Tue, 13 Oct 2026 02:06:53 +0300 HostCMS http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/ http://demo.hostcms.ru/images/logo.png http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/ Fri, 11 Mar 2016 17:39:42 +0300 On February 21st we had visitors again: Roman came to our chum on his way back to Yar-Sale town. Mikhail Podovitch Hudi (his chum is standing noth or ours) with his daughter Yana and son Vakato were accompanying Roman.   In the night, just after everybody in the chum went to bed, we've heard a sound of an approaching truck. Kostya and Alexander rushed out of the chum. Nearby they saw a cross country truck "Ural". A man said that he was for the first time going from Labytnangy to Bovanenkovo town, he looked like a typical businessman transporting food. He also explained that he stopped at the chum, because he and other drivers shooted partriges and didn't want herders thought that they tried to shoot the reindeers. The stranger asked for reindeer's meat, fish or horns and invited our men to join him for glass of vodka. As they denied his invitation, he left, so Kostya and Alexander went back to bed, wondering about this visit.  On February 2nd we were going to dehorn some bulls from the herd, which started already mew their horns. Reindeer herders try to dehorn animals in time (don't wait for the natural way) to exchange horns for gazoline, food or money. Kostya on his snowmobile collected the herd and suddenly came back with a dead bull. It was a yong and very good riding bull named Yanik (Calm). Its skin was damaged with shotgun pellets in five points. The reindeer was still warm, which meant it died not long ago. Kostya and Albina were both very sad and pity for the riding bull. Who could do that?  As Kostya and Albina say, they spent several years nears in the area near this winter road and nobody would ever shoot their reindeers. There no chums in 20 kms area around us, and anyway no neighbors would do it. We were told that in the Hansky side, near Kutoryugan, where Yar-Sale brigades spend the winter, such precedents could happen. Guilty are usually town or city residents, or drivers, not tundra residents anyway. Before and after our night visitors we had no other car passed by. Having analyzed their behaviour, we remembered their strange wish to "shoot partriges".   We concured that it might be an action of our night visitors. We contacted police in Yar-Sale town. An officer on duty asked Kostya carefully about drivers and their car and promised to call back. He said that the truk would be detained and checked in Bovanenkovo town (we all know exactly it's impossible). A policeman explained to Kostya that to explore the situation he would have to go to the town anyway. It was so strange to hear that - on the one hand it's logical to bear witness, but on the other hand it's impossible for the family to go to the town now, no gazoline for tundra ride of 500 kms for instance. "You are riding something, right? A snowmobile maybe?..." - it's all we've heard. We still don't know how this story will end, but as Kostya saidly jokes, one will send a helicopter to testify a polar bear in tundra, but nobody would care the shot reindeer, and the herder would have to go to the town to witness it.  Yanik: (to continue reading please press "Читать полностью")   February 23-24th: There was a strong snowstorm two days in a raw. We buit a wind porch to keep warmth in the chum - it's usual in tundra. In front of the entrance one place a trunk-narta with provisions, one make over it a construction of sticks, covered when with canvas sheet or geofabric. Tundra residents call this wind porch a seni. Besides it's convenient to take out of the trunk-narta - no need to go our of the chum during the snowstorm.  During this had (snowstorm) we discussed many interesting topics and watched a lot of movies. Once during the breakfast we discussed linguistic borrowings in the Nenets. Many tundra families use Russian words instead of the Nenets: for example, ложка (spoon) instead of hu, поварешка (ladle) instead of нялько and so on). Finally we discussed numeral adjectives and difficulties with number 9. Ӈопой – one, сидя – two, няхар”– three, тет – four, самляӈг – five, мат”– six, си”ив – seven, сидндет – eight, хасава ю” – nine, ю”– ten. Хасава ю” (hasava yu) can be translated as "male or the Nenets ten". One of the leading researchers of the Nenets culture A.V.Golovnev suggests that traditional Nenets calculating system might be nonary, but in his works there are some linquistic confusion. Modern Nenets give no explanations to the source of the name of "nine". 90 – hasavayur ” (male/Nenets hundred), 900 – hasavayenar” (male/Nenets thousand). Kostya, Albina tought us to pronounce 999 and 9999 and then we repeated it all together.  9999 is a real tongue twister – хасава ю” ёнар” хасаваёнар” хасаваюр” хасава ю” - hasava yu''onar''hasavayonar''hasavayur''hasava yu''. Semyonko and Pedavako on the warpath:   Narta with ice from the lake, these big ice pieces will melt into a lot of water:  A chum still life: paradavy halya – fish fried on the stove, syay'yed – teapot. And Longe the dog (also called Loncha, Lo-Lo, Lolochka).   On February 25th Kostya and Alexander went to a sacred place Pongarme''e (Поӈгарме”э, from the Nenets ponga – fishing net) and took there a skull of a shot reindeer. Usually one comes to the place to pray for successful fishing or hunting. During their absence, Zhenya (Panyok) Okotetto and Kostya Hudi stopped at our chum. The "13th district" residents were on their way to Bovanenkovo town.    The weather is better now, soon one have to wear sunglasses.  February 27-28th: In the morning we removed the snow around the chum, picked and dehorned the riding bulls. Some bulls already started to lose the horns, spring will come soon. Horns are the firmest currency in tundra. In summer reindeer herders cut velvet reindeers filled with blood, and in winter - hardened horns. Herders sell them or exchange on the "floating rate" for food and fuel. This year's price is two time higher than last season because of the dollar's rate rising (or Ruble devaluation) and makes approximately 1000 Rubles/kg. The main Consumer of horn is pharmaceutical industry of China, but as tundra people and some businessman say, even China so not need horns in that abundance - so price must drop soon. The paradox of the situation is as follow: herders who the beginning of winter cut still not hardened horns, could gain more than people waited for spring to provide the quality wares. How much can a herder gain for horns in average? Calculate yourself - from the herd of 250-300 reindeers - not big herd in the scale of Yar-Sale tundra - one can collect 60-80 kgs of horn.  Kostya is going to exchange horns for gazoline - at the trading post, or if somebody brings it from Salekhard. Gazoline price at the trading post is 25-30 kgs for a barrel (200 l), so you can calculate yourself how much herders pay for the fuel.  In the evening a snowstorm began again, and lasted for the whole next day.  On February 29th Albina went to Salekhard by train. Her plan was to buy some provision. Many families try to purchase store of food (spaghetti, butter, tea, grains and condenced milk) for the whole year on the wholesale warehouse. An important factor here is the railway Obskaya-Karskaya, and indigenous population can travel for free (and transport up to 500 kgs luggage). Kostya's parents Mamanka and Nache will join here on the way back to the chum.   http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/february-2016-a-shot-in-tundra/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/february-2016-a-shot-in-tundra/ Thu, 10 Mar 2016 17:43:03 +0300 On February 12th in the night Albina's brother Hanuta with his mother stayed in our chum on their way back from Panayevsk town. After 200 kms to their chum on Mordy-Yaha river Hanuta's snowmobile has got a problem with shock absorber. Tundra residents who buy imported machines have to deal with technical problems and problems with spare parts differently. They usually buy secondhand spare parts (and have to wait for them to arrive for a long time) or purchase those parts in the town shops (which means a lot more money, then in the bigger cities). Kostya and Hanuta made several phone calls and found the spare parts they needed - and then started their ride - 600 kms both sides. Albina's mother stayed in our chum. We talked a lot, discussed a genealogical tree of the family with it's numerous relatives.    