Pilgrimage to the Ukok Plateau (Swiss Stories 2012, by Stefan Maurer) - Swiss Press Award
Stefan Maurer
Modern shaman Vadim from Moscow during the ritual
Galerie Proiectum
Photo / Swiss Stories
2012
Stefan Maurer
Shamans from Colombia and Siberia make pilgrimages to the tomb of a Scythian princess on the Ukok Plateau in the Siberian Altai, on the border with China, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Since the mummy was removed from the tomb, there has been unrest in the area (earthquakes, ground warming, etc.). The shamans say the spirit of the land has been disturbed and the princess must be reburied in her ancestral home. Gazprom plans to build a pipeline to China through the heart of the UNESCO-protected Ukok Plateau.
