On October 30, 2010, Vladimir Romanovich Arsenyev, a well-known St. Petersburg ethnographer, Candidate of Historical Sciences, foreign member of the French Academy of Sciences of Overseas Countries since 1999, member of the Scientific Council of the Russian Academy of Sciences on African Problems (1999) and the Paris Society of African Studies (2004), died suddenly.

His role in Soviet/Russian science of Africa goes far beyond the limits indicated by his formal status as a senior researcher at the Kunstkamera Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography. V. R. Arsenyev can rightly be compared with the famous Russian explorers of distant and near countries and peoples of the XIX-early XX centuries, who for years not only observed but lived among exotic ethnic groups on the islands of the Pacific Ocean, in the mountains and deserts of Central Asia and the Middle East, in the snow-covered tundra of the North... First, because of the passion for your favorite profession and dedication to it. Secondly, in his desire not just to study the life of Africans (primarily Mali), but to merge with the local Bambara and Songhai, to share their joys and troubles: in Mali, he spent several years directly communicating with Africans. Third, he shared a deep professional background with famous Russian ethnographers. For the first time, he came to Africa armed with a knowledge of three African and French languages, ethnography and the history of the continent's peoples, especially West Africa. The only irony was that, unlike the travelers of the tsarist period, he was not as free as his predecessors, having secured letters of introduction and received the necessary funds, say, from the Imperial Geographical Society or some benefactor, to go to the continent in accordance with his own program, traveling or settling in one village. No, its "benefactor" was the Ministry of Defense of the USSR, whose interests in strengthening military-technical cooperation with African states merged with the desire to

a graduate of Leningrad University will plunge into the life of the Malian peoples and at the same time earn decent money in Soviet times.

And unlike his free French colleagues in ethnology, for whom this part of Africa was almost their home, he had to obey the attache's schedule, communicating with the locals in snatches, as far as the strict military regulations of being abroad allowed. And again, unlike the vast majority of Africanists, he presented several hundred handicrafts and everyday objects brought from his first trip to Mali to the museum, expanding its African collection by an order of magnitude.

The significance of this scientist in our guild science was determined by the fact that he was, in fact, the first representative of a new generation of Africanists in Soviet science, who was destined to conduct field research in the African hinterland. Few Russian scientists before him had ever just happened to be on the continent, let alone travel to the countryside... And those few who, for example, would be far from the capital, would be able to communicate with local residents? He could speak Bamana, and his French was perfect.

V. R. Arsenyev was born on August 7, 1948 in Leningrad. While still at school, he became interested in Africa, and in 1966 he entered the Eastern Faculty of Leningrad University. Department of African Studies with its courses of introduction to the specialty, ethnography, history and country studies of Africa, languages of Bamana, Malinke, Hausa, one of the founders of the department corresponding member. D. A. Olderogge of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR , Associate Professor V. M. Misyugin, the most authoritative among students, teacher of Bamana Maliets Diarra and other excellent teachers of the department and faculty, student evenings and revels, summer construction teams with work sometimes to exhaustion - it was in this half-romantic, half-working environment that Vladimir Arsenyev's interests and character were formed. To say that he diligently "gnawed the granite of science"?... Alas, the future authority of field research in Africa once found himself on the verge of expulsion - he was scattered, led what is called a "full-fledged student lifestyle" and, sometimes, missed classes.

In 1971, a student of the Department of African Studies V. Arsenyev received a diploma, where the specialty was "languages of West Africa". However, D. A. Olderogge could not accept the future scientist to graduate school in the Africa Department of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, recommending that he serve in the army as an interpreter in Mali. Those were sad days for V. R. Arsenyev, which even 40 years later he remembered not without bitterness.

He served conscientiously and received a number of promotions from the leadership of the military representatives in Mali. However, most importantly, during his three years in Mali, he established strong, trusting ties with Malians in the local hinterland. These relations, which were reinforced by his ever-improving command of the Bamana language, the most widely spoken language in the Republic of Mali, were so warm that he was invited to join the Hunting Union, an informal society of hunters that brought together people of authority and influence in public life and politics. Only people who were privy to the secret meanings of the hunting cult could get there. No foreigner has ever received such an honor.

Arsenyev added to his impressions of Mali during two more long business trips to the country. In total, he spent about seven years in Africa. His knowledge of the minutest details of Mali's life - from politics to everyday life - was second to none. This was recognized by famous French Africanists, scientists with world-famous names: J.-R. Dozon, J. Copans, and others.