We also discussed language differences related to the orientation in space. There are two different ways to express directions right and left in the Nenets language. In the language lesson books one find mahanya' - to the right and syatanya' - to the left. These words derives from maha (back) and sya' (face), but this kind of orientation (to the back and to the face) aften misleads even the Nenets themselves. Many people use more convenient and understandable yinya' and venya', which literally means "from the side of neva'yinya" (rope leading to head of the leading bull, the linkest in the team) - to the left, and "from the wrong side" (other side of the leading bull) - to the right.  Another example is orientation in the chum space. One call floor boards closer to the stove "lower boards", and those closer to the bed - "upper boards". So if somebody wants you to move down or up, it means that you have to move closer to the stove or to sit on the bed. At first it confused us a lot!  One more observation is connected to rivers. In the Russian language a river starts from the head/outflow, and finishes in the outfall/mouth. In the Nenets language the outflow is called yaha'mal (end, finish of the river), and outfall is called yaha'nya''av (yaha - river, nya''av - open part, opening, hole).   The air temperature has risen the day before and stays at the level of -1 to -10ºC. February 14th: Our chum now is further north than most private herder's chums, so very less tundra residents are coming to this area. Brigade's herds spend the time from the end of December till the end of March at so called Henska (or Nadym) side - on the other side of the Gulf of Ob. This day we have had guests - Yasha, Yefim Yaptiks and their uncle, known to us since the last year, were on their way to Baydaraks gulf. In the evening Kostya and Hanuta were back in the chum. In the Portsa-Yaha factory (60 kms north of Yar-Sale town) Kostya's bought 300 loafes of bread.    February 16th: Our chum's residents all are busy with their everyday's tasks: Kostya is making a new narta, Alexander helps him by cutting boards with a saw, Albina is sewing a malitsa for Semyon, Alexandra is cleaning the chum and cooking, also teaching the kids. The winter road is quite vivid lately - in the evening we've got a guest from Yar-Sale town, Kostya's relative Roman Serotetto, one of the richest herder's Medko (Vassilly Tokolevitch) son. Roman was heading to Bovanenkovo town.  Alexander, Semyon and Pedava while painting:  (to continue reading please press "Читать полностью")   Pedava as an avante-garde artist: Semyon is drawing a landscape: Kostya is making a narta. In the front there is hanako - the children's narta. One not only use is to play the games, but also to transport useful things through the camp (firewood, ice, generator and so on). On February 19th the air temperature suddenly dropped to -26ºС. The men went to th "13th district" (it's a nickname for several chums, which are not about 40 kms from us) to collect Kostya's reindeers in other herder's herds. They were going to bring hobbled animals in the freight sledge, but as often comes in life - there were a change in the plans. Kostya and Alexander came back without reindeers, but with the news. The 13th district's residents were going to build a big coral in the middle of March to disdivide the mixed herds. Then our "rescue team" will try to pick Kostya's reindeers again.  Albina suddenly started cooking experiments: she made a dough for blinis (thin pankakes), and then two days in a row made reindeer meat's jelly. http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/february-2016-language-notes-in-the-life-context/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/february-2016-language-notes-in-the-life-context/ Sat, 27 Feb 2016 17:46:39 +0300 This year's calender winter will finish soon, same our expedition, but for now we are going on with our diary notes. January 26th: bad weather have last for several days: air temperature is -20ºС, a strong wind and snowdrift (tanzer''). Albina was sewing with her hand sewing machine, Alexandra made over Alexander clothes's hood. Yamal's different areas are knows by their own cuts of Nenets clothing, also hoods are different (people call them "shapkas" in tundra). Alexander's malitsa hood was initially made wrong, so his forhear was open the whole time, and it had to be corrected. We hoped the weather would be better next day so we all would move south and cross Yuribei river.  The oldest and the youngest are watching a movie:  Alexandra while re-sewing the hood: (to continue reading please press "Читать полностью")   Albina is sewing a bed-curtain while Kostya, Pedava and Semyon are watching the movie. Lapa the god is resting nearby. On January 27th as usual for a kaslaniye day, everybody woke up at 5am, boiled water for tea and filled thermos bottles, drunk tea - and just started to move thinfs our of the chum, when Kostya decided to not move forward this day. It was a very smart decision: two hours later there was a nasty turn in the weather and a snowstorm has began. If - like in November and December - we would have to hurry to another place rich on reindeer lichen, we would move even at snowstorm. But this time there wes no need for hurry, it was just a conventional moving to another winter camp's place (Kostya and Albina have said many times before, that it's just boring to stay on the same place for a month), where conditional are good for both people and animals.  A tundra resident has to be sensitive to the weather's changes - in the end it is what makes a kaslaniye successfull or not. Successfull here means not only a subjective feeling of the comfort, but even more an arrival at the planned place. When there is a snowstorm, all preparation processes become slower, riding bulls run uneasy and snow gets everywhere into the things. During this expedition's year we tried to fixate the weather signalments mentioned by Kostya or Albina. For example is reindeers turn heads against the wind, it means that a snowstorm would begin soon. If half-year-old bull "barks" (make the same noise as in summer) - it's also a sign for a snowstorm coming soon. Alter abundant snowfall there would be a snowstorm - wind kind of has to remove all the snow again. If snow is rising up when one remove it from the chum cover - again a snowstorm would come. If a stove's chimney is "crying" (there are water driops), one also would expect a snowstorm (had), but a warm one this time.  On January 28th we arrived ar our 56th encampment's palce:  N 69º00'55,5'' E 069º56'24,0'', linear distance from the last place – 1,7 kms. This day in the morning we decided to move no matter what and woke up at 5 am. For the first time since last April we moved with Kostya's parents. It meant that three yuhuna (nartas with bed stuff) had to be collected: one for each Albina, Alexandra and Mamanka. When these nartas were ready packed, the wind become stronger and a snowdrift was to see again. As usual after a longer stay it needed a longer time to collect things. Also bulls didn't work for several weeks, and even didn't want to enter the coral. Then finalle we takled up the bulls, it was already the late afternoon. Kostya decided to ride for a short distance and sellte down the chum.   