Virtual excursions to the past and modern Atyrau
“Our Yaikushka appeared from the heights
And you are running reaching the very bottom. Down the glorious city, The city of Gurev, Down the glorious sea, The sea of Caspian. And outside of Gurev You flow into a dear Blue sea.” V. Foss, “The Gurev City”, 1866. |
Aims and tasks: to make an introduction about the settlement history and economical activity of the people and region related to the Ural River
Number of participants: 20
Required materials: pictures, slides, the map of the river, books and articles about the Ural River.
Expected result: students will be able to see what kind of influence the Ural River makes on life and work of people, how the shape of the river and the environmental situation have been changed with the time.
Number of participants: 20
Required materials: pictures, slides, the map of the river, books and articles about the Ural River.
Expected result: students will be able to see what kind of influence the Ural River makes on life and work of people, how the shape of the river and the environmental situation have been changed with the time.
Introduction
Water has a big importance in a man's a life. Neither people nor animals and plants can survive without water. To be able to keep up health every man of a five and something billion people living on the Planet has to consume about two and a half litres of water per day contained in different drinks and food. A man can get the best rest when he is close to water: riverbanks, beaches, fountains, spring water sources, water floods. The Ural River is undoubtedly the biggest wealth of the Atyrau region!
The virtual excursion on the Ural River is conducted by Viktor Yurevich Gorbunov who is Gurev born and who is a graduate of School No6 in 1984. Today Viktor works as a lead engineer in one of the foreign companies, he is an excellent family man and he has four children.
Water has a big importance in a man's a life. Neither people nor animals and plants can survive without water. To be able to keep up health every man of a five and something billion people living on the Planet has to consume about two and a half litres of water per day contained in different drinks and food. A man can get the best rest when he is close to water: riverbanks, beaches, fountains, spring water sources, water floods. The Ural River is undoubtedly the biggest wealth of the Atyrau region!
The virtual excursion on the Ural River is conducted by Viktor Yurevich Gorbunov who is Gurev born and who is a graduate of School No6 in 1984. Today Viktor works as a lead engineer in one of the foreign companies, he is an excellent family man and he has four children.
Hobby: Genealogy (learning of your descent), he's been doing it for more than 10 years. In 2006 he created a website called “The Genealogy of the Gorbunov's” where he collected and posted information not only about his relatives which are more that 300 people but about all the representatives of this surname – totally over four thousands of people with the same surname worldwide. He is corresponding with many of them and gives consultations on genealogy matters.
He publishes articles on genealogy in local and republican newspapers. Viktor is a member of the Russian Genealogic Society, the Union of Revival of Genealogic Traditions. He is an activist of the historic and patriotic club “Miras” where he is in charge of a hobby group called “Rodoved” (“The Family Tree Expert”). He is actively popularizes genealogy at public schools of Atyrau and teaches the basics of genealogy. His immediate plans involve organization of competitions on genealogy for children as well as the city genealogic exhibitions. You can view the family tree of Viktor Yurevich on website www.gorbunov.web-box.ru.
He publishes articles on genealogy in local and republican newspapers. Viktor is a member of the Russian Genealogic Society, the Union of Revival of Genealogic Traditions. He is an activist of the historic and patriotic club “Miras” where he is in charge of a hobby group called “Rodoved” (“The Family Tree Expert”). He is actively popularizes genealogy at public schools of Atyrau and teaches the basics of genealogy. His immediate plans involve organization of competitions on genealogy for children as well as the city genealogic exhibitions. You can view the family tree of Viktor Yurevich on website www.gorbunov.web-box.ru.
1.The Family Tree of the Gorbunov's (304 people), genealogy on male father's line. Ancestors the Ural (Yaik) Cossacks who lived in the Zelyonyi and Skvorkin farm-steads belonging to the Ural province. They moved to Gurev at the beginning of the 30s.
