20+ Aspects of Life for the Nenetse — a nomadic people who live in the tundra and support themselves by herding reindeer

The Nenetse are a nomadic people who live on the northern edge of Planet Earth and have maintained their traditions for centuries. One of the main features of their lifestyle is the connection with the tundra, since the vast majority of the Nenetse population historically resided in the Arctic Circle, especially on the Yamal Peninsula in Russia. Interestingly, if we translate the word “Iamal” from its native language, the literal meaning is “end of the earth”. However, in recent decades the Nenetse have had to deal with a growing threat: the loss of their identity in the face of globalisation.

We, from awesome.club, we love to know more about other peoples and other cultures. With that in mind, we decided to share with you the main details about the life and culture of the Nenetse. Check out!

The Nenetse are the greatest reindeer herders in Russia, and these animals are fundamental to their livelihood. And this is not a metaphor. So much so that they even have a special name for wild reindeer – “ilebts”, which can be translated as “giver of life”. The reindeer, for them, is the main source of food, raw material for clothes and for building their tents, means of transport (in one day, these animals can transport a light sleigh over 300 km) and, for end of income.

The Nenetse never count their reindeer as they believe it brings bad luck. On the other hand, they know how to recognize their herd through specific marks. And in order for a family to live comfortably, it is necessary to have about 300 animals. Mistreating a reindeer is strictly prohibited in Nenetse society.

Large-scale reindeer herding would be impossible without the help of dogs. In the past, the ancestors of the Nenetse, who called themselves Samoyeds, domesticated a wild dog lineage. And that’s how a very popular breed came about today: the Samoyed. Dogs are used for reindeer herding, hunting, and sometimes even act as babysitters for young children. During the night, they usually sleep inside the tents hugging their owners — this helps to keep them warm. As they are very attentive and careful, when being hugged, these dogs tend to stay still so as not to disturb the person. According to their cultural traditions, the Nenetse cannot use dogs as a means of transport to pull sleds.

Due to living conditions in the far north, the Nenetse practically do not eat vegetables. Their most common food, of course, is reindeer meat. It can be fried, smoked or dried, but there are also more exotic culinary options, such as fresh liver, kidneys and even reindeer blood. The need to survive taught these people to feed on raw meat with blood. And this is not a whim, but a response to the body’s need for vitamins, especially C and B2, which can be found in sufficient quantities in reindeer. Hence, by the way, that Nenetse individuals do not suffer from scurvy. Their favorite dishes are: slices of white fish, reindeer meat, liver, soup with flour and pancakes with blood. The Nenetse people do not eat mushrooms, as they consider them food for reindeer.

The construction of traditional Nenetse tents is done exclusively by women. They are also the owners of the house, which is usually a dowry received from their parents. The tents are supported by wooden poles, and about 40 tents are needed in all. Once the structure is ready, the women sew reindeer skin together to form a large canvas called “nyuk” and then cover the stakes with it. To cover a tent during the cold season, 65-75 reindeer skins are needed. In winter, the assembly of this house takes about an hour, while in summer about 30 minutes. A traditional tent is 8 meters in diameter and can accommodate 20 people.

Inside the tent, each place and object has a specific purpose since ancient times. In the middle, for example, is a central pole called “simzy”, which is considered sacred. The smoke from the fireplace stays along it until it reaches the upper opening of the tent, where it exits to the outside. According to a legend, ancient heroes flew through the pole for battles and military campaigns. Behind the mast, there is a sacred place called “si”. Only elderly men are allowed to step there, being a totally forbidden place for women and children. In this area is kept a sacred chest that protects the patron spirits of the hearth, family and home. In it are also placed all the relics and savings of the family, as well as some instruments. All these objects can only be handled by the head of the house, and their use by other individuals is prohibited. All activities related to fire are carried out by women. They prepare the firewood and make sure the house is always warm, fueling and maintaining the flame in the fireplace. According to Nenetse belief, women can communicate with fire and can even receive secret knowledge from it.

