Parabola Books in association with Tibet House and the Yara Arts Group presented the publishing launch of: Shanar: Dedication Ritual of a Buryat Shaman by Virlana Tkacz, Sayan Zhambalov & Wanda Phipps with photos by Alexander Khantaev "...fascinating book..." "Exquisite color photographs..." "A rare and compelling glimpse into a little-known culture and its sacred initiation rites." Thursday, March 6, 2003 Tibet House 22 West 15th Street, NYC

On Thursday March 6th the snow started falling at noon and there were many warnings of heavy snowfall by evening. Yet a large crowd of people gathered at the Tibet House on West 15th Street for the book launching party Parabola books was throwing. The book was Shanar: Dedication Ritual of a Buryat Shaman by Virlana Tkacz, Sayan Zhambalov, and Wanda Phipps with photography by Alexander Khantaev. The people who came early mingled and looked at an exhibit that included several stunning sculptures of the Buddha. Soon readers of Parabola magazine, friends of Yara, artists who have taken part in Yara projects, and friends from the Ukrainian and Tibetan communities joined the crowd. The evening was opened by Joe Kulin, the publisher of Parabola magazine. He told the crowd that this was a book he was called to publish. He then introduced Virlana Tkacz, one of the co-authors. Ms. Tkacz, said that she was just delighted by the publication of the book and decided to tell the story of what was not included in the book, tonight. Ms. Tkacz introduced her co-author, Wanda Phipps, and spoke of the crucial role Sayan Zhambalov, Buryat poet and actor, played in the writing of the book. Then, Ms. Tkacz introduced actor-vocalist Meredith Wright. Ms. Wright, who had worked in Buryatia with Yara, would sing Buryat songs, both in the original and in English translations created by the co-authors. She would also read chants from the book with Ms. Phipps. Ms. Tkacz asked to have the lights turned off. As she showed slides of Yara productions by Watoku Ueno and Alexander Khantaev, she told of how the artists of Yara Arts Group met the shaman who invited them to document the Shanar in August of 2000. Ms. Wright and Ms. Phipps read and sang in the dark as the audience was dazzled by the visuals from the shows and the ritual. Afterwards there were questions and a reception. Joe Kulin presented the co-authors with a very special matriosha doll. The authors of the book Virlana Tkacz, Sayan Zhambalov, and Wanda Phipps have been translating Buryat poetry into English since 1996. Their translations have been performed at the La MaMa Experimental Theatre and the Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church in New York and were published by Agni Review, Terra Nova, Two Lines, and Shaman's Drum. They have received New York State Council on the Arts Translations Grants, as well as the Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry Translation Award for their work. Alexander Khantaev's photographs have appeared in numerous publications in Buryatia. He has had two personal exhibits in New York and one in Kyiv. Book is available at your local bookstore, from www.amazon.com or Parabola Press For more on book and and its reviews On book presentations in New York at the New York Public Library, at Indiana University , in Kyiv and in Lviv Also see Daniel Macisaac's article in Kyiv Post "Buryat Ritual Captured on Film, in Words" Top of page | Arts & Culture | YARA Homepage BRAMA, Inc. Copyright (c)1995-2003 Yara Arts Group; all rights reserved. Photo on this page by Alexander Khantaev, Andrea Kulin, and Peter Ihnat. BRAMA Home -- UkraiNEWStand -- Community Press -- Calendar Advertise on BRAMA -- Search BRAMA Copyright © 1997-2011 BRAMA, Inc.tm, Inc. All Rights Reserved.