Siberian capsule says noodles, flash drives define 2017

Lenin looks on as a capsule is prepared

The centenary of the Russian Revolution has seen much reflection on the past, but some villagers in Siberia are sending a message to the future in the form of a time capsule from 2017.

The people of Zhokhsogon, in the sparsely-populated Yakutia region, invited local NVK Sakha TV to the ceremonial burial, pledging to to "follow the example of their ancestors 50 years ago".

This is a reference to the 1967 Soviet time capsule campaign, when young people across the country were encouraged to leave messages for their 2017 peers celebrating the achievements of Communism and setting out what they expected in the future.

The TV said today's villagers have posted 120 letters to their descendants in the air-tight container, along with photographs of historic events in Zhokhsogon and "examples of foodstuffs and objects that represent our times".

The youngsters of 1967 would certainly have been surprised to see a bottle of cola - a symbol of Western decadence, according to Soviet propaganda - and instant noodles figure among the more familiar cooking oil and condensed milk.

It is a matter of conjecture what they would have made of the memory stick that stores the photos. The TV correspondent adds that "it is also anyone's guess whether they will still know how to access the contents in 2067" - the date when the capsule is to be opened.

Food for future days

Reporting by Maria Kiseleva and Martin Morgan

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