2.The Family Tree of the Stramousovykh's (124 people), genealogy on female father's line. Ancestors are the Ural (Yaik) Cossacks who lived in the Yanaikin farm- stead belonging to the Ural province. They moved to Gurev at the beginning of the 30s.
3.The Family Tree of the Agapov's (75 people), genealogy on male mother's line. Ancestors – Greek- Hellenes living near Azov (Rumei).
4.The Family Tree of the Altynpara's (113 people), genealogy on female mother's line. Ancestors are Greek Tatars (urumy).
5.Family Tree of the Valshevukh's (88 people), the wife's genealogy on male father's line. Ancestors are Russians living in Gurev.
6.The Family Tree of the Bogdanov's (23 people), the wife's genealogy on female father's side. Ancestors are the Crimea Bulgarians who were forcefully made to leave the Crimea for Kazakhstan to settle down in 1944.
7.The Family Tree of the Zhegulevtsev's (83 people), the wife's genealogy on male mother's line. Ancestors are the Ural Cossacks who loved in the Gurev region.
8.The Family Tree of the Medvedev's (54 people), he wife's genealogy on female mother's line. Ancestors are Russians who lived in the Saratov province.
As part of preparation for the 50s anniversary of his own school No6 Viktor has got in touch through Internet with graduates and teachers who live outside of the city and the Republic these days and with the oblast committee of the Union of Afghanistan Veterans in Atyrau and he shared the materials with the school museum.
Geographic location
The Ural River springs from the South Ural and flows through the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan. The length of the River is 2,428 km of which 1,082 km are in the RoK. The basin area is 237 thousand of square meters and the River flows into the Caspian Sea. The Ural River is a typical river with a snow-fed stream. The average flow rate at the lower reach is 400 m3/sec. The Ural River is a peculiar border of the two parts of the world. As distinct from land, woods and fields the Ural River can not be divided into state and administrative borders due to the interconnection of the river system. Ural is the third longest river in Europe. The length of the Ural River is second only to Volga and Dunai. Even the Dnepr River is 249 km shorter than Ural.
In spite of everyone's wrong belief the Ural River is a natural water border between Asia and Europe only in its upper stream in Russia. The border lies in Verkhneurals town and Magnitogorsk of the Chelyabinsk region. In Kazakhstan geographically the border between Europe and Asia is on the South starting from Orsk and then it follows the mountain ridge Mugodzhary and the river Emba before it flows into the Caspian Sea. Thus The Ural River is almost a hundred percent internal European river and it is only the upper part of the river to the east of the Ural mountain ridge belongs to Asia.
The history of the Ural River name
In the antique sources the river was called Likos and at the beginning of our era it was called Daiks, daikh (the map of Ptolemy, II century AD). At different times and in different sources the names of the river were different: Dzhaikh, Ruza, Yagak, Yagat, Ulusu, Zapolnaya River. The name Yaik was used for the first time in the Russian chronicles of 1229 year. The Kazakhs, Tatars, Bashkirs and other people who were living in the river valley called the river as Yaik, Dzhaik, Zhaik. All these names were equally reflecting its greatness, full waters and power. As for the name Ural it is its secondary name which is a derivative from the name of the Ural mountains where the river springs from. The translation of “Ur” and “Al” were literally translated as “gathering river”. Ural and Dzhaik are the two words with similar meaning. The translation from the Turkic language means free, flowing and absorbing tens of other rivers. Ekaterina the second wishing to wipe out the memories of the Peasants' War led by Emelyan Pugachev from the people's minds ordered to rename Yaik into Ural and the Yaik town into the Ural town in 1755. The Tsar's decree issued for this purpose the following reason was mentioned: “to completely forget about the accident that has taken place at Yaik”.
2.The Family Tree of the Stramousovykh's (124 people), genealogy on female father's line. Ancestors are the Ural (Yaik) Cossacks who lived in the Yanaikin farm- stead belonging to the Ural province. They moved to Gurev at the beginning of the 30s.
