• Director: Guka Omarova
  • Country: USA, Russia, Italy
  • Year: 2019

The darkhans of Buryatia, a Buddhist region of Siberia, were craftsmen and blacksmiths highly esteemed for their artistic skills, ability to work with fire, and shamanistic talent. Dashi Namdakov, a descant of darkhans, began to learn the craft not long after a Buryat shaman cured him of a life-threatening illness as a young man. Today he is internationally celebrated as an artist and sculptor. Namdakov carries on his ancestors’ ways, working with fire and metal to create art that conveys a Buddhist-shamanic spirituality and a distinct flavor of the supernatural. This 2019 film by Kazakh director Guka Omarova offers a glimpse into Namdakov’s fascinating life and the creative process that honors his Buryat roots.

This film was available for streaming until midnight on Friday, October 3rd, 2020. Tricycle’s screening has ended, but you can find the film on Tubi.

Courtesy of Tengri Productions

Dashi Namdakov in his studio | Courtesy of Tengri Productions

my soul drifts light upon a sea of trees

Chase, Dashi Namdakov, charcoal on paper, 2009 | Courtesy of Tengri Productions

Image from the film Mongol where Dashi Namdakov served as Production Designer | Courtesy of Tengri Productions

Genghis Khan, Dashi Namdakov, bronze, 2011 | Courtesy of Tengri Productions

Royal Hunting and the Center of Asia, Dashi Namdakov, 2013 | Courtesy of Tengri Productions

Courtesy of Tengri Productions

Dashi Namdakov and his young daughter | Courtesy of Tengri Productions