“The translation was not easy. It took a week to invert the song into Nenets, because the meaning should be referred thoroughly so that everything was clear”, the young musician shared.
Vyacheslav Siguney alone represents the whole Taimyr at the competition. He participates for the second time. Last year, he failed to get into the top three. Now he hopes to take the main prize with the positive song.
The songs of Viktor Tsoi, Leningrad, Olga Buzova, Natalie in the Nenets language were sent to the contest. Some participants made covers of foreign compositions. Albert Okotetto from St. Petersburg performed Bobby McFerrin’s Don’t Worry, Be Happy hit in Nenets. There are no such words as “don’t worry, be happy” in the Nenets language, so the musician invented a story about a reindeer herder who is sitting in his tent, eating meat and fish, and feels fine”.
The Singing Voices online contest was organized in Yamal. This year applications were accepted not only in Nenets, but also in the Khanty, Komi and Selkup languages.
“The most important task is to pay attention to the endangered languages of the indigenous peoples of the North. We are few in number, and the natives speaking their own languages are even fewer”, commented the organizer of the contest, Elena Nerkagi.
The qualifying stage has already ended. Now the jury is examining the work of the contestants in details. The winner will be announced until the end of July.
Text: Victor Tsaryov