Life here is serious by Rob Hornstra

b. 2005

2004 1,100 schoolchildren are taken hostage in Beslan, North Ossetia. 334 people are killed, including parents and teachers. Hundreds are wounded. The perpetrators mostly come from the neighbouring republics Ingushetia and Chechnya.

b. 2004

b. 2003

2003 With Russiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s approval, former rebel leader Akhmad Kadyrov becomes president of Chechnya. He is killed a year later. His son, Ramzan, succeeds him â&#x20AC;&#x201C; first as prime minister and after his 30th birthday as president.

b. 2002

We have wrestled since the day the world was created In Spartak, one of the most prestigious training centres in Dagestan's capital Makhachkala, Magomed Ibragimovich Magomedov slides along the wooden bench towards us. He is a giant of a man. Nearly two metres tall, he bears a belly that betrays a few too many shashlik dinners. Around us the wrestlers show off their skills. During the entire conversation Magomed does not take his eyes off them. He is addicted to the sport. By way of introduction he points out a number of champions. That man was the champion of Dagestan, the one over there of the North Caucasus region. As if they were engaged in real matches, the wrestlers throw each other on the mat. They fight hard, without dealing any blows. It is hard to imagine that the colossus on the bench next to us once rolled around here too. In fact, he was world champion, became champion of Russia, the USSR and Europe five times. He is now a coach. I ask him the secret of the Caucasian wrestling culture. Clearly accustomed to giving speeches, he launches into his narrative. His voice reverberates around the room like a clock. His fat, hairy belly shakes back and forth and his eyes twinkle at the fantastic story he is telling. “Our people, our ancestors always wrestled. We have wrestled since the day the world was created. Dagestan is the heart of the Caucasus. There are mountain peaks that are always covered with snow; there is a sea that never freezes.” He stops for a moment and winks. The sea did freeze this year, during the coldest winter in living memory. Makhachkala’s coast was inundated with starving pelicans searching for warmth and food. Magomed clears his throat, briefly surveys the sports hall in front of him and continues in a booming voice. “Everyone tried to conquer us, the Romans, the reds and the whites during the revolution, the Mongols before them, but no one was successful. An example: there’s a monument in Iran to Nader Shah, the former king. He’s considered a celebrity. They call him the second Alexander the Great, or the second Napoleon. But our mountain people defeated him laughing. The coward fled in disgrace, leaving behind all his troops. Genghis Khan as well. He slithered along the coast like a snake and didn’t dare to go into the mountains, out of fear for our sabres. The rulers from Samarkand, well, you know what I mean. We fought and fought. Wrestling is in our blood. Wrestling is politics, culture, philosophy and art. “We have a special upbringing here, we do things our way. If a man asks the parents for their daughter’s hand in marriage, the parents ask if he wrestles or not. Our forefathers told us that we need strong, courageous men. In this life, only the very fittest survive in Dagestan. Life is a struggle, and wrestling is a struggle in itself.”

b. 2001

b. 2000

2000 Putin is elected president. Shortly before as prime minister he starts the Second Chechen War. An estimated 25,000 people are killed and 5,000 people go missing. Another 500,000 people lose their homes or flee.

b. 2000

b. 1999

Aggression runs in our blood In a suburb of Dagestan’s capital Makhachkala, Magomedkhan Magomedovich Magomedkhanov works at the institute for history and ethnology. As soon as we enter his cold office, books appear on the table. “Everything I have been doing lately has been devoted to carpets. I want to record all of Dagestan’s patterns and traditions in this area. Are you interested in this too?” Despair creeps over us. This conversation could easily take an unwanted turn. A wrong answer and we could spend the next two hours learning about carpets. A nightmare. We have actually come to talk about the history of Dagestan, the violence, the fear of a civil war; the kind of broad discussion with which to begin a journey through a country. Carpets are not part of that. We need a new topic, something that also touches on the folkloric element. Wrestling. An ideal choice, it soon appears. “Wrestling,” muses Magomedkhan. “Wrestling is perhaps at the core of raising children in the Caucasus. In Dagestan, you are only a child for a short time. In Russia and the West you are still a child at 16. As teenagers you defy your parents, you grow up irresponsibly. Here, girls of eight are already as mature and responsible as their mothers. They already know everything. They can receive guests and talk to everyone as equals. They have become a miniature copy of their mothers and grandmothers. There are rarely generational conflicts here. If a boy starts wrestling at seven or eight, he does so as a serious man. It’s not just a game, but a serious fight between two men. Serious because the whole upbringing and education system here is serious. Serious because life here is serious. If you’re 14, then you need to be a fighter. You should be aware of that when you watch a wrestling match between two boys.” Magomedkhan looks over his thick glasses, offers another round of biscuits and tries to make tea from his electric kettle. The carpets are forgotten; this discussion concerns the honour of his country. “The harshest punishment in Dagestan is not what the judge says about you, but what people say about you. If it’s negative, you will always be tarred with that brush. Even if you were seven when it happened. In my village a boy, Yusup, stole a sheep’s ribcage from people in the next village. He became a local disgrace. He’s now 77. He’s still called Yusup-Ribs. “Who you are to Putin doesn’t matter. Who you are to the local villagers is much more important. Dagestanis are highly competitive, without it becoming cruel. It’s not about personal honour, personal gain. It’s about the morality of the community. If you’re beaten, the mothers say: get out and come back again when you win. Winners toured other villages, to win there too. They became famous.

