The nomads of northern Yamal live a harsh life at the edge of what is humanly possible. Firewood for the winter is collected in the autumn as driftwood from the Kara Sea. And when the winter finally begins in November, a three month long polar night with uninterrupted darkness awaits the nomads. In autumn 2010 I flew 300 km north from the village Seykha to visit seven different families in the area (photos 1-71). After a month I got a ride with a helicopter to the southern Yamal, where I found the third reindeer brigade from the state farm in Panaevsk after a short hike of 50 km. It was a joyful reunion with my 'old family', with whom I spent the time until the first snowstorms began, and then I walked back to civilization (photos 72-113).
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 Seykha seen from the helicopter. |
 Seykha. |
 Seykha. |
 Seykha. |
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 Flying north. |
 The helicopter is flying back. |
 Construction of a sledge. |
 A Danish attempt to construct a sledge… |
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 Brewing tea. |
 Haircut. |
 Beer crate found at the beach. |
 Bird ring from a shot goose. |
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 Catching a refractory reindeer. |
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 Excursion to the neighboring camp in bad weather. |
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 The tundra is flat as a pancake. |
 A local drill. |
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 Ready to move the camp. |
 Transport of small children. |
 Raising the camp. |
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 Moving the camp. |
 Raising the camp. |
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 The geese are flying back. |
 Driftwood at the Kara Sea. |
 Collecting firewood at the Kara Sea. |
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 Cutting the runners for a sledge. |
 Twins. |
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 Ready to work! |
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 Slaughtering a wild reindeer. |
 A slaughtered reindeer. |
 Mother, two sons and a cousine (no. 2 from the left). |
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 Grandfather (more than 80 years old). |
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 8 reindeer harnessed to two sleds. |
 DVD player in the tent. |
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 Lasso throwing. |
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 Grandfather and grandmother. |
 The bucket provides shelter and saves firewood. |
 Visit in the tent. |
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 Collecting the reindeers. |
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 Dinner is ready! |
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 Grandmother and daughter-in-law. |
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 A helicopter happened to pass by and brought me to the south of Yamal. |
 Southern Yamal. Camping in my own tent. |
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 Snow in September. |
 Feeding a calf without mother. |
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 Cooking soup. |
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 Drying reindeer skin in the wind. |
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 Catch of the day. |
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 Crossing a creek. |
 Raising the camp. |
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 On the way home with firewood. |
 The firewood is willow shrubs from the tundra. |
 Killing a reindeer. |
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 The puppies are less than one day old. |
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 Drying meet. |
 Drying the skin from a killed reindeer. |
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 Moving the camp in the sunset. |
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 Frost breath from tired reindeers. |
 Moving the camp in a caravan. |
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 A quiet moment before sunset. |
 A kitchen organizer from Schulstad (a bread factory..) |
 Eating before moving the camp. |
 Moving the camp in a caravan. |
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 The 3rd brigade from the state farm in Panaevsk. |
 Cleaning fish in the tent. |
 The camp as it looked when I left it the middle of October. |
 On my own again. |
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 Station 220 km. |
