne, from Norway. She is helping me with the English lessons and adjusting quickly to Kitezhean life. I would like to say that her welcome was a warm one, but the on day of her arrival we had cut through the ice on the lake in order to plunge into the very cold water... and plunge, we did! According to Russian tradition, and with reference to John the Baptist, all water is holy on the day of January. Luckily, the night was quite warm (-1 or -2) which meant that our exhilarating experience was possible, without being at all detrimental to our health. What a great day to arrive!! The next arrival will be that of Andrei and Irina Stepanov’s baby, due at the end of February. It’s an exciting time...
Well, I think this should bring you up to date with most of our news. I hope that those of you who have spent time here in Kitezh will enjoy this account of the past few weeks, and that my words are also adequate for those who have not yet visited the community. My impressions, emotions and ideas change from day to day, but the past few weeks here have provided me with some unforgettable experiences and many very fond memories, some of which are written in these pages. I have yet to see Kitezh in the summer, but I can assure you that the winter has been a good one !!
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