“There is No More Poozerye”: Ilmenskoye Poozerye – Extinction or Transformation?

The article deals with the transformation of the cultural identity of the indigenous inhabitants of Ilmenskoye Poozerye (Ilmenskoye Lake Region) against the background of modern social and economic changes and emphasizes the historical significance of this region, which still retains some unique cultural features such as the dialect and a distinct local identity of the indigenous population. Although Ilmenskoye Poozerye is not an official administrative-territorial unit today and is often referred to in the past tense, the locals clearly recognize the boundaries of their region and continue to refer to themselves as Poozerians. Contrary to the widespread opinion of experts that the Ilmenskoye Poozerye region has exhausted its research potential, the article shows that this historical area can currently be researched. Although the local population itself is convinced of the ‘death’ of the Poozerye, the research shows that the Poozer community has not died but has changed. Based on in-depth interviews with people born in the Poozerye villages, it is concluded that the current community is imaginary, as it does not include all Ilmenskoye Poozerye residents, on the one hand, and urban residents with Poozer roots, who are emotionally connected to this micro-region and share the value of its past, on the other. At the same time, despite their physical distance from each other, residents continue to feel part of a single community and refer to themselves as Poozerians. Nostalgia for past times and village life unites both native Poozerians and those who have moved to the city, creating a community that can be described as ‘nostalgic.’ In this context, nostalgia is seen as a resource that creates social bonds and enables coping with life changes. The emotional attachment to the place itself and its past is another form of manifestation of the local identity of the Poozerye community, along with other criteria.