The Saga of the fishermen and the fish

Darwin Museum continues to explore the topic of fishing with a new photo-exhibition. It is dedicated to the unsurpassed experts in this industry – native people of the Russian Far North living on the White Sea coast and the Russian Far East.

We invite you to find out how and what fish they catch, why native peoples of the Amur and Sakhalin regions were called “fishskins”? Rare retro photographs from the museums of Arkhangelsk, Khabarovsk and Komsomolsk-on-Amur will unravel all secrets.

For the first time the Darwin Museum will demonstrate a unique series of watercolors of fish from the Far East by artist I. D. Lyubimov, who was drawing fish right away after it was caught, as later it could change its colour and loose the natural beauty. You will also be lucky to find at the exhibition special recipes for cooking fish in "Nanai-style." (The Nanai people are a Tungusic people of the Russian Far East).

Beautiful retro photos will show you the amusing world of fishermen: the processes of fishing and storing fish, fish “leather” working and the most exciting - inhabitants of these places in traditional clothes.

Due to the specific climate of the Russian Far North native peoples inhabiting it have a long history of catching fish and creating various ways of using it. Fish has always been the main component of their diet, they also used fish skins to make clothes, shoes and household items. Many people of this region were considered to be unrivaled experts in the field of ichthyofauna – knowing a lot about the habitats and migration routes of fish.

You will as well see photos of the brave sailors, the Pomors, who conquered the White Sea. With the opening of navigation, they rushed to the Barents Sea, where they could catch cod, saithe, haddock, halibut. While herring, saffron cod, plaice could be caught in the White Sea, and salmon - in the rivers nearby. 

Laying fish in barrels. Late 19 - early 20 centuries. Arkhangelsk. Arkhangelsk Regional Lore Museum

A woman from the White sea coast. Late 19 - early 20 centuries. Arkhangelsk Regional Lore Museum

Fishermen. 1890s Photo by D.P. Petrov. Arkhangelsk Regional Lore Museum

Nanai costume, presented to the Tsesarevich in 1891. Photo by E. Nino. Khabarovsk Regional Museum n.a. N.I.Grodekov

Belgo village. Drying nets. 1960s, anonymous author. City Museum of Local Lore, Komsomolsk-on-Amur

Summer preparations for storing fish. Author unknown. City Museum of Local Lore, Komsomolsk-on-Amur