3.The Family Tree of the Agapov's (75 people), genealogy on male mother's line. Ancestors – Greek- Hellenes living near Azov (Rumei).
4.The Family Tree of the Altynpara's (113 people), genealogy on female mother's line. Ancestors are Greek Tatars (urumy).
5.Family Tree of the Valshevukh's (88 people), the wife's genealogy on male father's line. Ancestors are Russians living in Gurev.
6.The Family Tree of the Bogdanov's (23 people), the wife's genealogy on female father's side. Ancestors are the Crimea Bulgarians who were forcefully made to leave the Crimea for Kazakhstan to settle down in 1944.
7.The Family Tree of the Zhegulevtsev's (83 people), the wife's genealogy on male mother's line. Ancestors are the Ural Cossacks who loved in the Gurev region.
8.The Family Tree of the Medvedev's (54 people), he wife's genealogy on female mother's line. Ancestors are Russians who lived in the Saratov province.
As part of preparation for the 50s anniversary of his own school No6 Viktor has got in touch through Internet with graduates and teachers who live outside of the city and the Republic these days and with the oblast committee of the Union of Afghanistan Veterans in Atyrau and he shared the materials with the school museum.
Geographic location
The Ural River springs from the South Ural and flows through the Russian Federation and Kazakhstan. The length of the River is 2,428 km of which 1,082 km are in the RoK. The basin area is 237 thousand of square meters and the River flows into the Caspian Sea. The Ural River is a typical river with a snow-fed stream. The average flow rate at the lower reach is 400 m3/sec. The Ural River is a peculiar border of the two parts of the world. As distinct from land, woods and fields the Ural River can not be divided into state and administrative borders due to the interconnection of the river system. Ural is the third longest river in Europe. The length of the Ural River is second only to Volga and Dunai. Even the Dnepr River is 249 km shorter than Ural.
In spite of everyone's wrong belief the Ural River is a natural water border between Asia and Europe only in its upper stream in Russia. The border lies in Verkhneurals town and Magnitogorsk of the Chelyabinsk region. In Kazakhstan geographically the border between Europe and Asia is on the South starting from Orsk and then it follows the mountain ridge Mugodzhary and the river Emba before it flows into the Caspian Sea. Thus The Ural River is almost a hundred percent internal European river and it is only the upper part of the river to the east of the Ural mountain ridge belongs to Asia.
The history of the Ural River name
In the antique sources the river was called Likos and at the beginning of our era it was called Daiks, daikh (the map of Ptolemy, II century AD). At different times and in different sources the names of the river were different: Dzhaikh, Ruza, Yagak, Yagat, Ulusu, Zapolnaya River. The name Yaik was used for the first time in the Russian chronicles of 1229 year. The Kazakhs, Tatars, Bashkirs and other people who were living in the river valley called the river as Yaik, Dzhaik, Zhaik. All these names were equally reflecting its greatness, full waters and power. As for the name Ural it is its secondary name which is a derivative from the name of the Ural mountains where the river springs from. The translation of “Ur” and “Al” were literally translated as “gathering river”. Ural and Dzhaik are the two words with similar meaning. The translation from the Turkic language means free, flowing and absorbing tens of other rivers. Ekaterina the second wishing to wipe out the memories of the Peasants' War led by Emelyan Pugachev from the people's minds ordered to rename Yaik into Ural and the Yaik town into the Ural town in 1755. The Tsar's decree issued for this purpose the following reason was mentioned: “to completely forget about the accident that has taken place at Yaik”.
National and economic purpose of the Ural River
The Russian proverb goes: “Yaik Gorynych – with a golden bottom and silver cap”, thus underlining the unique wealth of the river. During hard and hungry years The Ural River was saving thousand of people from imminent death. Our great grandfathers and great grandmothers sang songs about the river- food provider: “Ural, you are our silver gold, clear water, your milky banks and your fish is likable by all the world we care for you, our food and water provider! You are our life!”. The water resources and the land of the Ural River basin are widely used for both agricultural and industrial purposes. Only 20-30 years ago the Ural River had an important fishing and shipping purpose for the economics of the Western Kazakhstan. Due to annual fluctuations of water flow the river's waters have a tendency to decrease and no one even mentions a possibility of shipping.
