On February 20 Patӑrjel's Şӗnjal school held 9th annual Ajhi Vulavӗsem (Agyi Declamations) Contest for admirers of Gennady Aygi and Konstantin Ivanov's poetry.

Prizese were niminated in three categories - 1) Best Aygi Poem Declamation in Chuvash 2) Best Aygi Poem Declamation in Russian 5) Best Ivanov Declamation in Chuvash.

108 schoolchildren contested for the titles, which made it really hard for the judges': author, translator and Aygi's sister Eva Lisina; playwright, journalist and TV presenter Marina Karyagina, museum curator and editor Nadezhda Silvestrova.

Vasily Mihailov from Tatmӑš, Dmitrii Poliudov from Hirti Pikšik, Christina Koslova from Patӑrjel and Pavel Kusnezov from Tuşa were selected best declamators of Aygi in Chuvash.

Danil Egorov from Şӗnjal, Irina Dubinina from Aslӑ Cemen, Victoria Elagina from Sӑkӑt - Aygi in Russian.

Aleksei Fedorov from Pӑlapuş, Anastasia Sokolova from Pašjel and Christina Vinogradova from Tuşa - Ivanov in Chuvash.

Gennady Aygi, free verse poet, published and translated in 20 countries, nominated several times for obel Prize, was born Gennady Lisin on August 21 in the village of Şӗnjal (Shaymurzino), Patӑrjel, Chuvashia.

The National Library of Chuvash Republic announced a Chuvash Language course for beginners.

The lessons will help the students master the basic vocabulary, reading and writing skills in Chuvash, as well as educating on history and culture.

The basic course will consist of ten lessons. For further information call +7 8352 62 10 70.

Speaking Chuvash saved a man. Or rather, helped him get back money stolen from him.

On February 2 a criminal case was initiated against a taxi driver, 53. who appears to have tried to rob his passenger.

Investigators state the criminal, Kazan city resident of Azerbaijani decent, was booked by a man, 32, travelling from Kazan to Vӑrmar on December 21.

The passenger took the front seat, paid upfront and dozed off. The cab driver took full advantage in this situation, pulled out the passengers wallet and snaffled 47.000 rubles (app. $1000).

The passenger became aware of the loss upon awaking, asked the driver to return the money. To which the driver responded by pretending not knowing anything about the strange disappearance. Avoiding further confrontation the passenger simply telephoned Police and made his comlaint in Chuvash. When the unsuspecting cabman drove into gas station the police were quick to arrest him and found the lost money hidden in his socks.

Speaking Chuvash saved a man. Or rather, helped him get back money stolen from him.

On February 2 a criminal case was initiated against a taxi driver, 53. who appears to have tried to rob his passenger.

Investigators state the criminal, Kazan city resident of Azerbaijani decent, was booked by a man, 32, travelling from Kazan to Vӑrmar on December 21.

The passenger took the front seat, paid upfront and dozed off. The cab driver took full advantage in this situation, pulled out the passengers wallet and snaffled 47.000 rubles (app. $1000).

The passenger became aware of the loss upon awaking, asked the driver to return the money. To which the driver responded by pretending not knowing anything about the strange disappearance. Avoiding further confrontation the passenger simply telephoned Police and made his comlaint in Chuvash. When the unsuspecting cabman drove into gas station the police were quick to arrest him and found the lost money hidden in his socks.

Chuvash Map of Chuvash Republic

A carefully drawn map of Chuvashia is available now in the Chuvash language. The design features up-to-date topography of the republic marking cities, towns, hamlet and rivers. This unparalleled work will be of utter use for linguists and Chuvash enthusiasts visiting the country. Available in print at i-Sum online store. Check the link below.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24. N. Lukianov, the Chairman of the Volga and Ural Nations' Assembly, O. Tsyplenkov, leader of Suvar Youth Association, V. Abramov, representative of Chuvash National Congress (CNC), A. Kipec, leader of CNC's Council of Seniors, famous painter Vitti Praski, members of Hastar Association and others gathered in Cafe Staraya Ploschad near Cheboksary Bay. Guests from other regions of Russia and foreign countries also joined the event.

