The Yamal peninsula is located 3,600 km from Moscow. Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District (YNAD) is one of the few regions of Russia traversed by the Arctic Circle.
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Alexander Romanov
The Yamal peninsula is located 3,600 km from Moscow. Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District (YNAD) is one of the few regions of Russia traversed by the Arctic Circle.
Alexander Romanov
YNAD is home to such major cities as Salekhard, Novy Urengoy, Nadym and Noyabrsk. Among the heroines of these photographs are representatives of different nations, such as the Komi, Nenets and Selkup.
Alexander Romanov
In 1909 Boris Zhitkov, an explorer and researcher of the Russian Far North, kept a log of his travels on the Yamal peninsula, focusing on the local people, the weather conditions and the fauna of the peninsula.
Alexander Romanov
In his “Brief Report on Traveling on the Yamal Peninsula,” Zhitkov interprets the name of the peninsula as such: “Yamal, the name of the peninsula in the Samoyedic language, is made up of the words 'ya' (land) and 'mal' (end).”
Alexander Romanov
Yamal is inhabited mainly by Samoyeds, a group of northern nomadic peoples who, according to the observations of Zhitkov, “are expert navigators even in completely smooth tundra, can easily sketch a plan of the terrain in snow or sand, and quickly orientate themselves when presented with any geographical map.”
Alexander Romanov
Almost 50% of the population of the indigenous peoples are educated to primary and lower secondary level; 17% of them are completely illiterate.
Alexander Romanov
At the beginning of winter, many Samoyeds migrate south to the edge of the forests, while February-March is a time of reverse migrations to summer pastures. But some see the winter through on the coast of the Kara Sea, mainly for the bear hunting.
Alexander Romanov
Almost all Samoyeds are fishermen. Fish for them is a staple food, along with venison.
Alexander Romanov
Reindeer herding is the main occupation of these peoples. Deerskin is used to build yurts and sew clothes, and the meat of the animals is eaten or sold in urban markets.
Alexander Romanov
Besides deer and bears, Samoyeds hunt Arctic fox and marine pinnipeds.
Alexander Romanov
Family relations are patriarchal, and women do not like to pose for photographers because of superstitious fears.
Alexander Romanov
“Most Samoyeds are officially listed as pagans, but are in fact indifferent to religion. Nevertheless, there are numerous sites of sacrificial worship,” wrote Zhitkov in 1909.
Alexander Romanov
Today some of the northern peoples remain pagans, while some have become Orthodox Christians or Baptists, and others have adopted Christian saints as additional members of the pagan pantheon of gods.
Alexander Romanov
Faith tends to be a highly intimate subject for minor nations in Russia, since they have memories of Orthodox and Soviet persecution. According to the testimony of photographers and other guests of these peoples, all that can be gleaned about them are scraps of information and common facts — as soon as the conversation goes deeper or touches the here and now, the topic immediately changes.