We moved with four argishes. First one was Kostya's argish, then Nache on his light narta, after him - argish of Kostya's mother and then Alexandra and Alexander, who led Albina's argish. Albina rode a snowbike behind the herd. This time different was not only the number of nartas, but also nartas in women's argishes. Before syabu nartas (so colled "unclean" nartas with bed-curtain, floor mats huners, women's footwear and so on) and nutos (narta with chum sticks of one halp of the chum) were connected to Alexandra's argish, but now they were connecte to one of Mamanka. Alexandra led only freight nartas and nartas with the fell chum covers.   Because of a strong snowdrift turning from time to time to a real snowstorm, the herd moved very slowly. We've done less than 2 kms, and decided to stand the chum although we haven't reach Yuribei river. Each time after kaslaniye we montage the chum differently. THe best way is when the weather is good, and it isn't dark outside yet. But the wind could also be favorable - is helps to put on the chum cover (same as sails on the ship). If it's windy day, one out the cover first on the downwind side of the chum - to protect from the wind the other side. This day it was by far the hardest time we had to montage the chum. It was a strong tanzer, it was getting dark and everybody was very tired - so Kostya suggested to not move the next day and recover our forces.  January 29th - February 4th:  We were going to stay for just one day, but weather conditions have changed our plans. A strong wind blowed for several days, with a snowdrift - but the sky was clear all the time, and clouds didn't block the sun. On January 31st a severe snowstorm came, and suddenly the sky was fully clouded. Kostya didn't worry much - after checking the herd on his snowmobile he reskuzed that reindeer lichen on the spot is enough for minimum a week. On February 2nd the air temperature suddenly have risen to -6ºС and it began to snow. Kostya, Albina and Alexander went to Ustj-Yuribey factory to order bread. They realized though that the backery didn't work there, so the brought some sweets for evening tes - a box of cookies and some sweek condensed mild. We we close to finish our bread stock and took our Mamanka's sack with dry bread. In the evening Albina's brother Hanuta came with the mother. They were on the way to Panayevsk town to get some paperwork done, and stayed over night in our chum.   On February 4th we were going to move again and as usual woke up at 5am. But Kostya didn't approve the weather - it was a strong wind with snow, so he called off the kaslaniye to try again the next day.  Serotetto family's herd:  A riding bull near so called trunk-narta. Serptetto family posesses several such nartas, almost all made by Nache (except of "lutsa trunk" - Russian trunk, purchased in Yar-Sale). One put in the trunk-narta the food supply for the next days' use - this is convenient for a chum hostess - no need to open freight nartas. All men have their special trunk-narta with working tools, details of nartas and other useful things.  Alexander with two avkas, both called Padvy ("spotted"): Kostya making a runner of a narta: Two avakas: Padvy ("spotted") and Pariseko ("blakish"):   On February 5th we arrived at our 57th camp place:N 68º51'34,5'' E 069º50'29,0'', linear distance from the last camp - 17,8 kms. For us it was probably the most comfortable kaslanye one can imagine in Yamal. It was a warm, windless morning without snow fall. Nache and Mamanka have forseen the change of the weather, but it didn't happen. We picked riding bulls very fast, so at 1pm all argishes were already on the way - we had a long ride ahead of us. After 7 kms ride we crossed Yurivey river. Nothing special happened during this time moving, although the relief is quite uneven in this area. Couple of times Kostya first tried a going down the hill in this argish and then showed a better way to other argishes. We built the chum in the dark, but it was a special mood this time - at least is was our last kaslaniye. So we finished the circle - this time's camp place is just 3 kms away from the one we started our year in the tundra last April. February 6th: we'll stay at this place for two months, practically till the ent of our expedition. But it's boring to stay so long at the same place, so if Kostya in the end would decide to move north to Yasavey river, we joyfully would join his family again. There is 18,5 kms now till the Yuribei railway station, and about 230 kms is the linear distance till Yar-Sale. Quite close to our thum there is a winter road Labytnangi-Seyaha, which is not operating properly since the middle of winter: the road is not cleaned, there are no directing marks. We can only pity poor brothers drivers, who - so the rumors - are under control by navigating equipment now. A driver isn't allowed to move on the winter road longer than 4 hours, then he has to rest for 2 hours - and if there will be violation of this order, one will be fined. Anyway trucks are passing our chum at day and at night (2-6 trucks a day), and Kostya and Albina often laugh about how clever would be to open a tearoom or a barbecue for the drivers.  There is a winter road Labytnangi-Seyaha 100 meters away from our chum:   The herd stays mostly close to the chum. Animals can gore nartas with their horns, so we have to be carefull by packing the things, especially remove all strings - a reindeer can easily pull one, tangle in the horns or even move a light narta away. Kostya layed down several big salt cubes for reindeers. This day we picked one animal for aibat (eating fresh meat), and then Kostya and Alexander went to the railway station to collect some firewood and order bread in the cantine.  Nache making horey (a stick to speed the bulls): Kostya and his snowmobile:   A lantern outside of the chum: Ikcha (from the Nenenets "ik" neck - so one can name a dog or other animal with a spot on the neck of different color). Ikcha was born and grew up in Kostya's parent chum.  Pariseko with Albina and Kostya in the background:   Kosya and Albina leaving: February 08-11th: On Febriary 8th the air temperature dropped down to -28ºС. If there is no wind, such a cold is easy to bear. In the evening the men went to pick up bread they've ordered before. On the way back the snowmobile got an unexpected accident. The fuel control panel showed half a tank, but really there was no fuel at all. Kostya and Alexander left the snowmobile and walked for 10 kilometers in the dark until they reached the chum. We waited for them with a turned-on lantern, warm stove and tea. Next day the men picked four avkas and rode to the snowmobile with gazoline and hot water in the thermoses - when the air temperature is coming close to -30ºС, the engine isn't that easy to start, so one can pour some hot water into collector. Kostya came back with 100 loafes of bread on his snowmobile. Alexander returned to the chum on the team, having buch pleasure and feeling of danger - unlike the morning slow ride on the way back the bull rushed on the full speed.  