Gathered people recalled and remembered the early steps of Declaration of Sovereignty which was ratified by the Supreme Soviet of Chuvash ASSR, its past and present relevance to the situation in Chuvash Republic.

Hypar

Chuvash Institute of Humanities celebrates the publication of Bible in Chuvash. On April 22 the book was presented to a cheering audience in the Chuvash Drama Theater.

The ceremony was dimmed by the absence of President of the Chuvash Republic Nikolay Fedorov, who supposedly felt insulted by the fact that the presentation of the sacred text in Chuvash was held controversially in Russian. His greeting speech was read by the Minister of Culture Roza Lizakova instead. The fact is especially salient for Nikolay Fedorov took great part in construction of many churches and temples in Chuvashia during his presidency.

The event has had vast coverage in Chuvash media. But its frankness is ambiguous. For instance, a pompous report of newspaper Hypar, published to website smi21.ru ran oddly and quite symbolically with an awkwardly flawed picture in which writer and translator Eva Lisina, sister of celebrated poet Gennady Aygi, and one of the most important contributors to the translation, is holding the book and as she's louring from under the brows her blinking eyes are blurred in what seems like a demonic image.

Missteps and oddities surrounding the publication of the Bible leave much room for improvement and hopefully in the future more copies of Chuvash Bible will be issued. While some will be able to enjoy the book others are afraid it will be unavailable to most of the Chuvash people (around 2 million, the overwhelming majority - Christian) as the mere 7000 copies won't go into stores but will only be distributed freely.

Chuvash Bible Resources Online

Russian Bible Society's Chuvash Bible

Russian Bible Society

PDF Download: Genesis **Russian Bible Society - Chuvash Bible - Genesis

Just before New Year a happy piece of news came from Paratype company — a new typeface was produced which includes characters of all minority languages in Russian Federation. Presently only one typeface is freely distributed - PT Sans.

PT Sans is developed among others for the official federal program aimed at assembling a collection of typefaces for use by businesses, government officials in the multilingual environment. According to the project's mission this will help spread and develop minor languages. Still in 2010 non-Russian nations face great obstacles in communicating in their languages. Every nation is coping in its own unique way. Users of Chuvash language have been trying numerous methods too: creating special fonts, mixing Cyrillic and Latin characters (present official standard in Chuvashia - CVLat blog), and some use Latin script.

The project is realized with the help of Federal Agency on Press and Mass Communications of Russia.

The typeface includes 8 fonts — 4 regular; 2 caption; 2 condensed.

In 2010 the work will be continued, PT Serif is promised to be distributed next.

CVLat Blog introduced a Chuvash adaptation which fits Chuvash standards. Available here: CVLat Blog

Just before New Year a happy piece of news came from Paratype company — a new typeface was produced which includes characters of all minority languages in Russian Federation. Presently only one typeface is freely distributed - PT Sans.

PT Sans is developed among others for the official federal program aimed at assembling a collection of typefaces for use by businesses, government officials in the multilingual environment. According to the project's mission this will help spread and develop minor languages. Still in 2010 non-Russian nations face great obstacles in communicating in their languages. Every nation is coping in its own unique way. Users of Chuvash language have been trying numerous methods too: creating special fonts, mixing Cyrillic and Latin characters (present official standard in Chuvashia - CVLat blog), and some use Latin script.

The project is realized with the help of Federal Agency on Press and Mass Communications of Russia.

The typeface includes 8 fonts — 4 regular; 2 caption; 2 condensed.

In 2010 the work will be continued, PT Serif is promised to be distributed next.

CVLat Blog introduced a Chuvash adaptation which fits Chuvash standards. Available here: CVLat Blog

Eva Lisina

It took Chuvash nation more than two centuries to translate the Bible into their native language, after converting to Russian Orthodoxy. Among the first to translate was the spiritual teacher Ivan Yakovlev in the 19th century, who settled it to his disciples to complete his undertaking. Translation stopped during the Soviet period to resume in 90's, and to be completed by writer Eva Lisina, sister of poet Gennady Aygi in our century. The Holy Book will reach its readers in 2009.

Also visit:

World Report 414 — August/September 2007 #12

World Report 413 — July 2007 #09

World Report 393 — June 2005 #01

World Report 362 — September 2001 #38:

World Report 334, October 1998