Wooden Statues On The Vilyuchinsky Pass In June, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia Editorial Photo

According to Itelmen legends, Vilyuchinskaya Sopka, like other volcanoes in Kamchatka, is home to gamuls gomuls, or mountain spirits. Under the cover of night, ghostly giants came out to the seashore and began to hunt seals and whales. After a successful hunt, the gamuls began to prepare various dishes, which caused clouds of smoke to rise above the volcanoes. The first `guardian` holds a smoking pipe, symbolizing thick smoke over the top of Vilyuchinskaya Sopka. His fellow holds a large fish, i.e. a symbol of abundance and prosperity. The third statue seems to be about to start playing the tambourine, a traditional musical instrument of the indigenous peoples of Kamchatka.