Alexander's team: On February 11th Mamanka and Nache left by train to Salekhard, and from there - to Yar-Sale town. For the last several years during cold winter times Kostya's parents live in town in more comfortable conditions. They also took with them these diary notes... http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/january-and-february-finishing-the-circle/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/january-and-february-finishing-the-circle/ Tue, 16 Feb 2016 17:45:02 +0300 Schoolchildren of Serotetto family spent all holidays in the chum. Two years in a row parents didn't take them home from the boarding school - it's because the chum (same as now) stood quite far away from the town. All children stay at school for fall vacation, but in winter some of them go home with their parents by snowmobile, or - less often - by train. These days the children had rest, played a lot outsite of the chum, rode little nartas, watched cartoons and movies. During several evenings we've finished watching all episodes of "Star Wars", including screen copy of the brand new seventh episode. All people in the chum - from little Pedava to Mamanyka and Nache - watched intergalaxy adventures. Senior parents of Kostya vividly discussed the characters, giving them the Nenets nicknames. Guess whom did they call Hariko (Eared), Tartsavey (Woolly) or Paridena Nyleka (Black Villian)? But theier special love gained they "Colombo vesako" - we've watched all episodes we had.     "Starwars"'new fans: (to continue reading please press "Читать полностью")   On January 1st Kostya and Albina left for Bovarenkovo together with the guests from Mordy-Yaha. The ganozine for the expedition's needs was provided by Yamal regional civic movement of indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North "Yamal" on the base of "Urengoygidromehanizatsiya", we sincerely appreciate this help. Kostya and Albina were away for 4 days because of bed weather conditions. On the board of Kara Sea the temperature rose to -1°C. In our chum's latitude first came a snowstorm, and them the temperature reached -6-10°C.  On January 4th Kostya and Albina came back. Next day the temperature dropped to -26°C, and reindeers came near the chum. After last yerkolava around New Year Kostya led the herd to 1,5-2 kms distance from the chum and animals were not in sight - but now all they one by one came near the camp. Usually reindeers come near people's living area in search of urine - on the reindeer lichen's diet animals are lack of salt. Kostya on his snowmobile went to the rest of the herd and checked wheather some animals splitted or not. Albina led the reindeers came near the chum back to the main herd.    Next several days the outside temperature stayed at -25/-30°C level. If there is no wind, one can easily survive this cold. Lower temperatures still didn't happen, which was good for both people and reindeers, but we don't celebrate just yet - February is still ahead of us.   On January 11th Kostya brought the schoolchildren and Albina to the railway station, so they could enter the first January train heading Obskaya station. Alexander came with them, and on the way back took back to chum firewood and the bread we ordered - 60 loafes.  Kostya and Albina's children (right to left): Hasavako (7 y.o., 1 grade), Edeyko (9 y.o., 2 grade), Yana (12 y.o., 4 grade), Pedava (4 y.o.), Olya (10 y.o., 3 grade), Semyon (5 y.o.). Before bringing schoolchildren back to scool:  In the evenving came Radik (Kostya's elder brother), Denis (husband of Albina's sister) and his brother Eugene, know in tundra under his nickname Panyok. The nickname was given to him by his younger siblings. In tundra it is usual, that one keep for long a nickname given long ago by someone of younger generation. Radik with his family moved long ago to Yar-Sale town - now he came to remove his chum and pack all the stuff to nartas - the family won't come back to tundra for several months. We are preparing to move further with the herd when Albina will be back. Radik's nartas will "wait" for his return. Denis and Panyok had tea in our chum and went to the parents' chum, Radik stayed with us for several days.  January 13-14th: Radik stayed with parents, Semyon and Pedava, and three of us left for so calles "the 13th district" - so named themselves people living not far from the 13th railway passing place. Kostya made a curve on the way to check reindeer lichen and choose a place for our next camp. He stopped his snowmobile and digged snow with a wooden blade - nyada'yangats -  male yangats. There is also so calles female yangats - it is used to remove snow from winter shoes - kisy - and overclothes while entering a chum. Kostya explained that a place rich on reindeer lichen one usually searches going by foot - a reindeer herder feels snow surface under his feet and feels where is better to dig. A result of Kostya's searching company was a moving strategy for the next several months. We will move south for a while, when turn again to the north to Yasavey river, when will stay over winter according to Kostya's initial plan. This strategy will allowed Kostya in spring, then other reindeer herders move north, be ahead of them all - and as soon as possible, possibly on ice, cross Mordy-Yaha river in its upper stream. Alexandra wearing neney sava - traditional Nenets hat:   Alexandra in her "dress uniform" - warm yagushka, kisy and headwear:   Kostya is checkin reindeer lichen with his wooden blade nyada yangats - male yangats:   The Sun now is rising fully over horizon, and days became longer. We alway wonder, how in our cultere has developed a myth about endless polar night. Who first started it?  Middle Yanuar's midday: Kostya on the railway brigde, Obskaya-Karskaya railway (Bovanenkovo): In the 13th district, 50 kms south from us, there are 5 camps, all in 5-7 kms distance one from another. These places' inhabitans all are people we know. Their herds have mixed long ago, so the herders will buld a coral to divide herds in spring. This area is very popular among reindeer herders because it's rich on reindeer lichen. Also Lidino factory  (trading post named after its owner Lidiya Vasilievna) and lakes rich on fish are very close from here. Reindeer herders' families will stay here till spring, then they are going to move north. Traditional courtesy made Kostya to stop at each camp to greet the people and exchange news. Our target was Kostya Hudi's chum, but on the way we also stopped in Panyok's chum to drink tea. The 13th district's inhabitants have to make a long way to pick firewood from Yuribey railway station, so they usually use osier-bed (nero) to fire in stoves. They cut the branches and make a big vertikal bolts. Kostya's snowmobile near a bolt of oser-bed: Near the chum of Kostya Savolievitch there is the chum of Yaroslav. But Yaroslav with his family is in the town from the end of December. Usually the Nenets stay in winter alone, but lately, so tundra people say, many people choose to stay with two chums - so one film can go to the town and the neighbors look after dogs and reindeers.  We were happy to see our summer neighbors again, to chat with grown ups and kids who studied in our nomadic kindergarden. In the evening together with Kostya Hudi we succeed to travel to factory shop, and exchanged horns for gazoline and food. And the a festive feast began - it was so called "old new years"' eve.  Camp of Kostya and Yarik Hudi, our summer neighbors. Yarik is absent for a long time, and his chum is coverend with snow. Tundra people understand at once, that no one is living here.  Nikita Hudi, a little student of our nomadic kindergarden:   Puyne and Alexander unloading the sledge:  Next day without any rush we went home bringing big pieces of salt for reindeers. Tundra people use salt to feed to reindeers. The usual routine waited for us in the chum: to cut firewood, to bring ice in big bags, to remove snow from the chum, to take food our of nartas, to burn stove, to cook tea and soup, to transfer gazoline and to start generator in the evenings. Days were filled with routine again - without this tundra everyday one can not understand the Nenets life.  Alexandra and Seryau the dog. Alexander is transporting birch pieces - there is no such kind of birch in tundra - Kostya and Alexander brought firewood from Yuribey railway station:  A January morning:  On January 16th Telo ("the tallest Nenets"' chum stays 80 kms north from us) with his mother and a nephew came to us to have a tea in our chum.  