Literary Award of the Kindred Peoples’ Programme 2025

This year, the award went to playwright and director Aare Toikka for his stage production Kullervo. The award was posthumously given to French philologist, literary scholar, lecturer, and translator Yves Avril (1937–2025) for his work in translating Komi literature into French.

Aare Toikka revives the heritage of kindred peoples

Aare Toikka has created a unique work based on Elias Lönnrot’s Kalevala (translated by August Annist), Aleksis Kivi’s play of the same name, and Taneli Europaeus’ collection of Ingrian-Karelian folklore. He has also drawn inspiration from the works of J. R. R. Tolkien and the paintings of Akseli Gallen-Kallela. The result is a stage production that is both contemporary and authentically mythical. “Toikka’s text is precisely structured and rhythmic”, said jury member Aado Lintrop, “and his own verse and August Annist’s translation intertwine so naturally that at times it is even difficult to tell where one begins and the other ends.”

“This also reflects Toikka’s Ingrian Finnish origins,” added another member of the jury, Madis Arukask. “He revives the legacy of his ancestors and does so with great respect. This conscious connection to his origins and roots gives the production a cultural and historical dimension. Thus, among other themes, Kullervo also conveys the tragedy of the recent history of the Ingrian Finns, highlighting the fate and survival of small nations, which is painfully relevant in today’s global political context.”

The production is currently in the VAT Theatre’s repertoire, and those interested can go see it on 22 and 23 November.

Yves Avril brought the Komi epic “Biarmia” to French readers

Joy and sadness often go hand in hand. Today is no exception. Yves Avril passed away a week after being nominated for the award, but he knew about his nomination and was already delighted with this recognition.

He was a passionate researcher of Finno-Ugric languages and cultures. “He has done remarkable work in bringing Finno-Ugric literature and culture to French-speaking readers,” said jury member Eva Toulouze. “His book Parlons komi (“Let’s Speak Komi”) provides a good overview of the structure and cultural history of the Komi language, and also introduces the poetry of Komi writers Ivan Kuratov and Viktor Savin.” Avril continued translating Komi poetry and in 2021, together with Sébastien Cagnol, published a bilingual anthology of Komi poetry Ас чужан кылöй – ичöтик сöдз шорöй ~ Ma langue natale, puits de jouvence (“My mother tongue – fountain of youth”).

Yves Avril’s dedicated translation work is crowned by the French version of the Komi epic Biarmia written by Kallistrat Zhakov, which was published this year. Although Avril based his translation on the Russian original, he also compared it with the Komi-language version published by Mikhail Yelkin in the early 1990s. In addition, he used research on Zhakov’s life and work in his translation and relied on academic literature, primarily the research of folklorist Pavel Limerov. The result is a publication with extensive commentary, explaining the names of people and places to the reader and revealing the cultural background of the work. “Biarmia is one of the most important texts in Komi national culture,” emphasised jury member Nikolay Kuznetsov, “and thanks to Yves Avril’s erudition and dedication, it is now available in French in all its multi-layered complexity.”

The board of the Kindred Peoples’ Programme announced the winners of the literary award on 1 November, which is the memorial day of Udmurt writer and social activist Kuzebai Gerd (1898–1937). This year, the jury consisted of Eva Toulouze, Madis Arukask, Nikolay Kuznetsov, and Aado Lintrop. The prize fund is €2,500.