N. Ya.Danilevskiy in 1890 wrote in his “Brief outline of the Uralsk fishing industry”:
“Ural is the only river in the whole world that is destined for fishing exclusively for which other services provided by flowing waters to a man were sacrificed. Ships are not passing through its waters, no timber-rafting (at least lower “uchug” area near Uralsk), no mills operated by river waters. You can not see a single floating boat during a year which would not have a fishing purpose. The transfer across the river is a difficult task to do. From uchug to the sea the distance will make up around 500 feet if you follow the mail route, there is only one bridge built near Uralsk and one ferry boat near Gurev – two stations where a real exchange is done. Even the Gurev ferry boat raises outrage with many people who think it interferes with the fish arrival into the waters of Ural as it scares it away by banging its rope against the water. If it is needed to transfer some load across the Ural River then they would get two or three little boats connected and they would put a hurdle on top of them instead of a platform and a Cossack man would sit on top of the boat and in a stern of a boat with short and long paddles and the ferry boat is ready to go.
The Russian proverb goes: “Yaik Gorynych – with a golden bottom and silver cap”, thus underlining the unique wealth of the river. During hard and hungry years The Ural River was saving thousand of people from imminent death. Our great grandfathers and great grandmothers sang songs about the river- food provider: “Ural, you are our silver gold, clear water, your milky banks and your fish is likable by all the world we care for you, our food and water provider! You are our life!”. The water resources and the land of the Ural River basin are widely used for both agricultural and industrial purposes. Only 20-30 years ago the Ural River had an important fishing and shipping purpose for the economics of the Western Kazakhstan. Due to annual fluctuations of water flow the river's waters have a tendency to decrease and no one even mentions a possibility of shipping.
N. Ya.Danilevskiy in 1890 wrote in his “Brief outline of the Uralsk fishing industry”:
“Ural is the only river in the whole world that is destined for fishing exclusively for which other services provided by flowing waters to a man were sacrificed. Ships are not passing through its waters, no timber-rafting (at least lower “uchug” area near Uralsk), no mills operated by river waters. You can not see a single floating boat during a year which would not have a fishing purpose. The transfer across the river is a difficult task to do. From uchug to the sea the distance will make up around 500 feet if you follow the mail route, there is only one bridge built near Uralsk and one ferry boat near Gurev – two stations where a real exchange is done. Even the Gurev ferry boat raises outrage with many people who think it interferes with the fish arrival into the waters of Ural as it scares it away by banging its rope against the water. If it is needed to transfer some load across the Ural River then they would get two or three little boats connected and they would put a hurdle on top of them instead of a platform and a Cossack man would sit on top of the boat and in a stern of a boat with short and long paddles and the ferry boat is ready to go.
Unique location
The Ural River is a unique and major natural object. The delta of Ural and the adjacent seaside of the Caspian Sea is included into the Ramsar list of water lands and wetlands of international importance. Kazakhstan joined the ramsar Convention in May, 2007 thus taking an obligation to preserve water lands of its territory for the humanity.
The Ural River is a unique and major natural object. The delta of Ural and the adjacent seaside of the Caspian Sea is included into the Ramsar list of water lands and wetlands of international importance. Kazakhstan joined the ramsar Convention in May, 2007 thus taking an obligation to preserve water lands of its territory for the humanity.
