Russians love their traditions and the 'banya' is one of them. After heating up in a steam room with temperatures up to 120 degrees Celsius, they plunge into snow. So how do they adapt this tradition for the Australian environment?
For Natalia and Andrey Osipov, going to 'banya' was their weekly ritual in Russia.
"It’s rejuvenating," says Andrey. "You sweat your health problems and heavy thoughts out in the banya."
The banya’s hot steam room is an important part of Russian culture, yet not well known outside of it.
"People mistakenly think it’s somewhat sexual," says Andrey.
He says that they couldn't be more wrong. "You don’t think about intimacy when the temperature is 100 degrees."
When they moved to Australia they quickly found out that there is nothing here quite like a banya.
"I checked local saunas out and it was a disappointment," says Andrey. "People there were wearing sport gear, doing stuff on the phone."
In the Russian banya, forget the phone, you enter the hot room naked.
It doesn't happen as much these days, but traditionally, nudity in the banya symbolised total equality - anyone could afford a banya.
Not surprisingly quite a few Russian banyas have begun emerging in Australian backyards.
Members of the community report to SBS Russian that Banyas have been spotted even in subtropical Queensland.
Logan-based family Pavel and Tatyana Kolesnichenko call their steam house ‘Little banya’ or ‘Ban’ka’ and proudly explain that it's built of 100 per cent recycled materials.
Natalia and Andrey came up with an unconventional idea to put their banya on wheels in case they decide to move. This creative adjustment for their ‘on-the-move’ Australian lifestyle prompted them to commercialise the concept.
Little Banya, Queensland. Made of 100% recyclable materials Source: Provided by Tatyana Kolesnichenko
Launching under the name Hot Stump they now rent out and deliver their portable banya to anyone’s backyard.
"Often people [mis]take our stump for a pizza sellers," says Natalia.
She says this could be because, "It has also a chimney popping out."
Banya on wheels Source: Hot Stump
Only in a banya would you find:
Brooms
It often stuns foreigners when they hear peculiar sounds coming from the banya steam room. All the sighs and satisfactory moaning sounds can build up curiosity around the process.
But they find it more shocking once they get inside and see people lashing each other with 'brooms'.
This is a thick bunch of assembled tree branches. The beating process intensifies the pore opening and water release.
"Australians are cautious - especially about this part of the experience," Andrey says.
"Because they are complete novices to it, they often ask will it hurt?"
"Women are more prudent than men since they are about to be lashed by a stranger."
But he noticed that it was usually those who were more gingerly asked for the second round.
"It completely relaxes you," says Andrey.
Typically, brooms are made of birch or oak branches, but in Australia the native gum tree in its many varieties, serves as a great replacement, filling the steam room with the sweet smell of eucalyptus.
Temperatures
Banya offers the hottest temperatures of any of the variety of steam rooms out there (Finnish sauna, Turkish sauna or Japanese). It can go all the way up to 120 degrees, but more commonly sits between 90-100 degrees.
Andrey explains that in Australian gyms sauna’s temperatures are often 60-70 degrees and people go in there just to warm up a bit. The purpose of banya is to sweat it out, cleansing and relaxation.
"It is a process of healing and socialising," says Andrey. "It takes several hours and each round is getting harder as we increase the heat."
Going from extreme heat to extreme cold temperatures is another tradition of the banya experience.
It is said to help not only to sustain the banya heat but also to exercise your cardiovascular system.
Blood flow speeds up under the hot temperatures, heightening the exchange processes but then you plunge into ice cold water or snow pile if there is one and everything in your body slows down.
Andrey points out that "Of course we don’t have snow in our Aussie backyard."
But they have figured out another way to make the process work. "So we just fill up the tub with ice," he says.
Drinks
Despite the false impression that some of the uninitiated may have about downing vodka shots throughout the experience, refreshment is usually provided in the form of tea, honey, nuts or light snacks.
"You need some protein and liquid-retaining products," Natalia says. "Hydrating yourself during the banya experience is crucial, as your body loses a lot of water."
Alcohol risks neutralising the positive benefits of banya, since it dehydrates the body and contains toxins.
Vodka in the banya is one of the biggest myths Andrey and Natalia are trying to dispel as they stand by the health benefits Russian banya can deliver.
Another Queenslander Pavel Kolesnichenko says the neighbours aren’t surprised by their ‘Little banya’ - though may be a little jealous.
"They know it’s healthy, environmentally friendly and it’s fun," says Pavel.
Queensland banya 100%made of recycled materials Source: Provided by Tatyana Kolesnichenko
"We often have friends coming from Melbourne and Sydney to enjoy our ‘Ban’ka’. It brings back really dear memories."
New migrants and cultures continue to bring new features to Australian landscape, which it is kindly embracing, it is obvious from these Russian-Queenslanders that the Russian banya is clearly now one of them.
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