A sharkunok is an ancient rattle toy made of birch bark and placed on a stick. One such toy is housed in the main exhibition of the Polyarny Museum of History and Local Lore, in the section “Life and Crafts of the Pomors”.

This particular sharkunok is fairly new — it was created around the 1990s in Arkhangelsk modeled after 19th-century Pomory toys. Legend has it that the Pomors made the first sharkunok rattle toy amulet while waiting for the end of a storm to then go to sea. People needed to pass the time somehow and they did not have specialized instruments. The amulet was made of wood with a knife and an ax. The first sharkunok was made of birch. Since time immemorial, Pomory children have been playing with such rattle toys.

The word “sharkunok” is formed from the word “sharchit” which in the Pomory dialect means to make noise, and from the Russian word “sharkat”, meaning to rub, scratch or rustle. The filler inside the sharkunok does not rattle, but rather rustles or shuffles — hence the name. The one on display is made up of cube-shaped ledges figure weaved together from birch bark ribbons with the smooth layer facing outwards and attached to a stick. As birch bark curls up when subjected to high temperatures, the rattle also undergoes heat treatment in boiling water and becomes more durable while maintaining staying light. After drying, peas, cereals or small stones are put inside the rattle.

Sharkunok rattle toys were usually made by the man of the house for his children to play and to provide some much needed peace and quiet for the relatives. Traditionally, such toys were presented when children were born. Sometimes a small figure was carved at the top: a bird for a girl and a horse for a boy. The rustling sound of the rattle fascinated and calmed children. It was believed that the tree was connected with the ancient forces or the “bereginya”. It is not surprising that the toy was also a kind of amulet because, in the olden days, trees provided people with materials to make shelter, tools and to stay warm. It was believed that the noise made by the sharkunok drove away evil forces from the child. For a growing child, it was also a kind of musical instrument. Birch bark sharkunok toys are still used today — some people wear them around their necks, hang them in their houses or in their cars. The sharkunok today is mostly a souvenir.