Cities / People & traditions
Yakutsk.
A place where the spoken word becomes art.
A sense of place
Yakutsk offers a starting point for exploring Sakha culture. One important reference is Olonkho, an oral epic tradition recognised on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list.
People & culture
An Olonkho performer combines singing and narration. Vocal skill and the transmission of knowledge from person to person are central to the tradition.
Start with a performance recording and listen for the shifts between speech and song.
Sources & context
An editorial introduction. Archive photography. Checked 24 September 2026.
