Russian Old Believers from South America Return to Far Eastern Hectares

Russian Old Believers from Latin America almost 100 years after immigration are returning to their homeland. They decided to go to Russia after finding out about the program — Far Eastern Hectare which allows to receive free land. And now there are already a few families developing farms. And if everything turns out well for them, then soon thousands more of our Old Believers may arrive to the Far East. Ksenia Kolchina reporting. Anfisa bustles around in the kitchen, talking on the phone along the way.

A usual story for modern housewives. Only now the girl is dressed in a head-scarf and a dress to her heels. and she takes golden loaves of bread out of the oven. Anfisa is from the Community of Old Believers. So both the phone and the washing machine for her are in fact, forbidden. As well as any home appliances. It's possible, but it's a sin. Grandpa swears, of course, that we should not get phones, get other things. That there was no internet, that's a must. How can I not use the Internet? We have everybody abroad, relatives, with them we have to stay in touch somehow.

A family of 14 people has just moved to the Amur region from Uruguay. As soon as the Old Believers found out that in the Far East they are giving out land, they decided — it's time to return to the homeland. Here it is, the new village of the Old Believers, still without a name, and just three houses. One large family has settled here, actively domesticating the territory, and they are ready to receive other relatives from the faraway South America. And that's how they wear it. Sombrero and a couple of photos for keepsake — they don't miss the Uruguayan palms and hot climate. Winter is very good for us: clean air, no mosquitoes, no gnats, none of those. If you only knew how we flew to Russia, how much I wanted it.

The Chinese, then Spaniards, try as you might they are not to heart and all, try as you might. Tatiana Kilina knows a little Chinese, speaks Spanish and Portuguese. Religious persecution forced the Old Believers to wander countries and continents almost the entire 20th century.

In Uruguay, this woman lived more than forty years. In foreign land they lived on money that they could get from the sale of homemade cheese, cottage cheese, eggs, and bread. The Spaniards — you need to sell to him, you need to explain him what and how to cook. They don't know anything. Explain, then he will begin to buy. In the Amur region the Old Believers are going to keep doing the same, cultivate the land, grow potatoes, wheat, oats, breed cattle and birds. All skills are passed down from generation to generation, but it's not customary to send children to school. Reading and writing is taught using church books, written in Old Slavonic.

Solving a little bit we know, to count, but all sorts of other different ones — no. I was 7 years old when I started milking a cow. Since I was seven years and still milking them, I'm already 44, and still milking them. Olga's son Levkiy turned 18 years old, it's time to look for a bride.

On the other continent one could marry Brazilian women who accepted the Old Believers' way of life. If she converts to my faith, then I can marry. If not then... Well here there are Christians, ours, that is. While women are busy in the barn or sit over the embroidery frame, men work the land. They say that Uruguayan lands are no less fertile, but too expensive. They pay rent $200-$300 for a hectare, and here $2-$3. Is there a difference? They work for this rent. But in Russia not everything is smooth for the Old Believers: problems with document registration and lack of funds for the first time.

The Kilins already tried to settle in Primorye, but it did not work out. We need citizenship, land, and some kind of equipment. Now, government at the highest level is ready to assist them. In the country, an adaptation service for the Old Believers is created. There it will be explained step by step how to get a Russian passport, or for example, rent a tractor. Or how to call a veterinarian, the cow Nastya hasn't given milk for two days and refuses to eat. Is she the only milking cow you have? Yes, one. If she is gone, then there will be a problem.

If the Amur land accepts, and farming turns out strong, then other Old Believers will return to Russia, using the path made by the Kilins. This one. This one? Yes. Relative? Also a relative, yes? For now, relatives can only be seen on the screen. A worldly laptop in the dwelling of Old Believers, is again, prohibited. But what won't you do to make sure that there, under the Uruguayan sun, everything is OK with your relatives?