“Wrestling only became a professional sport in the Soviet era. Sports such as volleyball and football, which we were also good at, arrived at the same time. But Ali Aliev, our wrestling world champion, is to us what Pele and Maradona were in the West. Everyone knew him, everyone wanted to be like him. He succeeded in a sport that was already close to our hearts. “That tradition stems from our geopolitical position. Dagestan has always been an alliance of mountain people between the sprawling empires of the Ottomans, Persians and Russians. Everyone fought everyone else and the Caucasians lost all too often because our population was too small. Aggression and power run in our blood. Our sports are rarely games. And therein lies the real beauty of wrestling. These are ancient traditions.”

b. 1999

As we travelled through the North Caucasus, wrestling was an excellent cover to move freely. Even when we were on our way to a harrowing human rights story, even when we visited a village that had rebelled against its own government, as soon as we were stopped wrestling was the magic word of reassurance. “Of course, wrestling!” And the stories followed. During our trip we also became hooked on the great sport. This Sketchbook charts our growing obsession.

Wrestling and the North Caucasus are inextricably linked. Not only is wrestling the most popular sport in the region, the North Caucasus is also the birthplace of many Olympic champions. They are honoured as heroes. Above all, wrestling as a tactical, brutal sport rich in traditions is a metaphor for the North Caucasus itself: a hospitable but violent region.

Thanks to: Familie Abdulaev Antoine Achten David K. Adams Jeroen Akkermans Johannes Amm Brechje Asselbergs Jessica Auer Inga Lara Baldvinsdottir Harry Barkema Saskia Barth Det Bazelmans Stefan Becker Rainer Berg Danielle van Berkel Joost M. Beunderman Saskia van Beveren Marc Bierings J.J.M. van de Bijl Michel Angelo Binsbergen Eefje Blankevoort Victor Blankevoort Jelle Bloem Kees Boef Roos Boer Maarten Boerma Kris Borgerink Maarten Boswijk Nicolaas Bot Els Bovenberg Allan Bovill Patrick Bras Jacco Brink

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Photography: © Rob Hornstra / INSTITUTE Courtesy Flatland Gallery NL | Paris Text: © Arnold van Bruggen, Prospektor Translation: Cecily Layzell Design: Kummer & Herrman, Utrecht Print: Drukkerij Slinger, Alkmaar

Life here is serious is the second publication in The Sochi Project Sketchbook Series.

Colophon

Corine van den Broek Marca van den Broek Gerard Broersen Steve Brown Anke van Bruggen Erik van Bruggen Janny and Popke van Bruggen Irma Bulkens Heleen Bulthuis Simon Burer Melchior Bussink Romelia Calin Stefan Canham Theo Captein Francesco Chiericoni David Christensen Chris Clement Toon de Clerck Joerg Colberg Giorgio Comai Joelle Cornuz L.J.A.D. Creyghton Benno van Daalen Nelson Daires Dieter Danzer Debras Debras Els Dekker Hans Dekker Martin Dixon Stichting Doel Zonder Naam Carola van Dongen de Boer Ivan Donovan Albert Doorenbos Marc Duponcel Thomas Dworzak Tom Dziomba Simone van Eik Anna Eikelboom Jan Pieter Ekker Frank van den Engel Leo Erken Peter Evans Nicole Ex Asselbergs Olivier Fierens Richard Fieten Jonas Fischer Judith Fischer Joeri Folman Markus Franke McKenzie Funk Esther Gaarlandt Francoise Gaarlandt Kist Thijs Gadiot FreeLens Galerie Dirk Gebhardt Marijke Geelen Borker Coen Geertsema Catharina Gerritsen