Ecology situation of the river
Unfavourable changes of hydrological condition and other factors have had a negative effect on breeding fishery resources. Anthropogenic impact which has immensely increased during the last decades resulted into serious consequences. Today the river is becoming shallow day by day, it is getting dirty and the water quality is declining. The local flora and fauna became scanty. The population of sturgeon has decreased by 30 times during the last years. Due to water artery becoming shallow spawning areas for the unique fish disappeared, the amount of manufacturing waters getting into the river has increased. There are industrial facilities built next to the Ural River in both Russia and Kazakhstan. As a result a high concentration of harmful pollutants has been recorded in the river exceeding the maximum allowable concentration of copper, zinc and manganese by seven times. In winter one can see patterns of oily spots in ice-holes – this is the waste of industrial enterprises which is getting into the river. The river bed has never undergone cleaning, even a cosmetic kind of cleaning. The bottom of Ural today, as divers say, reminds more of a trash dump – there is everything there: fish nets, snags, reinforcement rods, construction waste. The mouth of the river is full of installed pumps which have been collected there during many decades. As a result in spring time fish can not come into the river from the sea.
Unfavourable changes of hydrological condition and other factors have had a negative effect on breeding fishery resources. Anthropogenic impact which has immensely increased during the last decades resulted into serious consequences. Today the river is becoming shallow day by day, it is getting dirty and the water quality is declining. The local flora and fauna became scanty. The population of sturgeon has decreased by 30 times during the last years. Due to water artery becoming shallow spawning areas for the unique fish disappeared, the amount of manufacturing waters getting into the river has increased. There are industrial facilities built next to the Ural River in both Russia and Kazakhstan. As a result a high concentration of harmful pollutants has been recorded in the river exceeding the maximum allowable concentration of copper, zinc and manganese by seven times. In winter one can see patterns of oily spots in ice-holes – this is the waste of industrial enterprises which is getting into the river. The river bed has never undergone cleaning, even a cosmetic kind of cleaning. The bottom of Ural today, as divers say, reminds more of a trash dump – there is everything there: fish nets, snags, reinforcement rods, construction waste. The mouth of the river is full of installed pumps which have been collected there during many decades. As a result in spring time fish can not come into the river from the sea.
Conclusion
The transition to a sustainable development is a nationwide task in Kazakhstan. The problems of sustainable development occupy a central part of the long term programme of the Republic development which was proposed by the President N.A. Nazarbayev, “The Strategy – 2030”. The most important condition for the transition of the society to a sustainable development should be the development of new moral values, mentality which is based on realisation of responsibility before future generations and the necessity of existence with the surrounding nature in harmony. We all need to remember that the place where we live, the Atyrau region, has very poor water resources and we should have the best attitude of care towards water. It is the river that helps us to get relaxed, forget about our busy life and stresses, it is the place where we cleanse the soul when we hear the sound of nature and recover our health. We should preserve the nature of the Ural River not only for ourselves but for our descendants as well!
Independent work for students
Task for the first group. What is the geographic location of the river? What influences the process of shallowing?
Task for the second group. Why did the Ural River banks get populated? How did people use the river?
Task for the third group. How do people use the river nowadays?
Task for the forth group. How is the Ural River water used for water-supply of the city?
The transition to a sustainable development is a nationwide task in Kazakhstan. The problems of sustainable development occupy a central part of the long term programme of the Republic development which was proposed by the President N.A. Nazarbayev, “The Strategy – 2030”. The most important condition for the transition of the society to a sustainable development should be the development of new moral values, mentality which is based on realisation of responsibility before future generations and the necessity of existence with the surrounding nature in harmony. We all need to remember that the place where we live, the Atyrau region, has very poor water resources and we should have the best attitude of care towards water. It is the river that helps us to get relaxed, forget about our busy life and stresses, it is the place where we cleanse the soul when we hear the sound of nature and recover our health. We should preserve the nature of the Ural River not only for ourselves but for our descendants as well!
Independent work for students
Task for the first group. What is the geographic location of the river? What influences the process of shallowing?
Task for the second group. Why did the Ural River banks get populated? How did people use the river?
Task for the third group. How do people use the river nowadays?
Task for the forth group. How is the Ural River water used for water-supply of the city?