Ecological Preimage of the Symbol of Northern University in the context of Regional Cultural Code

Creation of a positive image, choice of talisman, logotype, emblem and symbol in the context of regional cultural code has always been an actual problem for every university, wherever he was situated. Not long ago we were eyewitnesses of a public contest on choice of a symbol of one of the Northern universities --‐ NArFU1. This important event points an active search of its «face» for the university, its correlation to mission, strategy and development program. We really want problems of humanitarian culture to become equal to organizational and technical problems. We will take the liberty overviewing semiotics of suggested future symbols of northern university in the context of regional cultural code.

Symbol of the university in the context of regional cultural code

One of the important issues for promoting of new organization on the market of educational services considers to be brand, which includes such definitions and structures as image, symbol, mark, logotype and emblem. From the listed before different categories, symbol plays some average role, at the same time being realistic, social figure and at the same time it captures the mission of organization in philosophical and world outlook categories. Symbol fulfills market service (here education) with «emotional content and even spiritual significance» [1, 2011]. Probably that’s why organizers have chosen symbol as the subject of contest, which is considered to be strategically right, but tactically rather difficult.

According to the modern points of view, it is characteristic for a symbol social significancy, emotional impression and polysemantic [2, pp. 991--‐1000]. Symbols, submitted for public competition in Arkhangelsk, borrowed from natural environment, are zoo--‐(anthropo--‐)morphous (bear, owl, squirrel in jacket) or characteristic for inanimate nature of the North (snowflake, iceberg, Polar lights). Answers to the question: «How you see the talisman of the NArFU?», for example, were distributed in following way: polar owl — 24%, northern lynx — 22%, golden squirrel — 21%, Eskimo dog — 13%, Husky dog — 6%, baby Seal – 3%, bear Umka – 2%. white bear — 2%, she--‐bear with bear--‐cub — 1%, iceberg — 1%, Northern lights — 1%, seagull — 1% , etc. 2. A common stereotype of vision of a symbol (talisman) of the university as natural object understandable from the first view is evident. Among those of suggested, there is no abstract and multilayer «puzzles» and engineer--‐technical symbols, it means that from the organizers’ (participants’) points of view symbol must have, without doubt, an image of alive, habitual but difficult of assess subject matter, which can induce emotions, with unevident social significancy and minimum polysemantic. We think that the problem of content can be solved by cultural means, so, as one of variants of the university symbol can become an animal, for example, a Russian Blue Cat --‐ Russian (Arkhangelsk) blue cat3. Symbol (cultural replicated figure) of this animal can be accompanied by positive, multilayer multiple culturography.

Let’s start with patriotic context of adjective «Russian». Historically the origin, second name of breed — «Arkhangelsk» — is more authentic. Nowadays the word «Arkhangelsk» in the name of a breed must be defended the same as the reputation of Arkhangelsk --‐ history of famous city--‐warrior, decent city--‐worker, first Arctic sea port of the Russian State. Specialists write: «Up to 1912 the first name of Russian short--‐haired cat: Arkhangelsk blue was preserved…Just in 1939 in Great Britain firstly appeared name Russian blue…In the middle of 80s of the XXth century back of Russian blue in Russia took place…modern Russian blue cat, cat from peasant farmsteads, who after years of wanderings came back to her motherland as finely cut and educated society lady and carried through times and hardships the mystery of the original charm of her ancestries» [2, 2002].

Breed of Russian blue cats is officially acknowledged in international organizations and really exists in Russia. In our region nowadays traditions of this cat’s breeding are practically lost, and as well as the economy and culture of the region they are possible to be restored. Epithet

«Arkhangelsk» concerns not only one area, but the whole region, as distinct from analogous brands, such as «Mezen horse», «Cholmogory cow», «Pomorye» and others. Reference not to Russia, but to concrete region --‐ Arkhangelsk --‐ is appropriate here.

Pic.1. Russian blue cat. Photo for the article is given by guardian Alina Bogacheva. URL Photo: Elena and Alexey Naumenko.

Breed of Russian blue cats is officially acknowledged in international organizations and really exists in Russia. In our region nowadays traditions of this cat’s breeding are practically lost, and as well as the economy and culture of the region they are possible to be restored. Epithet «Arkhangelsk» concerns not only one area, but the whole region, as distinct from analogous brands, such as «Mezen horse», «Cholmogory cow», «Pomorye» and others. Reference not to Russia, but to concrete region --‐ Arkhangelsk --‐ is appropriate here.

This breed was created by residents of Arkhangelsk last century from different breeds, which were taken by seamen to Arkhangelsk from the whole world, including well--‐known British. Russian (Arkhangelsk) blue cat nowadays --‐ is an «intelligent smiling dear», freestanding, unlike other breeds [3, 2008]. And at the same way Northern University, when absorbing the best European practice, must become independent, meaningful science--‐educational center of Russia.

This symbol (Arkhangelsk blue cat) would be unique, because, according to our information, it has never been used by any production in the history of region (in contrast to ship, fir, horse, berry and seal).

Marking of pure blue color (sea, sky) according to Standard must come up to bright eyes «Color of eyes --‐ bright--‐green (shining like diamonds, green as flood plains and taiga) and it must be no white patches --‐ as it must be no patches in the history of universities and on reputation of the University. To breed this cat successfully can only specialists — at the same way organization of educational process must be charged only to professionals.

