Female dance group "Alagar Dalbardara" at the Cultural Fund "Northern Rainbow" (Chyappara, Republic of Sakha, Yakutia, Russia) took part in the IX World Championship of Folklore "World Folk" in August 2019 held in the Bulgarian seaside resorts Nessebar, Sunny Beach, Pomorie and Sveti Vlas. 

The group was established in 2015 with the aim to preserve and spread the local traditions and customs. Participating in the World Championship, the women from the group presented to the audience the local traditional dance named "Nenahha ayan" ("Isakha Ayan").  The dance symbolizes the women from Yakutia who ride horses on the Yhyakh celebration - New Year holiday that welcomes the summer.

A distinctive dance accessory present in the performance of "Alagar Dalbardara" is the fan made of horsehair, which is perceived as a means of purification from spirits and a symbol, part of the ritual of praying for prosperity.

In Yakutia, horses have a very strong symbolism - in the center of the coat of arms of the country is depicted a horseman holding a flag as a symbol of the unification of the Yakut tribes. The animal also plays an important role in the cultural heritage of the nation - it is part of the customs, traditions and holidays.

You can see the importance of the horsehair fan in the performance of these talented dancers!