The sleeping space is lined at night with a thick fabric blanket. But it is only used for this purpose, being rolled up and carefully stored during the day. At bedtime, children usually lie down next to their parents.

Before the invention of portable electric generators, lanterns illuminated the internal environment of tents. Traditionally, the Nenetse used lanterns handcrafted with fish fat, into which a wick was dipped. They were later replaced by kerosene lamps.

In the tundra, where the Nenetse live, there is no Internet or cellphone signal.

Taking a shower is still quite difficult even these days, and that’s why it ends up being a more frequent habit in the summer. However, traditional clothing made from reindeer skin helps the Nenetse maintain personal hygiene during the winter. The men’s suit is made of leather and has a hood, with fur only on the inside, while the female has fur on both the inside and outside of the suit. Reindeer fur is hollow and brittle, so the layer of hair absorbs all the perspiration from the body and the ‘dirty’ strands break and come off the clothing.

A universal hygiene product used by the Nenetse is sphagnum moss, which has excellent absorbent properties. It can be used as a disposable towel, a diaper, or even a dishwashing sponge.

It is only possible to reach the tundra region where the Nenetse live by air, which is why the women give birth in their tents. After birth, the baby is wrapped in reindeer skin. In the tent there is also space for a cot. In the old days, babies were immediately placed in it after childbirth and only got out of there when they started to walk. In traditional versions, wood chips and dry moss are placed at the bottom of the crib to pad it, while reindeer or arctic fox skins serve as diapers. The child is accommodated in the bed with the help of special handles, which hold the baby, keeping him safe and warm. Because it is very portable, when breastfeeding, mothers usually hold the baby together with the cradle, which continues to be widely used to this day.

Children can start helping with family activities around age 4 or 5, but only if they are interested. Doing household chores is an independent decision for the child. In general, by the age of 7 – 8 the little ones are already fully involved in the daily life of the settlement and help their parents. An 11-year-old boy can usually capture a reindeer without much difficulty and help his father repair snowmobiles.

Children often use bird beaks as a toy. In addition, a traditional puppet is made with a beak for a head and is dressed in colorful fabrics. The type of beak determines the toy’s gender: if it’s a duck, then it’s a doll, if it’s a goose, then it’s a doll. And the choice of these waterfowl is not accidental — it was believed that they are pure and innocent creatures, which every year fly towards the supreme god. The dolls are faceless and there is a special reason for this: that way unclean spirits cannot enter them.

There is no way to build a school in the middle of the tundra, so special boarding schools were opened in the villages closest to the settlements for Nenetse children. In August, a helicopter comes to pick them up to take them to school. And they only return home in May of the following year. Despite this, children still meet their parents during the school year. Many of them usually go to schools to visit their children with snowmobiles or even take them to spend the New Year’s holidays at home. By the way, as in every school, there are also parent-teacher meetings. Therefore, whenever possible, parents try to go to the village to communicate with teachers and participate in their children’s lives.

On the other hand, boarding school is a period of great stress for little Nenetses, as adapting to the new environment is not easy. One of the biggest difficulties is food: children bring raw meat from home, and when it runs out, they usually eat only bread and drink tea. In addition, the little ones often lie down to sleep without removing their thick clothes because of the cold, as usual at home. There was a case where staff had to ask a student to come out of the wardrobe where she had been sitting and locked for hours, and that was because the enclosed space reminded her of her home tent. After finishing school, many Nenetse youth do not want to return to the tundra settlement, preferring to live in towns and cities. And this fact occurs more frequently among women than with men. This, however, has generated a social problem: the ratio of men to women within the community is increasing. Experts believe the special schools are destroying the Nenetse’s traditional nomadic culture, as children are cut off from their parents and settlement life, losing the skills to live in the tundra. An alternative to this problem are the nomadic schools, which move and accompany the Nenetse communities.

Could you adapt to the nomadic lifestyle in the tundra? How do you think it is possible to preserve the traditional culture of the Nenetse today? Tell us in the comments section.