Where?
WHERE is TUVA? It...
...is said to be the geographical centre of Asia. It is surrounded by mountains, the "Sayani" at the North the "Tannu Ola" at the South and the "Altai" at the west (the highest in all Siberia). There are lots of fast icy cold rivers that flow into the valleys that then flow into 3 of the main rivers - Kaa-Khem, Bi-Khem and Khemchik. "Khem" means river and together they make up the "Ulug Khem" or Great River (knows in Russian as "Yenisei"). Around these rivers are lovely woods and beyond that the steppe where animals like cows are very happy.
Tuva is about - 51º N + 94º E ( as north as Britain and as east as Bangladesh). Look for the river YENISEI at the arctic ocean and follow it back up to the headwaters. That is Tuva.
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The history of Tuva stretches back to Chinese and Persian accounts from Rashid ad din. Get Alan Leighton's fantastic translation of Otto Maenchen-Helfen's book about a journey through Tuva in 1928. It is packed with great information and extra insights. RECOMMENDED.
Tuva is a poor place, that is dependent on the Russian rouble to keep the modern Soviet infrastrcuture going - hospitals, schools etc.. There are often great shortages, pensions and wages are not paid and adult life expectancy has fallen dramatically since the fall of Communism. It is worst for young people who have no jobs, no future and no ideals or ideas about what they are meant to do. Already the villagfes are breaking up and people are crowding the city looking for work. The same old story...
Alcohol is another big problem and is good friends with unemployment.
An example is the situation in Aldyn-ool's village Mogur Aksi.
glossary - what does that Tuvan word mean?other tuvan, khakass, mongol and altai music
TUVA has a long history, plenty of archaeology, petroglyphs (rock paintings), stone circles, eveidence of extensive irrigation and because of the water and air and pasture has been a place of human habitation for a very long time. It just missed the Ice Age as well (or so Albert says and who can disagree?). More recently it was part of the Kyrgyz KAGANAT 1500 years ago and in between was part of Ghenghis Khan's efforts to rule the world and in the 19th century was part of Mongolia - called "Urian-hai". And then it became unclear and after a period of Bolshevik vs. Menshevik warlords toughing it out it became an Independent State with its own currency, stamps and Latinised script (like modern Turkish). This was Tanntu Tuva that inspired many left-field philately experts with the first ever diamond shaped stamps (legend has it).
Good Books are:
Otto Maenchen-Helfen - 1929 "Reise ins Asiastisches Tuva" - Alan Leighton translated it (FANTASTIC BOOK!)
Also, "Tuva or Bust" by Ralph Leighton! This is a very exciting account of one of the most important physicists EVER and his trip with Ralph to Tuva (only Ralph made it).
Ossowski - 1922 "Beasts, Men and Gods"
others: please email info@yat-kha.com or go search the web! and if anyone knows more than the poor little amount shown here please let us link this page to that.