Although the world is rapidly globalizing, small local groups of Russians continue to preserve their traditional way of life. One such group is the Vodlozers, living in Karelia. They are ethnically Russian, speak Russian, and practice Orthodoxy, but they call themselves Vodlozers in honor of Lake Vodlozero, near which their villages have historically been located.

It is believed that they migrated to these northern lands in the 14th-15th centuries from Veliky Novgorod and Moscow, although the Vodlozers consider themselves descendants of the Novgorodians. In the past, their population exceeded 1,000 people, but now only 5 villages remain with a population of about 600. They have always lived in isolation, engaging in fishing and hunting. The Vodlozers have preserved ancient customs: before hunting, they perform rituals to appease the spirits of the forest and sometimes offer the slain animal as a sacrifice. They have sacred groves and sacrificial stones, despite their Orthodox faith.

Neighboring villages and towns considered the Vodlozers reclusive and poor, calling them "ryabinushki," which meant ragamuffins. Due to their isolation and life in the wilderness, the term "Vodlozer" has become a common and even derogatory term. When referring to someone who is unaware of the news, people say: "What are you, a Vodlozer?" During the Soviet era, the Vodlozers sometimes referred to themselves as "White Guards" to emphasize their distinction from the local Pudozhans, who more often supported the Reds during the Civil War.