Vladimir Romashkin

Vladimir Ivanovich Romashkin (Erzya: Йовлань Оло (Yovlan Olo),Russian: Влади́мир Ива́нович Рома́шкин; 6 September 1951, Dubno Raion, Mordovia, USSR – 29 August 2002, Saransk, Russia) was an Erzya Mordvin folklorist, researcher, musician and documentary filmmaker who is considered a significant figure in the cultural revival of the Erzya, Moksha, Shoksha, and Qaratay people. He also created the musical group Toorama.

In 1975, Romashkin graduated from the conducting and choral department at Saransk Music School. By 1980 he is part of conducting and choral faculty at the Kazan Conservatory, and in 1986 postgraduate study at MNIIYALIE (folklore and art sector). From 1980 to 1989, he was a research in folklore and art at the Mordovia Research Institute of Language, Literature and History. In 1986, he published his monograph "On some features Mordovians-Karataev traditional art of singing", in which he described Qaratay folklore in villages in the Tatar ASSR. Later, he became a screenwriter and filmmaker, with his participation were created documentaries Karatau and Istoki. He also filmed the musical film for Toorama of the same name. From 1990 to his death in 2002, Romashkin was a teacher of musical disciplines at the National School of Culture in Saransk.

Perhaps Romashkins' most famous work was that of the creation of the group Toorama, the repertoire of which included Erzya, Moksha, and Qaratay songs. The repertoire of the group was united by traditions of various ethnic groups living in Mordovia. The group was part of family: to actively participate in it, Romashkin brought his sons, Andrew and Vitaly.

In his last years, in contact with the Russian reenactment movement, Romashkin stood as the head of the youth movement "Od Wii" (New Force).

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