Bertus Gerssen Heidi de Gier Frits Gierstberg Jasper Gilijamse Mariette Glas Albers Jan Glerum Tino Glimmann Ingo Gotz Annemarie Graft Henk Greven Martijn Groeneveld Cocky de Groot Peter Guettler Anke van Haarlem Anne Haenni Arjan van Hal Ingrid Harms Gregory Harris Frans van Hasselt Maarten van Heems Mieke Heeringa Mark Henderson Hans Hendriks Marlene Herkemij Michael Hermse Arthur Herrman Marloes Hiethaar Paul ‘t Hoen Eva Hofman Emile Holba Bert van Hoogenhuyze Korrie Hopstaken Joop Hopster Joost and Joke Hornstra Luc Hornstra Maarten Hornstra Tom Hornstra Max Houghton Laurien ten Houten Elisabeth van ‘t Hull Vermaas Eelco van Hulsen Michiel Hulshof Fred Icke Lucia Janssen Tom Janssen Els Jekel Fred Jelsma Will Jenkins Cornelie de Jong Mayke Jongsma Antie and Jan Kaan Tomas Kaan Karijn Kakebeeke Felix Kalkman lizette van der Kamp Dolph Kessler Robin Klaassen Erik Klappe

Talmon Kochheim Ria Kock Derin Korman Meike Koster Ben Krewinkel Sybren Kuiper Jeroen Kummer Tom Lagerberg Margaret Lansink Rindert W. Leegsma Theo Willem van Leeuwen Alexandre Lefevre Percy B. Lehning Oscar Leker Andra Leurdijk Baptiste Lignel Geisje van der Linden Christine Lindo Emmy Lokin Piscaer Alma Loos Marijke Louppen Ron Louwerse Allard Luchsinger Menno Luitjes Celina Lunsford Femke M. Lutgerink Michael van Maanen Henrik M. Malmstrom Paul Malschaert Michael Mccraw C.F. van der Molen Gerda Mulder B.C.M. Neggers Simon Neggers Herbert Nelissen Dieter Neubert Floor Nicolas Pepijn Nicolas Pipo Nicolas Michiel Nijland Bram Nijssen Corinne Noordenbos Job Noordhof Katrien Otten Lodewijk van Paddenburgh Nell Pastors Douglas Penn Cock Pleijsier Rik Plomp Astrid Pollers Jeppe van Pruissen Ingvar Hogni Ragnarsson Rianne Randeraad Elsje van Ree Jukka Reverberi Wilfred Roelink Mike Roelofs Laura van Roessel Loek van Roessel

Johannes Romppanen Tijmen Rooseboom Lex van Rootselaar Pieter Roozenboom Jewgeni Roppel Jeanette van Rotterdam Rixt Runia Jacobien Rutgers Erik Ruts David Schalliol Hannah Schildt Marike Schipper Samuel Schliske Andreas Schoening Meindert Scholma Soeren Schuhmacher Gerrit Schurer Hannah Schwarzbach Roel Segerink Fabio Severo Patrick Sijben Iris Sikking Katja Sinnema Fransje Sjenitzer Bart Sleegers Robin Sluijs Joshua Smith Hans Snellen Frans Soeterbroek Milena Spaan Sander Spek Hans Stakelbeek Bonnie Steenman Conny Steenman Jolien Steenman Joop Steenman Lorette Steenman Anoek Steketee Kitty Steketee Truus Stevens Alain Stoeckli Philip Stroomberg Ton Sweep Marlies Swinkels Bjoern Theye Mirelle Thijsen Giovanni Toccafondi Jeroen Toirkens Reinier Treur Piero Turk Serge Van Cauwenbergh Jan Vandemoortele Anneke van Veen Christiaan van Veen Hanneke van Velzen Kirsten Verpaalen C.M.E. Versteeg Danny Veys Marieke Viergever

Medi (7) Khusein (7) Jabrail (8) Askhab (9) Beslan (9) Rasul (10) Rizvan (10) Salikh (11) Anzor (12) Umar (12) Ismail (12) Ragim (12) Magomed (13) Magomed (13) Radjab (13) Saikhan (13) Imran (14) Muslim (14) Ramazan (14) Abdulkadir (14) Abdulaziz (14) Omaraskhab (16) Rasul (16) Nazhmutdin (17) Shakhban (20) Usup (23) Gabib (25)

Special thanks to the wrestlers:

Dirk-Jan Visser Ellen Visser Henkjan van Vliet Elise Volker Jurryt van de Vooren Zelda de Vries Martijn de Waal Rob Wandelee Jerry van der Weert Rolf Weijburg Theijs van Welij Michael Wichita Pieter Bas van Wiechen Thomas Wiegand Thomas Wieland Friso Wiersum Yannik Willing Lars Willumeit Goof van de Winkel Jan Willem Wirtz Marieke ten Wolde Valentin Wormbs Lap Ming Yeung Iris van der Zee Antonia Zennaro Elza Zijlstra Damian Zimmermann