On January 18th we dismantled Radik's chum. In spite of the rather warm days (Nenets are saying so, although the usual -25ºС is an average winter temperature in Yamal peninsula), we rarely have a good weather: one day a strong wind come (mertsya), another day a snowstorm (had), and next day - snowdrift (tanzer). On January 21st we had guests again - Alexey Podovitch Hudi (his chum is in 30 kms distance north from ours) on  snowmobile with his son Mayma. They brought two schoolgirls - Vitalina (2nd grade) and Klara (11th grade) - back to school in Yar-Sale. They were already 10 days late for the next semester, but they couldn't start earlier because of bad weather. This is usual for children of nomadic Nenets - sometimes half of the class is absent in the beginning of the study.  Radik had to go back to the town. Kostya and him decided to go to Yar-Sale by snowmobile to pick Albina on the way back.  Vitalina and Klara Hudi, daughters of Alexey Podovitch. They have 250 kms to Yar-Sale ahead of them:  After tea in our chum Alexay Podovitch, his son Mayma and daughters Vitalina and Klara continued their way. A rare view in tundra - a "sledge train": one sledge is for passengers, another if fully loaded with freight.   On January 24th in the evening Kostya and Albina came back bringing some news and gifts. We were happy to see Albina who was away for 2 weeks. Her return meant also that our first kaslaniye in this year is ahead of us.   http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/january-2016-a-new-year-begins-in-tundra/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/january-2016-a-new-year-begins-in-tundra/ Mon, 25 Jan 2016 10:36:10 +0300 We cotinue our December diary notes. On December 15-16 we replaces our chum - Albina didn't like how it was stood in hurry after last time kaslaniye. We places chum sticks wider apart and thus chum covers could be strained better. Radik and his family places their chum near ours. After family reuniting we both and Kostya's parent moved again (same as in spring) to left part of the chum, and Kostya with Albina moved to the right part. We also replaces nartas and moved some stuff from one to another. Our chums stay in several dozens meters distance from winter road Labytnangy - Syo-Yaha, and often see loaded trucks. We decided to stay here for several weeks. The herd ran on in 1,5 kms distance from the chum and from time to time come closer. 27 kms southeast from our camp there is Yuribey railway station (station Nr.15 of industrial railway Obskaya-Karskaya). Kostya and Alexander regularly go to the station by snowmobile to collect so called "dry firewood". According to the federal programm tundra inhabitants are supplied with the wood, which is brought to this station. This is a big help to us in winter time in the area where are no wood available.    Replacing of the chum - Albina, Yana'mama and Alexander:  (to continue reading please press "Читать полностью")     Albina placing the chum sticks: Pedava: Semyonko: Pedaba and Semyon pose for Alexandra:   Pedava and Kostya: Hair cutting day in our chum:  On December 17th men have brought Albina and Alexandra to the railway station, where both women enteren the passenger train used to transport shift workers to industrial bases. Tundra people can travel by this train free, they have only to register themselves in advance in the Yamal district civic movement for Indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North "Yamal". Both women went to Salekhard and Yar-Sale to deal with some documents and pick up schoolchildren for winter vacation.  Our camp:  Alexander's diary notes, December 17-25th:  Kostya and me planned to do a lot of thing during Alexandra and Albina's absencce - all usual for the chum staying close to railway. We had to refill our firewood stock - for this we travel with freight sledge 27 kms one way to Yuribey station. One middle-size load is enough for 3-4 days. This time of the year our tundra family became almost a single user of a huge pile of firewood which was brought to the station in the middle of December. We've seen unloading of this pile and noted that different from previous years wood was places aside from the railroad tracks. So we come here once in several days, while our neighbors go to the stacks and dig in snow last year's wood supply. We informed everybody, where this year's firewood is located, but it seems that they still haven't change the practice.     These days we talked a lot to fishermen catching fish in Yuribey, who become unwilled heroes of one of Yamal television's programms about fishery supervision raids. As far as we know, sipervision hasn't caught anybody redhanded, only has removed the nets. This act was consideres unjustful by the local inhabitants - the nets are still a private property! As for fishery law and allowed quantities, we are going to write a special article about this topic related to a real conflict between govenrmental and traditional law. Here we'd like to mention some of the catch quata (according to the Nenets living in the wildlife sanctuary): broad whitefish – 5 kgs/year; vendace – 200 kgs/year, nelma – 6 kgs/year, pike – 100 kgs/year, muksun – 0 kgs/year. So calculate yourself, and we will come back to this topic later.   On December 19th we've had visitors, whos chum stays in about 60 kms distance north from us. I was absent, and Kostya later told me about the dialog with them:  – These Russians (lutsa – so the Nenets call everybody, same as Americans use Russians) are still living with you?  – Yes, still didn't go. – What do they do? Any help?  – Sure. For example now they help to transport firewood. Also they help in the chum. Remove and montage the chum...Lead the argish during kaslaniye...So they can do everything.  – Can they!? – Of cource, they are people too.  On December 20th there were first trucks on the winter road near our chum, and in the night on December 22nd it was the snowstorm - strongest in the whole expedition time. I was disapointed - I wanted to to pictures of chums and tundra this day, the shortest day in the year. I wanted to show a real light of a tundra day, which is often called "polar night". But instead ot if there was a milk-like substance in the air, and chums and nartas weren't seen even from 15-20 meters distance. The snowstorm has calmed after 24 hours, and then we came back to usual tasks and worries, what helped us to wait until Alexandra and Albina were back.   http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/december-in-tundra-people-too-fish-and-no-women-in-chum/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/december-in-tundra-people-too-fish-and-no-women-in-chum/ Sat, 09 Jan 2016 10:38:03 +0300 As we wrote before, Kostya has changed his plan to stay near Yasavey river over winter and decided to repeat last year's route to Yuribey river's area. So we had about 50 kms ahead of us to one of the winter camp places. On Decemper 17th Alexandra and Albina had to go for Salekhard and Yar-Sale town.  We have no chance to make many photos and videoa these days, because we have to help our nomadic family in many everyday matters. this is one of the points that distinquish longterm stay in tundra from short terms visits when esplorer, tourist or journalist stays in a chum as a guest. Weather conditions also often change our plans for filming - our technics sweats, light days are short, and at least but not last, it's very cold. Hands freeze - so from time to time we dream about our personal video operator.   On December 7th we arrived at our 51st encampment place:N 69º28'37,9'' E 069º46'00,9''. The linear distance from our last camp - 4 kms.  