In the last two years, Alisa has for the first time felt free to talk about the wisdom she learned from her grandmother about these questions. Like many others, she now feels a strong desire and responsibility to communicate this knowledge to others. Her medium is the theatre, through which she carries on her grandmother's shamanic gift. All indigenous cultural traditions were severely persecuted under the Soviet government, including native languages, music, art, shamanism and storytelling. The lands have been damaged by logging, mining, farming, settlement, industry and the prison system.
Identity is threatened by resettlement schemes, boarding schools and collectivization.
Indigenous peoples share with the larger society the problems of economic collapse, in most cases getting an even shorter end of the stick than their Russian neighbors. Today there is a strong resurgence of cultural activity among indigenous peoples - concerns with education of children and adults to harmonious living on the planet, preservation and revival of ancient cultures. This is connected with growing awareness of the strength and value of these ancient cultures which have much important information needed by mainstream culture in this time of ecological disaster. Rights to the land are important in this regard, as well as simply preserving the lives of the people and various animals such as the Siberian tiger. Today, indigenous historians set out to debunk the view of their people's past that was taught in school.