Julia Basova: "I do not understand when people say that the Caucasus is separate from Russia"

Interview by Oleg Kusov. Exclusively for Vestnik Kavkaza.

Interesting guests are always welcome at Vestnik Kavkaza. Oleg Kusov gives you the opportunity to speak to each guest in the studio. These conversations are not only about the Caucasus. A half-hour conversation over tea passes quickly. The section "True Word" records conversations in video, audio and text formats.

- Good afternoon. Traditionally we start the conversation with our region. What does the Caucasus mean for you?

- You know, I'm a child of the Soviet period. I was born when the Soviet Union was still blooming, it was fine and there was no doubt that it would last forever. Thus there is still no separation in my head between Russia and the Caucasus. I do not understand when people say that the Caucasus is separate from Russian. These people have been always akin to me - Azerbaijanis, Ossetians and other nationalities. We grew up together; we played in the same sandbox. It is not clever to separate. Yes, of course the Caucasian people have always been a little different temperamentally, they behaved a little differently. But mostly I always encountered the good sides of their nature. I like the way you live, dear residents of the Caucasus, I like your attitude towards life, I like that you always like everything around to be beautiful. You always feel the fullest, you accept your friends, your friendship is genuine, and so is your grief. This all is always strong, full of passion and love. And this passes from generation to generation. I appreciate that, unlike us, Russians, you are never alone, you always have close people who love and support you. You do not lose touch with your family, whereas we Russians tend to move away from this and to stop communicating with our parents, brothers and sisters. I must admit that I am also guilty of this. Sometimes my mother reproaches me: why is it so? Why do we meet so rarely? The Caucasian tradition of communicating with relatives is a sacred tradition. I think we should learn from this. Therefore, the Caucasus for me is something positive, something permanent, something that does not change, that is always beautiful. So I wish you happiness and health, dear residents of the Caucasus.

- And what about the attitude toward women in the Caucasus?

- You know, nowadays it is quite unique. Russia is close to the East in this respect, but as for Europe, where I often live and travel, in particular France and England, there the attitude to men and women is equal. That is, a man is not trying to take care of a woman, not trying to shield her from the sorrows of adversity, not trying to support her with his strong shoulder. He says: "We are equal. We each pay for ourselves in the restaurant, we bring up children together, and we both earn money. Perhaps this is bad in our time, when, in fact, very few women want to be just wives. Now all women try to do something outstanding and to earn money. They would do anything. In the Caucasus, still, a real man is a man who sees his woman as a delicate, fragile dove and tries to hide her from all things negative, to take on all the tasks. And a woman should be happy under his wing, but, of course, he demands from her to perform certain household tasks: raising children, cooking, keeping the house in order. As a woman who grew up without a father, I have always wanted to have just a husband who will protect me, but life is so complicated that I nonetheless grew up a strong woman. Now at this point in my life I follow the European model: we are equal. I try to earn as much as a man, I try to do something, but, nevertheless, I have a warm attitude to such a model of family life in my heart. It will remain my little dream.

- You do not write about the Caucasus, yet you know the Caucasus well. That means that you still have many friends there.

- I have many friends and acquaintances. You know, they are really great people, people who are capable of a very tender, faithful attitude to their friends. Honestly, I really appreciate and love them.

- Now let us talk about your novels - "The Clear. Love is the Mission,""The Clear. Traps of Memory,” and the sensational “Bachelor No. 6." You live in the world of feelings and romance, Julia. Are you not disturbed by the deficiency of these things in our society?

- Romance is still there. If you are tuned in a certain way, you are like a magnet for those people who give you what you need. Therefore now in my life there are people who speak romantically, symbolically, who still write poems and songs. Perhaps these people have to hide their attitude, according to what you are saying. Because being romantic, subtle and unusual for our time is not very convenient. First, you are likely to be taken for a sort of a madman. Secondly, you are not taken into account. Thirdly, in order to earn money in order to stay afloat and have success, you need a commercial vein, and romance should be abandoned.

- Healthy cynicism is needed, is not it?

- Commerce and cynicism go hand in hand. Of course, even romantically-minded people need to hide all this, but when they are with their relatives... Yes, I am trying to be close to my friends, to the people I love. I see them expressing themselves in text messages, in person, and over the phone. So the romance is still there, it just became fashionable to hide it.