We woke up at 5am as usual during kaslaniye day. Snowstorm started in the night, but Kostya didn't change his intention to move the herd - he anticipated weather change. After longer stay at the same place the preparation is long: it's a lot to be done - to sweep ice-covered nartas, to cleat chum covers from snow. Albina says, we took to many things from the nartas.     Light days are very short now, so all preparation are made during the dark time. While we collected bed stuff and chlother and packed them to narta-yuhuna during the snowstorm, we still hoped Kostya will change his plan. But he was firm in his intention: we had to reach Yuribey in time.  During picking riding bulls sky got partially clear and the wind calmed. We haven't see the sun for many days: the sky is covered with dense and heay clouds. Our navigator believes that in this part of Yamal peninsula the sunrise happend on November 17th (or 18th?). At time we've written this report, the navigator was fully ouf of battery, but if you are eager to check the timing you can find the information in the Internet. A lot of people who never have been to North, are full of myths about polar night from the mass culture. A real polar night appears further north than 80 degrees northern latitude, but the populous part of Subarctic, including Yamal peninsula, is located southward. During the darkest month, December, the sun doesn't appear over horizon, but there is still a light day which lasts for 5 hours. It feels really spectacular: one can not see the sun disc, but in in the southern part of horizon there is an amber colour line. This time Alexander led argish of Albina, and Albina herself rode snowmobile with Padava and controlled the herd from the back. Because of long preparation we've covered a short distance that day, after only 3,5 kms it started to get dark, we stopped and made the chum. The weather was still bad, with snowstorm and poor visibility. Next day we wanted to move forward and, tired going to bed, dreamed of a better weather conditions.  On December 8th we reached our 52nd encampment place:N 69º20'54,2'' E 069º49'27,4''. The linear distance from the last camp  – 14,3 kms. Another kaslaniye day. According to usual local conditions, it's quite warm - not colder that -10 degrees Celcius. Almost no wind, and no snowstorm. Compared with the moving on the previous day, this time is felt like vacation. Preparation in the morning was very quick, we dismanteled our chum in the dark - we already used to it. This time our camp is located near the big coral - Hariuma'va.  Semyon:  (to continue reading please press "Читать полностью")   We didn't move on December 9th: everybody needed to rest before next two days of interrupted moving.   On December 10th we arrived at our 53rd camp: N 69º12'52,6'' E 069º52'01,8'', the linear distance - 15 kms. During this moving something steadily happened to Alexandra's argish. First a malk (a castrated bull without horn) run away and one had to catch an avka (a domesticated reindeer grown up near the chum and used to people). Then the nutos (the last narta, used to transport the chum's sticks) unbended, Albina and Alexander brought it back and helped to change the brocken ropes. Then on the descent a rope leading to the reindeer's team got broken, and Albina helped again. Otherwise it was a rather smooth kaslaniye - and truly speaking small misfortunes mentioned above happen almost every time. In the evening the air temperature dropped to -22 degrees Celcius and finally we saw stars in the sky.   Alexander and his argish near the steep descent:   On December 11th we arrived at our 54th camp place:N 69º05'55,3'' E 069º55'04,0'', 13 kms from the last camp. In the night the air temperature dropped to -30 degrees, but there was no wind, so we decided to move forward again. As for Yamal frosts, we want to share an observation with you. This kind of temperature -25-30 degrees isn't much wonder for people living in middle Russia. But here people whole day stay outside by this (or lower) temperature. Comparing with our homeplace - Sain Petersburg, we can say that the forsts feel easier here, because of high humidity in Petersburg. It's more comfortable to breath here during the cold days, and frozen cheeks and noses heal faster.  This time during kaslanye  Albina stayed behind: the snowmobile she was riding fell aside, other argishes were far further and nobody heard her cries. Only later Kostya at one riding narta went back to pick her up. With little Semyon we waited for a long time, even wore warmer yagushka and malica clothes, cause it got too cold. Then fog and snowstorm started and the rest of the road we continues almost without seeing anything. Alexander dreamed of expedition's personal video operator again - he followed the argishes and the herd in the dark and observed this spectacular view without being able to film such a beautiful scenery. At our target place lights of "Buran" snowmobile already waited for us: Radik, his wife Sveta and Myangcha arrived there first. They have brought 40 reindeers from the family herd - all they were collected  this fall in Yuribei area in other herds. The relatives helped us to montage the chum, drank tea with us and left.  We stayed at the same place on December 12th, while Kostya and Albina visitet chums of Kostya's parents and Radik, who had to move to our camp.  On December 13th we moved to our 55th camp: N 69º01'30,1'' E 069º54'20,6'', the linear distance - 8,2 kms. We didn't move far away, just a little closer to Kostya's parents' chum. Clear sky and strong wind. The air temperature dropped from -20 degrees Celcius at day to -30 degrees in the evening. At the new camp's place Radik has already waited for us. We used winter heavy sticks for the chum (which were brought the day before with snowmobile) and warmer fell chum cover. December sunset: On December 14th Kostya and Alexander went to dismantle the chum of Kostya's parents, and Mamanyka (otherwise called Kostya'neba or Yana'mama, after an eldest daughter of Kostya, Yana, who was raised by Mamanyka), Nache (Kostya's father), Radik (Kostya's elder brother), his wife Sveta and their son Myangcha, plus 6 dogs, moved to our camp. Everybody spent the night in our chum, which was suddenly full of relatives who haven't see eath other for a long time. More fuzzbuzz was created by dogs who different from the summertime always try to stay inside the warm chum or even hide under the bed cover. Kostya's parents have brought another petrol lamp, so we light two lamps now.  Myangcha starts engine of his "Buran" snowmobile:   Mamanyka and Nache love to play cards:  http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/december-in-tundra-polar-night-frost-and-chum-full-of-people/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/december-in-tundra-polar-night-frost-and-chum-full-of-people/ Mon, 04 Jan 2016 10:41:02 +0300 We congratulate all our readers regarding the new 2016 year. Here we continue publishing our diary notes and tell about December in Yar-Sale tundra.  On December 4th and 5th Kostya and Alexander went to Yuribey for the second time, with the same goals as before: to exchange horns for gazoline and to buy bread from the factory worker. We won't explain rules of "barted trade" in tundra. When we write "went to Yuribey", it could sound so easy, but in reality it is 60 kms driving to Kostya's parents' chum, and then again 30 kms to the slaughter base, where Anatoly, the factory worker, could provide gazoline and food. With other words, Kostya has made about 150 kms ride in tundra with fully loaded sledge.    We think it's important to notice that tundra isn't a highway: it's a flatland covered with snow (often the layer is really deep) with some frozen hills. This road is quite difficult for drivers and for his passengers as well - they feel all unevennesses. Another problem make rivers and lates with their banks covered with snow. All these landscape specifics are turning the driving to some kind of extreme sport with a certain grade of risk and traumatic experiences.  