East Or West – Home Is Best

East or West, home is best,
This is the proverb I like best,
I was grown on its chest,
I would clasp it to my breast.

My native fields and small ravines,
My fir-pine trees and tasty blins,
And muddy road under my feet,
We are always happy guests to meet.

My native land, the Chuvash land, is lovely with its hundred-year-old oaks, golden fields, pleasing nature and the great Volga River. The people living here, are staid, hardworking and sober-minded. For them labour is important not only for creating material welfare. Creative, constructive labour has been respected here since olden times.

Such hospitable carved "persons" Norvash (a man) and Shigaly (a girl) will meet you at the village fence. They are the founders of our village.

There is no history without people. At all times among the Chuvash people, singers and narrators of folk tales, carvers and embroideries – in a word, everyone who was of great intellect, who was a craftsman and who could create beauty – were especially honoured. That’s why, undergoing severe trials, the ordeals of the war years, the previous generations managed to maintain their wonderful original songs and dances, legends and embroideries. Care of our heritage, augmenting and keeping it is our duty. Such is our destiny.

The Chuvash land is a land of hardworking and peace-loving people. A lot of famous people work at different industrial factories and plants, different educational and medical institutions, on the collective farms and state farms. Together with our scientists, writers, art workers, public figures, they form the pride of our nation, its “golden fund”. To perpetuate the memory of the most outstanding people we name streets (in our village we have Erivanov Street, Borodkin Street), cities, towns with their names.

The dearest place for everyone is the place where they were born, their parents’ house. It is known by everyone, even if you go far away, even if your life is rich and happy in another place, that you are eager to return to your native home. It calms me and gives moral support when I am in trouble. It helps me when I need help. My birthplace is the village Norvash Shigaly. It is situated in Chuvashia, in Batyrevo District, on the picturesque bank of the Abarzha River. And I want everyone to know about my favourite village, about its hardworking, modest and fine people; about its good-natured, hospitable and pleasant population. Norvash Shigaly is a little Chuvash world in itself. It is the birthplace of scientists and poets, teachers and military men, singers and doctors, leaders and others. My villagers are the people who can go through fire and water.

Historians have accepted the years of 1601–1602 as the beginning of Shigaly history. Gradually, it became bigger and bigger. Now it occupies an area of 26 square kilometers.

My villagers managed to carry their original art in wonderful songs and dances, legends and embroideries.

Shigaly is divided into three parts: Norvash Shigaly, Podlesniye Shigaly and Yasnaya Polyana. The village is one of the oldest and one of the most modern villages not only in our district but also in our republic. In what village can you see such new, beautiful, modern, multi-storeyed houses? Where can you see patterned gates and windows cut from wood? We have almost all modern conveniences: gas, hot and cold water, electricity, TV sets, radios and telephones. We don’t walk in mud now, but go on asphalt roads. The population of the village is about two thousand people. On its territory you can see some places of interest. The most striking of them is the monument devoted to eight soldiers of the Red Army who were killed by their enemies.

In the center of the village there is a kolkhoz management and village soviet where we can go with any trouble we have; a post office where we get different newspapers and magazines and learn news reading them; a club where one listens to useful lectures, has different meetings, interesting concerts and shows, and sees films. Besides, young people go there to meet friends, to listen to music, to dance to music. In the club there is a library. Though it is not rich, the librarian Valentina Ivanovna tries to serve people of all ages and interests. If we have a headache or a stomach ache or hurt our legs, we are in a hurry to see a doctor at a hospital. In the shops we have in our village (some of them are private), we can buy everything we need. In a bakery we can buy the cheapest, the freshest and the most fragrant bread. We also have shoes and sewing workshops situated on its territory.

Not far from the center of the village there is a temple of knowledge – our school. Such famous people of our village as Klara Chekushkina, Vladimir Chekushkin, V.P. Molodtsigin, R.V. Borodkina (Sarpy), A.V. Lubimova (Yuratu), N.L. Erivanov, I.N. Kalentieva and others sdudied here. Not only they were educated in our school. Shigaly gave birth to many famous people whose names are known beyond Chuvashia.

I am glad that there are such people in our village.They set a great example for the growing generation. I should also like to do something important for my people, for my village. It is clear to me that to be a man with the big “M” I have to develop all my nation’s features of character: industriousness, endurance, persistence in achieving a goal. I must develop these features from childhood. “Like children, like people” – so says a Chuvash proverb. It embodies an age old craving for knowledge, and a readiness to sacrifice for the sake of the future.

Since time immemorial my fellow villagers managed to carry their original art in wonderful songs and dances, legends and embroideries. Leaning on national tradition, the older generation of creators made invaluable spiritual wealth; and today’s painters, writers, composers, artists try to raise it to a higher level of skill. The time will come and we, the young generation, shall take their places.

Supervisor of Studies T.V. Mitrofanova

Photos by the author