Yamal
2015-2016

«True people» (Nenei nenecha) – self-name of Nenets, the indigenous people of the Yamal peninsula, and the name of the complex 2015–2016 ethnographic expedition. Project participants and the visitors of the resource will be the part of the reindeer herders's family during the whole year just to «dive» in the casual life of the modern XXI century nomads.

 

On April 27th we moved more in Northern direction. Here is no mobile network coverage, but sometimes we are able to send short messages from satelline phone. Yesterday we've bought bread from long time of nomadic movement. Just imagine - 800 loaves of bread - this much we will carry with us. Bread will be eaten in form of dry tosts, often soaked in cup of tea. Generally speaking, bread is one of the main foods in Yamal tundra. Summertime the most desired gift for reindeer herdsmen's family would be several loaves of fresh-backed bread! 

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To give you more clue into the everyday life of a reindeer herdsmen's family this season we would like to publish here Facebook comment of Hudi Sergey, vice-president of Association "Yamal for descendants"

"Soon young reindeers will be born. Everyday herdsmen will drive reindeer does with newborns in the Northern direction. Newborns are small and weak creatures, move slow, and herdsmen must go with them on foot. Women also have a lot to do: drying stuff, currying of reindeer fell, tailoring repairs. They also must cary about water and firewood for everyday use."

By the way, if someone wants to write a letter to us, we leave here address in the nearest town - Yar-Sale: Tyumen Region,Yamal-Nenets autonomous district, Yamal district, Yar-Sale town, Mira street, 6A, ZIP code: 629700; ЯРОД КМНС "Ямал" (for Terekhina and Volkovickij). All letters will be sent to us by the nearest oportunity. 

One more comment of Hudi Sergey:

"800 loaves of bread must be dried End of May - of beginning of June, when short warm time will come to tundra. This time reindeer herdsmen's family is waking up very early, because there is a lot to do: cut bread into 4-6 pieces lengthwise and lay these pices out for the drying. But if rain or snow start falling, people must collect all bread very fast. Sodden and then dryed again, bread will be firm as brick, one can really break teeth. And for all this work there will be several days needed, because besides bread drying there are many other domesticities and herdsman's tasks."

// This post is written and published by our technical support group. We can send our latest news only by sms, because Internet connection still doesn't function properly. We will reply on your comments as soon as we have Internet. //

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