We were interested in the work of Yuribey slaughter base, and Kostya made a turn to this place. There are several slaughterues in Yamal tundra, all belogning to "Yamal reindeers" company - in Yar-Sale, Syo-Yaha, Payuta and Yuribey. Sovkhos brigades can sell there reindeer meat from November to beginning of December. On the day Alexander and Kostya were visiting the base, herders from Panayev tundra have brought there their reindeers.   Usually the slaughtery takes only carcass, while heards, fell and tripe are thrown away. This year this order has changed - fell is also kept for furhter downstream processing - same as in Northland. But our friends as many tundra reindeer herders have got fells and heads of slaughtered reindeers.    Kostya and Alexander came back with gazoine and bread in the late evening of December 5th. Our nomadic family has changed their plans for firther moving. Before they wanted to stay for longer winter stay near Yasavey river - further north than other reindeer herders families and closer to the places they stay in summer. Kostya was afraid that his traditional winter stay places have to so much reindeer lichen as needed for animals - because of many brigades and private herders stayed on these places before him. Nevertheless we will move in this direction - closer to Kostya's parents' chum to collect the animals that splitted from the herd. So we have 60 kms ahead of us, and have to cover this distance before middle of December.  Slaughter base Yuribey: (to continue reading please press "Читать полностью") Waiting camera for reindeers in the slaughtery: «Death corridor» – the last road for reindeers in the slagher base: Fells and heads: Slaughter base Yuribey: http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/december-in-tundra-road-extreme-slaughter-base-and-new-plans/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/december-in-tundra-road-extreme-slaughter-base-and-new-plans/ Thu, 24 Dec 2015 10:42:33 +0300 We continue publishing our daily notes.  Nov.20-24th: After Kostya, Albina and Alexander came back, the weather turned bad. They call here windy weather with a snowfall with the word "haad" (Nenets хад – snowstorm). This time Kostya and Albina said, "neney haad came" (Nenets ненэй (real) хад): wind really knocked us down, snow was falling as a dence curtain, minimal visibility and air temperature about minus 20 degrees Celcius. It's impossible to do anything outside.    While our hosts were away to collect their reindeers, we've got our of firewood, and haven't succeed to collect more before the snowstorm. We only had a small pile of cut osier-bed bushes and some birch logs. That days all the other families who collected reindeers, also had to survive without firewood. To save firewood we burned the stove only three times a day while preparing tea. During 4 days of snowstorm we also have burned some of Kostya'd wooden details for new nartas and temporary used huners (Nenets хунер''– floor mat made of thin birch trees, used under the bed) of osier bed which we underlay on the floor in the places there there are no real huners. We could not cook meat, so we ate frozen fish sent by Kostya's relatives from Yuribey, and drunk a lot of tea. It was very cold in the chum - everybody just sat there fully covered himself in fur yagushkas. Seldom heroes walked outside the chum, and after coming back they had to carefully remove a lot of snow from the clothes.  But as they say, every cloud has a silver lining - during the haad we discussed a lot of things with Kostya and Albina. For instance they told us about a house spirit in chum - hartso. From time to time one can hear a special sound - scrape of the chum's wooden strips. This sound "forecasts" bed weather is made by hartso, the chum spirit. The legend says once a man heard hartso scrapes. He took an axe and cut the strip into small pieces. Then hartso  went to another strip - the man cut it also. This way he cut all the chum strips - and hartso entered then his body -and started to make sound from within and the man killed himself.  Aftes 4 days, on November 24th, snowstorm quited down, we picked out riding bulls, and Kostya with Albina went to collect firewood. This evening we burned a lot of wood, finallly cooked soup and were just happy.  On November 25-27th Albina and Kostya went again to pick our the reindeers, this time in Albina's uncle herd (Georgy Aybaevitch Hudi) and spend a night there. Kostya caught animals with his lasso, Albina helped him to lead them to them chum. This time they collected 13 reindeers. So totally after herd mixed together in the summer, our hosts collected 73 their reindeers, led them back - and the herd look much bigger now.  In addition to all our misadvantages with the weather we've got out of our dry bread supply (Nenets "talbey nian" (талбэй нянь (dry bread). The situation is usual for autumn months in tundra families. If it is imporrible to purchase bread at selling factories or in an industrial town, one can "borrow" this important in tundra food from neighbors. As Nenets say, people could survive in tundra without meat, fish, butter and sugar, but "there was no life without bread". So Albina took a 10 kilometers long ride to Alexey Podovitch Hudi (our summer neighbor) and brought back a sack full of freshly backed bread. The most people in tundra understand that they can be in similar situation without bread and gazoline, so they likely help to other in need. On the same day, November 27th, Kostya and Alexander went to one of our spring encampment places and brought back our big "snowstorm pulk" (a case wooden case on heavy runners covered with plastic). In tundra one use this pulk to carry heavy loadings.  November 28th - December 1st:  Alexander and Kostya prepared the snowbike, changed oil and oil filter and too a ride to Yuribey to purchase there some gazoline, bread and other food - and also to look who's chum is ahead of us. They rode 60 kilometers until the chum at Yuribey river, where was a summer camp of Kostya's parents and his brother Radik with the family.  Next morning Kostya and Alexander visited neighbors' chums and help their inhabitants to collect reindeers from mixd herd. It was another time when we realized how important is to take camera to such long distance ride. Without it Alexander could not film a spectacular view of 15 men picking reindeer from 1500 heads herd. Kostya and Alexander had to came back next day, on Novermer 30th, but because of snowstorm they had to wait in the chum. Next day they collected reindeers in Yury Hudi's herd, and his son, 13 years old Anton (who also same as Rako left the school) helped to them. Only in the evening Kostya and Alexander could start their way back to the chum at Yasawei.  Reindeer herders picking out the animals from the mixed herd:   please press "Читать полностью"   On the first winter day our men came back with fuel, food, fish (from Kostya's parent and brother). They traded gazoline in the shop near Yuribey slaughtery for reindeer horns. The shop owner changes 26 kgs og horns to 200 Liters gazoline barrel. In tundra this year's price for horn is about 700 Rubles/kilogramm.  в  We  turned on generator and while drinkin tea with long awaited candies and sweet condensed milk, heard the big world news from Kostya and Alexander.  Firewood on the "snowstorm pulk". One fix two nartas on both sides - otherwise reindeers would try to take our the wood:  On December 3rd we sawed reindeers' horns (only front parts), next day men felt again to buy some gazoline.  