TO PREVENT THE FORTUNE-TELLING FROM THE DAISY

When there is no real ground for hope, the hope may take most unexpected shapes. The misty future perspectives of Pevek are lit up by a tiny light of hope that the city will be made the capital

TO PREVENT THE FORTUNE-TELLING FROM THE DAISY

It is plus fifteen in Moscow, zero in Anadyr and minus twenty five in Pevek. At the airport the crowd spilled over in front of the cars taking the deputy to the State Duma from Chukotka, Roman Abramovich, and representatives of the local authorities off the tarmac. People in this crowd were dressed as if for ice fishing. But they were not fishermen. Those were passengers expecting their flight to Moscow. A plane arrived to Pevek several days ago, yesterday there was another one, and now both aircraft are stuck in this cold land for quite indefinite time. One could understand if it were the weather, but no, it is some vague debts incurred by the airline and as a result — a complete uncertainty about the departure date.

The airport in Apapelgin, capable of servicing our Tu-154, Tu-204, Il-62, as well as foreign Boeings and Lockheeds is the pride of the city and an argument in favour of moving the centre of Chukotka into Pevek.

A local resident tried to open my eyes: «You must have heard that tin is no longer mined here. This entailed closure of two settlements: Valkumei and Krasnoarmeysky. And you probably heard arguments that it makes no sense to extract tin here, for it is cheaper to buy it abroad. But I am fully convinced that tin industry became loss-making only because the okrug authorities were completely reluctant to prevent the break-up of core facilities. They just wanted to show who the boss is in Chukotka!» This emotional discourse from the very start excluded economic arguments about negative profitability of tin production here. The discussion was simply not possible.

The second component of the myth about probable administrative transformations in Chukotka was a suggestion that Roman Abramovich dislikes Anadyr. Despite the fact that the latter publicly refuted intentions ascribed to him by popular beliefs, these rumours are still very much present in the minds of the Chukotka electorate. Anadyr residents are worried, and people in Pevek — optimistic. And optimism is a rare commodity in Chukotka today. However, high spirits cannot fill your stomach, that is why there still are lots of people who would like to break away from here and settle down on the mainland.

Only several years ago there were 13 thousand residents in Pevek. Now it is half that. People formerly employed by the state haulage company have spent several years already with their suitcases fully packed. Their only request is settlement of the outstanding salaries. Some measures taken to preserve bus service in the city (including introduction of bankruptcy) have proved futile. People were working without pay. The debts were accruing, while the hope to pay them was becoming more and more desperate. «We cannot do without buses in the winter. How will the kids make it to their schools?» — a representative of the municipal administration was explaining the need for transport even in the face of financial catastrophe of the companies. It is true, the winter is severe here. Then there is also «the southerner», an interesting local phenomenon. A harsh gusty wind knocks people over, sweeps their hats off, and sometimes even blows away the roofs of high-rises. This unusual wind is formed at the peaks of the hills from the blending of cold and warm masses of air. Then it gathers speed sliding downhill and rushes down on the city at a speed of 30-40 meters per second. It is clear that kids must be protected against adverse weather. But the financial abyss of the transport companies is probably so deep, that having peeped into it, the city authorities became quite desperate, because they announced their readiness to encroach on the unrestricted right of the kids to use school buses for free. They even came up with a scheme: schoolchildren were supposed to use not daily or weekly tickets, but coupons — two per day, to go to school and back. And let the parents pay the rest, for many children, apart from the regular school, also attend sport clubs or the school of arts. The latter is, by the way, the educational establishment from which talented musicians are regularly graduating. The pride of Pevek. Every time, when the school amasses debts for utilities and the committee threatens to cut off light and heating, the municipal authorities provide help. They know here that if the school closes down, it will never reopen.

And is it needed for the future? How many of its students are born in Pevek? And then again, how can one explain the demographic phenomenon that Chukotka is the only place in Russia where birth rate exceeds mortality. I heard some talks to the effect that aboriginal people have many children because they do not really think about future, but rather count on the support from the state.

Alexander Maslov, senior doctor of Chaunsky district, called these explanations nonsensical. And one can trust his objectivity. He has lived in Pevek for ten years, and prior to becoming the head of the district hospital he had worked in the maternity ward. So he believes that statistics make no account of migration. Given the density of local population, there are by far fewer children born in Chukotka nowadays. And the mortality is low because the elderly leave for the mainland to die...The district hospital is probably the only municipal company which managed to lure some specialists from the mainland. The conditions they offered proved to be better than over there. In order to pay suitable salaries to specialists, they started providing paid services. Maslov is aware of the townsfolk's displeasure, but he still believes he is right. Firstly, he violates no law, and secondly paid services maintain the free service, otherwise the doctors would flee from Pevek.

What keeps the others from fleeing? Some simply have no money for moving home. Some still harbour hopes. For example, it is not possible that the richest gold field in Maisky will never be developed. Yes, it is going to happen in the indefinite future, yes, it requires huge investments, yes, investors have not showed up yet. But the day will come. And then the city may be animated, too.

Pevek could also become a centre-point of the international transit along the Northern sea route. And these hopes should not be considered ungrounded. This route across the seas must become busy one day. Because the time by ship from Japan to, say, England is 10 days shorter this way. The shortcut between Pacific and Atlantic oceans lies right through here. And Pevek is the only harbour along this route where ships of any displacement can be berthed for handling and maintenance.

They also talk here about development of tourism, although at a first glance it would seem rather far-fetched. However, he who has had at least one encounter with the northern nature would say these dreams are quite realistic. Pevek is already providing stories about the tested tourist routes through the Internet.

«The North has always attracted interesting people, that is why the atmosphere of fraternity has always reigned here», says Alibek Basiyev, who is the only representative of the local television. «Of course, many have left, and among those who have stayed on, many have given the North all their lives and have nothing to show for their efforts. And the atmosphere in the city has changed... As if the economic decline and fall have triggered off decline and fall in people's souls. But one should not sit in judgement on those for whom it all has proved too much. Do they deserve condemnation?» Alibek recalls an ancient legend, which, as is believed, is reflected in the name of the tallest hill nearby, which, in its turn, lent its name to the city. Allegedly many years ago there was a battle between Chukchi tribes. Many were killed, and their bodies were not buried. The stench of dead flesh is preserved in the name of the hill Peekinei. In the Chukchi language it means «Smelly mountain». Alibek believes that a more precise translation is «Swollen» or «Fat» mountain. And best of all he likes it when Pevek is called the City of daisies. This name has no connection with legends whatsoever. It is just that the city is full of daisies in the summer. The beauty of it is stunning. But it is those in love who use daisies for telling their future. When life is uprooted, people pay no attention to the beauty. The local landscapes are as beautiful as ever. The only small task is to give people their hope back.

Peter MIKHAILOV