Olzina Matryona Alexeevna

15.03.1924

performer of Khanty folklore

Matryona Alexeevna was born in the village of Tugiyany of Beryozovsky District of Ostyako-Vogulsky National Okrug in the large family of a fisherman and a hunter. She graduated from the primary school in the village of Polnovat. She early began to work in the collective farm at various jobs, then in the timber industry. In the 1950s, she was sent to study in Khanty-Mansiysk for a baker's course as part of the training program for indigenous personnel. After graduation, Matryona Alexeevna was sent to work in the village of Sumatnyoly. Then she moved with her family to live in the village of Polnovat. Before retirement, she worked at the collective farm at various jobs. Matryona Alexeevna is a connoisseur of Khanty culture. She took an active part in organizing and conducting of the ritual complex "Bear’s Holiday". Matryona Alexeevna worked closely with the Hungarian researcher of Ob Ugric folklore Eva Schmidt to refine the dialectological and etymological dictionary of the Khanty language by V. Steinitz.