Sawing off the horns: After two weeks of bad weather our chum became smaller and its covers (nyuk) slied away from the normal positions. It was not cosy inside, and everybody waited to better wheather conditions to buit our home anew. Then Albina and Alexandra did it without men who went away, and to their big surprize succeded without men's help.  Two women first removed snowpiles near the chum, then carefully shaked snow off the chum covers and took them off and dismantled the chum strips. Then they built chum on other place without collecting and changing the order of inner stuff. Albina says that people who live in tundra alone, have no other choice than do the whole building and removing chum pricedures alone. In the bigger space of the newly biult chum it become more comfortable for everybody.  During the snowstorm Kostya is making new harness. Pedava nearby also is busy with something.   After getting more gazoline we can turn on the generator every day. Pedava and Semyon are happy to watch animation films.  http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/november-2015-part-4-neney-had-house-spirit-and-bread-crisis/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/november-2015-part-4-neney-had-house-spirit-and-bread-crisis/ Mon, 21 Dec 2015 10:45:54 +0300 Let's remember our summer days and take a look at the movie we called "Kaslaniye day" (day of nomadic movement). At the moment we've added subtitles only in Russian, but you can still check the timing. Sorry for the quality - this video was taken and edited in the field circumstances. It shows an usual day of the Nenets reindeer herders' family from wacking up a one camp to going to bed at other camp.    http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/summer-memories-kaslaniye-day/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/summer-memories-kaslaniye-day/ Tue, 15 Dec 2015 10:44:07 +0300 The whole time since our last report we've spent at the same place, where we got on November 14th. The herd ran on not far from the chum, and "domesticated" reindeers - avkas - walked close by the the chum and men.  These days Kostya and Albina continued to collect their reindeers from other herds. Kostya left for our summer neighbors, taking several riding bulls with him. He wanted to change them for young bulls from Yaroslav's herd. Old bulls will go to Yuribey slaughtery. This kind of change is a usual way to trade reindeers among reindeer herders.  The slaughteries of meat-processing factory "Yamal reindeers" in Yar-Sale, Syo-Yaha and at Payuta and Yuribey railway stations started their functioning in October.  "Yamal reindeers" cooperates directly with former state farms, and also buys meat from private reindeer herders. They can sell meat only if they entered the union of herders - if not, they have to find a way to sell mear through relatives or friends.  In 2015 one kilogramm of meat's price was 180-200 Rubles, so one reindeer would cost about 7-10 thousands Rubles. Not all the herders sell their reindeers' meat this way. Kostya for example, for last three years haven't sell the meat (after severe loss of the hers in 2013). As fas as we can calculate, private herders sell not more than 10% of  the herd, and there is no risk for the herders who have more than 400-500 reindeers.  (please press "Читать полностью")   November 18-19th: the big coral  After yerkolava in the morning Kostya, Albina and Alexander left for a big coral  Хариума ва'' (Hariuma va) at the Hariuma-Yaha river. In Yamal peninsula there are several big stationary corals for big herds. Kostya same as our summer neighbors had to divide the herds and collect their reindeers before going to Yuribei slaughtery. Kostya, Albina and Alexander took two nartas and had many reindeers with them - they wanted to come back again on three nartas. Alexandra stayed only adult with the children in the chum.   The big coral's location was in about 18 kms distance from our chum. Then Kostya, Albina and Alexander arrived there, there were already our summer neighbors: Savoli Podovitch Hudi with his wife and son Kostya, Yaroslav Hudi, Myangcha Serotetto, Alexey Podovitch Hudi with his wife and 14 years old son Anihasava (Rako), Heng Hudi with his son Ruslan and son-in-law Igor, Georgu Aibaewitch (Albina's uncle Gosha).  «Parking lot» near the big coral: If you are our constant follower, you should remember our report about construction of a coral (ва''): herders in Yamal make their corals for yerkolava of nartas and cage net. Bit stationary corals are constructed differently. This one -  Хариума ва'' - is built of metal sections with net, and its total surface is about   150х200 m. Its central part makes so called "main coral" - here comes the whole herd first - in our case there were about 1500 reindeers.  Then part of the herd goes to the first "pre-cage" (200-300 reindeers), after that - to the second pre-cage (100-150 reindeers). After these two steps 30-50 reindeer are led to so calles "working space" - rather small space (similar to the chum's space). Here herders are picking the animals - and then led them to several doors leading to different rooms of the coral. To there rooms the herders took reindeers belonging to Alexey Podovitch Hudi, Heng Hudi, Kostya Hudi and Yaroslav Hudi. And there is also so called "slaughter room" where one took all reindeers wich have to to to slaughtery, and also reindeer of our Kostya Serotetto. After the work in coral they shold go back to Kostya's herd.   Women at the coral's doors: In the coral's working space: Alexey Podovitch Hudi and his son Anihasava (Rako) guarding the coral's doors:  Anihasava (Rako) Hudi - this picture was taken in April 2015. Everybody in tundra knows this 14 years old boy by the nickname Rako. He left the school and returned to tundra living. He knows all reindeer from his father's herd by face and is really good at using lasso.   Light day is very short now in Yamal, at about 16 pm it is already dark ourside. The herders working in the big coral were ready - they used a generator, so they could continue working until late in the evening. How do they recognize their reindeers? As we explaned earlier, every reindeer is marked with an owner's mark - pidtemya (пидте''мя)  – on the side and with an ear's mark. Pidtemya isn't made as a scar - it's just the fur's hairs cut in a special way, there is no harm for an aminal's skin. This mark goes additionaly to an ear's mark, and are very important for recognizing the reindeers, especially if there were changed with other owner's animals and there were no chance to change the ear's marks. Before taking reindeers from the "working room" the herders marked every reindeer anew or maked aminals going to slaughtery with a pidtemya. Marks examples (пидте'мя): This evening Kostya, Albina and Alexander didn't succed to collect all the reindeers, so the animals atayed in the "slaughtery room" till the next morning.   In the night one unpleasant incident happened - a riding reindeer from Albina's narta died. Usually one leave reindeers teamed in the narta go freely with the herd at night, and when needed - pick them again. But if one plans to go further early morning, one don't let the riding reindeers go, leave them roped on the long rope near the long stick or at the narta. Neva Inya (ӈэва' иня, a rope going to the first reindeer's head and serving as a conducting tool, is usually roped to the central "leg" of a narta. That night a reindeer from the right side set itself free and because of its movement the first one occured to go below the narta and died. Kostya and Albina both were really sad, but there was no other way but rope the reindeers diffferently and go back to coral on two nartas. There they collected 40 reindeers belonging to Kostya's herd and led them back to the chum.   http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/november-2015-part-3-its-time-to-collect-the-herd/ http://www.yamalexpedition.ru/en/blog-en/november-2015-part-3-its-time-to-collect-the-herd/