1999 Chechen rebel leader Shamil Basayev carries out a failed invasion of Dagestan. He is forced back by local troops.

b. 1998

1997 Russia withdraws from Chechnya. Chechnya elects its own president and renames the country Ichkeria. Numerous militias roam the country and destabilise Dagestan and Ingushetia.

b. 1996

Spartan regime Khazvyurt is the North Caucasus’ wrestling capital. Although the most famous training school in the Russian Federation is in the remote Siberian city of Yakutsk, many future champions are formed in Khazvyurt. Ossetians, Chechens, Circassians, Russians and Dagestanis come here to train. The greatest champion of the last 20 years, Buvaisair Saitiev, comes from Khazvyurt. Alikhan Alimsheikhovich Dzhamaldinov has been the head of Spartak wrestling boarding school since 2007. Boys, so tiny a gust of wind could blow them over, start their Olympic dreams here. From the small fields, dormitories and sports halls they hope to achieve the status of the heroes whose pictures hang everywhere. Alikhan walks slowly through his training village. His ears were severely battered in his youth. The veins at the top of his auricles have broken and the blood has clotted. Two cauliflower ears is the result. They are the trademark of all real wrestlers. Alikhan was Russia’s first freestyle wrestling champion in 1970. “My centre is open to everyone,” he says. Wherever there is space, his motto ‘Peace for the Caucasus, peace for the world’ is written on the walls. Every year a tournament is held in his name, when the motto is changed to ‘Peace and friendship in the Caucasus’. An Armenian sportsman has had special medals made for the event, with Alikhan’s head on one side and the motto in bronze on the other. Peace here cannot be taken for granted, after all. Less than 15 kilometres away is the border with Chechnya, home to many good wrestlers but also two bloody wars in the last 20 years; wars that have been kept out of Dagestan with great difficulty. In Dagestan itself, bombings and gunfights between police forces and Islamic-inspired extremists are commonplace, but at this boarding school everyone is welcome. “My secret is the Spartan regime we impose on our children,” says Alikhan. Like the wrestling king he is, he strides over his grounds, with us and several assistants in his wake. It has snowed heavily, but the training schedule cannot be interrupted. Small boys with blue hands and red faces dance around each other like cats. They grab each other by the head or shoulder and try to topple one another. You can win by pinning your opponent’s shoulders to the mat, but also with tactical points. “Wrestling is all about training and tactics,” says Alikhan. “You should watch those little ones when they have a wrestling match. That’s where you’ll still see pure technique. Adults also use a great deal of strength, which sometimes masks the technique.” In the hall we watch a wrestling match together. It is phenomenal. With incredible strength and agility, the wrestlers try to knock their opponents down while keeping themselves off the floor.

To that end, they curve their backs into bridges, twist their necks, and – while locked together – perform half somersaults to escape. Wrestling is spectacular. After the tour of the boarding school, a row of cars is waiting to take us to Alikhan’s house. It is slightly higher up, past Khazvyurt’s endless market halls, along a dirt road on top of a hill. A gate opens to reveal a small pleasure garden, with a villa, a scullery and dining room, a small zoo housing giant rabbits, raccoons, peacocks and turkeys, and two dogs who nervously yap their welcome. A cognac-drenched dinner awaits us. “It’s difficult to raise champions,” Alikhan tells us after the usual series of toasts. “Other schools are always lying in wait. If we have a promising child, they offer money to steal the child away. Then they have the champion. No parents would refuse that. They can earn $500. “Wrestling has been so successful in the Caucasus because it’s cheap and you don’t need much space. You don’t have to make or sell anything, you don’t need a football field or tennis court. You can wrestle on any small piece of land. Nowadays, children have a lot of distractions,” says Alikhan and points to the television set up in the dining room. “But I can assure you: my children only eat food from our own farm. You won’t see any porn or terrorist propaganda here. No student of mine becomes a bandit, even though the temptations are great, in Khazvyurt and throughout Dagestan. People here are often humiliated. They’re forced to pay for care or education, which is supposed to be free. They have to buy a job. People are looking for truth and justice. That sometimes leads to radical Islam or to the terrorists in the mountains. But I try to offer an alternative. Every second student of mine becomes a champion.”

b. 1996

b. 1995

1994 Russia begins the First Chechen War in an attempt to bring Chechnya back into the Russian Federation. Grozny is bombed. An estimated 50,000 people are killed and 5,000 people go missing. Around 500,000 people lose their homes or flee.

b. 1992

1991 The Soviet Union collapses. Chechnya declares its independence. In North Ossetia an ethnic conflict breaks out between Ingush and Ossetians over the Prigorodny district.

“Wrestling is serious, because life here is serious.” — Magomedkhan Magomedkhanov

b. 1989

b. 1987