Even those, who doesn’t like cats, admire their beauty, independence and mind. Cat can’t be under control, as for dogs, but at the same way cat — is a domestic animal, but not wild as lynx. So Federal University is a social--‐oriented and at the same way emphatic autonomous institute.

We can’t go by cats as by Eskimo dogs. Author wants to express perplexity on engaging of Husky and Samoyed (in presentation of the competition the last was pointed as just «Eskimo dog). According to FCI (Federal Cynological Association)4 Standards, ancestry of Husky is for the USA (FCI--‐Standard N° 270/24. 01. 2000 / GB), speaking about other breed, Samoyed (FCI--‐Standard N°212 / 09. 01. 1999 / GB), it is written rather indefinitely «Origin: Northern Russia and Siberia. Patronage Nordic Kennel Union (NKU)» 5. Though, it is well--‐known, that ancestry of Samoyeds were taken from Novaya Zemlya, according to official version, Samoyeds originate from «Northern Russia and Sibe--‐ ria», and the first standard was adopted by the English one hundred years ago: «The name Samoyed derives from the Samoyed Tribes in Northern Russia and Siberia… The first standard was written in England in 1909».

In such a way, when overviewing the breed from the group of Eskimo dogs as the foretype of the Northern University’s symbol, according to the author’s point of view, Husky and Samoyed are not considered to be the prime choice, it is possible to find other challengers. For example, in the same standard speaking about traditional Russian Eskimo dogs --‐ Russian--‐European Eskimo dog --‐ in in

Standard of breed (FCI--‐Standard N° 304/02.03.2011/EN) it is directly noted: «This is a Russian breed of hunting dogs from the European forest areas of Russia. The first record about northern ear--‐pointed dogs was published by A. A. Shirinsky--‐Shikhmatov in the “Album of northern sledge dogs--‐laikas” in 1895… The breed was limited to the regions of Komi, Udmurtia, Arkhangelsk, Yaro--‐ slavl, Tver, Moscow and some other areas of Russia. In 1947 the off--‐spring of Arkhangelsk, Komi, Karelia, Votiatsk and other Laikas were united into one breed under the modern name of: — Rus--‐ sian--‐European Laika. The breed standard for Russian--‐European Laika as a purebred dog was ap--‐ proved in 1952». The very core, evidently, is not in formal bureaucratic frills --‐ who, where and what for standardized different breeds of Laikas, but in fact how carelessly Russians give their native to foreigners, how frivolously they go for the history and reputation of their Motherland when searching the symbol--‐concept, disregarding their own achievements, for example native breeds.

Cat is a stayer, ubiquitous animal, in comparison with one of claimants upon symbol --‐ white bear with its suburban habitat, which is restricted with area of polar ice dispersal. White bears, pushed closer to a person (in the zoo), are not so white, but a little yellow, with dirty belly and red paws. White bear --‐ is one of the most dangerous predators in nature, it is practically impossible to be domesticated, it is nice only free between ice and far from people. And a cat welcomes everyone in warm and comfortable home so, as seamen and fishermen were usually waited on the Pomor side of the White sea. A home cat, unlike most of other animals, can be taken to the ship and start a voyage to the North Pole.

In the title of the university key words point at location and union--‐state meaning, but we, citizens of Arkhangelsk, speak for instance, «Our NArFU». Within our meaning it is so: «situated by us, in Arkhangelsk», «here study and work firstly residents of the Arkhangelsk region», «history of NArFU --‐ is a practically one hundred--‐year common history of local universities». Image of a symbol, which includes elements of regional cultural code, — is a culture courtesy to the city, where the Federal university «was born» and «grew», a well--‐deserved demonstration of respect to its beautiful name, unchangeable during history, name--‐symbol and name--‐concept. How much we want to disappear such paradigmatic «cod--‐wood--‐boredom» or philosophic «Arkhangelsk --‐ dead--‐end city … from the word dead end or dullness?» and came such new images as: «city with angel appearance», «region where is heaven and people like angels» or «cat as on the symbol of the Northern University».

Let’s pay attention to the fact that cat is considered to be the only among all animals, except birds, who can live in orthodox churches, where it catches mice, saving good for people.

Benefits from cat are evident, unlike living somewhere on trees, faraway from people «wise» forest owl. Cat is artful and blistering, nice hunter («catches mice», means always in the swim), there is no meanness or underflows — unlike unexpectedly turning iceberg. Cats grow fast --‐ it is not infant, growing bear cub. Cats can be of both genders — male and female cat, what can bring harmony to the symbolic image. Image of fertility is also interesting: «as cat» knowledges can multiply and spread around the earth «as kittens». Eventually, «Cat has nine lives», which suppose survival in all trouble situations, that’s why cat genus will not disappear or exhale unlike snowflake.

Conclusion

Let’s put the problem opened. Probably not all the consumers of educational service like cats; probably, Arkhangelsk blue cats haven’t become an absolute value for natives of Arkhangelsk and its promotion is not necessary; anyway, there are many other variants of symbol. But how much we would like when living part of our own lives under the symbol go the Northern University, to be proud for our university, to see the perspective of its organization, through multiplicity game of signs to forestall the grandeur of designs.

Symbol for modern valuable for the region organization such as the Northern University, must be close and understandable in point of fact, artistically plain and unified, emotionally warm for all and semantically deep for those who work in the system of higher education, without any other marketing efforts.