After returning from Mali in 1974, he was accepted to graduate school, which he was very happy about: his dream came true! From now on, he could freely communicate with his idol D. A. Olderogge, with whom he maintained a regular correspondence, consulting on issues of ethnology, literature and culture. However, he did not defend his PhD thesis "Social aspects of traditional economic activity in Bambara (Republic of Mali)" very soon - in 1986.

During his scientific life, he published over 250 works, including several books, some of which were translated into foreign languages. What was the focus of V. R. Arsenyev's attention? The formation and relations of ethnic groups in Mali, the social structure of Bambara, which, as he convincingly proved, has generally been preserved to the present day. The identity of Malian ethnic groups, kinship systems, ethnic and professional characteristics and the influence of caste groups on the political life of other African countries-these are the main areas of his research in the 1970s-2000s. Museology, methods and methods of collecting field material-these topics were covered by him in a number of articles.

V. R. Arsenyev was particularly successful in studying clan communities in the West African region: he proved, using linguistic methods as well, that they unite

groups of people who are characterized by the same type of social status, a certain role in the political life of local societies.

In the 2000s, his attention was drawn to the relations between Russia and the countries of the West African region, the possibilities of cooperation between our country and France, and their rivalry. He tried to draw the attention of the "sovereign people" to this most important area of Russian foreign policy, which, in his opinion, if successful here, could generally contribute to increasing Russia's authority in the world. It cannot be said that the Russian leaders were interested, but the French-official circles and scientists - showed serious interest: V. R. Arsenyev was elected a foreign member of the French Overseas Academy of Sciences, he was interviewed by French magazines and newspapers, first of all such an authoritative publication as Gen Afrique, and was repeatedly invited to Paris as a prominent specialist across Mali. He became his own man in the French Consulate in St. Petersburg and in the Embassy of Mali in Moscow.

There were students: on a voluntary basis, he led a seminar on socio-political problems of African states, which was attended by students of the eastern and other faculties of St. Petersburg University and higher education institutions of the city. We met once a week to discuss, for example, the problems of establishing statehood in African countries in comparison with the development of the Russian state.

He was a statesman, so he joined the Communist Party a long time ago, and he was hard-pressed by the breakdown of the former powerful state mechanism. During this period, especially at the end of his life, he actively collaborated with St. Petersburg newspapers, writing analytical articles on international events from the standpoint of liberal conservatism.

After the death of D. A. Olderogge in 1987 and the death of S. B. Chernetsov, who headed the Department of Africa at the MAHE, the question arose about a successor, not just a follower, but a bearer of the scientific traditions that the Leningrad School of African Studies, created under the leadership of D. A. Olderogge, embodied. This name was just formulated by V. R. Arsenyev, who noted the special features of the Leningrad research school that separated it from other institutions: the reliance on linguistic roots in conducting historical or socio-political research, the fundamental nature expressed in deep historical training and knowledge of the ethno-social realities of the peoples of the continent. When asked who would carry the banner of the "Leningrad School of African Studies" from now on, the answer was self-evident.

V. R. Arsenyev's healthy scientific ambition manifested itself in another aspect of his activity: in 2005, he started publishing the almanac "Manifestation", where, of course, he became a responsible editor. It published materials on African studies of various genres: scientific articles, letters, reviews and reviews, polemical notes. Along with African materials, articles were published on the theory of social development in the countries of the East and Russia. To participate in the almanac, which was published 3 - 4 times a year, V. R. Arsenyev attracted the most famous French specialists (and they published their articles in it), scientists from St. Petersburg and Moscow. By the way, at the Institute of Africa, he was his own man, as well as at the Center for African Studies of the Institute of General History. Over the past five years, the RAS Scientific Council on Africa has always invited him to speak to young Africanists at the annual schools of aspiring scientists, and twice he has organized round tables at international conferences of Africanists.

V. R. Arsenyev died literally "at a gallop" - during a speech at a conference dedicated to the memory of his fellow Africanist. Unfortunately, he did not have time to fully realize himself when, it would seem, broad prospects opened up, when the name and authority began to "work" for him. The funeral was attended by almost the entire staff of the museum, to which he was loyal all his adult life, where he worked for 36 years. Teachers of the Faculty of Oriental Studies, students, African students and postgraduates of the city's universities came, and the Institute of Africa of the Russian Academy of Sciences expressed its condolences.

In Paris, an obituary was published in the magazine "Gen Afrique" signed by the authoritative Africanist J.-L. Gouraud, and the French Institute in St. Petersburg held a photo exhibition in his memory in March-another sign of recognition of his unique role as a scientist and a person.

It is often said that there are no irreplaceable people. V. R. Arsenyev refuted this truism with his life: we have really lost a special part of our science, which cannot be replaced.

Goodbye, dear friend!

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