Reviving vital traditional knowledge

Slava Cheltuev

Slava Cheltuev, is a Telengit community leader and shaman from the Russian Altai Mountain's high altitude Kosh Agach district. 

Whilst traversing Altai's sacred lands, he reflects on our 21st century world and stresses the importance of reviving vital traditional knowledge - age-old wisdom that instruct the respectful and harmonious relationship between local environment and human behaviour.

Cheltuev emphasizes that nature is not a resource—it’s a relative. In Altai cosmology, every mountain, spring, and animal has a spirit, or eezi, deserving of reverence. His call to revive traditional practices isn’t nostalgic—it’s urgent. 

Find out more from the man himself in the video below.

 

Kosh-Agachsky District is one of the most fascinating and remote regions in Russia’s Altai Republic. Here’s a closer look at what makes it so unique:

Geographic & Cultural Overview

• Location: Southeastern Altai Republic, bordering Mongolia, China, and Kazakhstan.

• Elevation: Around 1,750 meters (5,741 feet) above sea level—making it one of the highest inhabited areas in Siberia.

• Landscape: A dramatic mix of alpine meadows, glacial valleys, and vast steppe. It’s part of the Chuya Steppe, a cold desert-like plateau surrounded by snow-capped peaks.

• Climate: Harsh and dry, with extreme temperature swings. Summers are short and cool; winters are long and bitterly cold.

Nature & Wilderness

• Biodiversity: Home to rare species like snow leopards, argali sheep, and golden eagles.

• Sacred Sites: The Altai Mountains are considered sacred by indigenous Telengit people. Many peaks, rivers, and valleys are believed to have spirits (eezi).

• Tavan Bogd Range: Near the district, this range includes Belukha Mountain—the highest peak in Siberia—and stunning glaciers like Potanin.

People & Traditions

• Population: Roughly 18,000 people, mostly rural. Ethnic composition includes:

  • Kazakhs – 53%

  • Altaians (including Telengits) – 40%

  • Russians – 3%

• Telengit Culture: Deeply spiritual, with shamanic traditions and a worldview rooted in harmony with nature. Slava Cheltuev is one of the most prominent voices from this community.

• Nomadic Heritage: Many families still practice seasonal herding of yaks, sheep, and horses.

Challenges

• Environmental Threats: Climate change is altering traditional grazing patterns and water availability.

• Development Pressure: Mining and tourism pose risks to sacred lands and fragile ecosystems.

• Cultural Preservation: Younger generations are increasingly disconnected from traditional knowledge, prompting leaders like Cheltuev to advocate for revival.

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