Life With Siberian Nomads (Survival Documentary) | Real Stories

I've always been fascinated by nomads constantly on the move beautiful journey surviving in the world's most remote wilderness teems where's a removal van remarried and living cheek by jowl with nature it's always seemed a wildly romantic existence the most magical place but it's no easy life sort of makes you feel physically sick and in today's modern world they're under increasing pressure [Music] I'm going to live with three groups of nomads in Nepal namaste Mongolia sanben off and now within the nets in Siberia these reindeer herders have always lived life on the margins but today giant global threats are encroaching on their traditional migrations can they hold on to their ancient way of life [Music] the Yamal Peninsula in northern Russia a vast and frozen wasteland jutting deep into the Arctic Circle home to the nomadic reindeer people than their nets in their language Yamal means end of the world and if anywhere feels like that it's this place - 26 is the air temperature but with the windchill it's minus thirty five point three [Music] I have never been in the Arctic wilderness in the teeth of the winter I feel inadequately prepared for life in a landscape like this and in temperatures like these it's truly impossible to imagine how any human being could or would choose to live in a region like this the nur Nets have survived in these extremes for generations but now they're facing serious threats that could undermine their traditional way of life like so many places in the world this is an environment as changing rapidly particularly with regards to climate in 2013 a dramatic temperature rise in midwinter led to the death of thousands of reindeer but it isn't the only threat to these people the discovery of huge reserves of gas in the northern peninsula have brought in machinery roads have brought in railways this massive infrastructure supporting the gas industry is squeezing and blocking than Annette's migratory routes I'm hoping to find out how they're coping as these pressures stack up against them it's early December and our journey begins at the edge of the Arctic Circle in the town of sanic art from here six wheel drive trucks called rekkles are taking us 200 kilometers further north we've arranged a rendezvous with an Annette's family who were migrating south across the tundra the barren permafrost of the Yamal Peninsula we've been making our way painfully slowly along this very difficult road and suddenly the truck in front of us which is carrying all the fuel and a lot of our equipment lost an entire tire so poor Sergey and Igor are now having to try and work out this back on the trailer we're somewhere just as I've been practicing you as night falls the temperature drops to minus 40 attempting a repair in these conditions is perilously difficult the trailer didn't get fixed last night and we ended up here which is one of these strange trading posts next to the railway it was midnight and everybody decided that if there was anywhere to stay we would give up for the night we did actually find a part which is miraculous and Sergey and Igor are welding it onto the trailer but we spent the night here in a shipping container everybody crowded in together frankly if we managed to get to the new Nets camp today I think it'll be a miracle this remote Trading Post serves as a Depot for Gazprom the Russian energy giant exploiting the gas fields here and as one of the many reindeer slaughterhouses that are dotted across the peninsula in recent years many inner Nets have been forced to leave their nomadic lives some of them have ended up working here I heard there was very bad weather for reindeer last year and that a lot of hurdles like yourself lost a lot of animals due to the wind will it from nice last oh [ __ ] I never done it you lose it do you understand me together tomorrow huh my topic is magma with a meal of it - yummy I mean yet my young miss no matter when pairing with over me I am facing a major part that Larry would never come boom yellow hey motorized condom Maharaj Matarazzo today mr. Mohammed Khan nervous Marah neuropathy how about them me kana kaanum contain over gamma they talk yeah we didn't deny remove Pina Pina Pina didn't how are you darling it's a truly heartbreaking story one that's been repeated across the tundra in 2013 over 15,000 reindeer died and over 60 families were ruined if there's something one thing that you would hold responsible for that you would blame for that is the Swiss upon adoption most famous if anything new version that an athlete to come when you go to Rajab with the trailer repaired there's over a hundred kilometers to go and the temperature is a staggeringly low - 54 [Music] [Music] basically we tried to leave the Trading Post and almost instantly choco got a puncture and as they were fixing that the diesel started to freeze in both vehicles so nothing is working I think the real concern is that if we try and head off even further into the wilderness we might be stranded in the middle of nowhere [Music] to make matters worse the delays mean we've missed our rendezvous with Ann Annette's family we had plan to stay with [Music] we've no choice but to head back to our starting point the town of Salah card being up there at that trading post gave me a real sense of you know of another way of life I just felt deeply saddened by the way that those people's lives had turned out those men were killing reindeer day-in day-out that was their job and those were people whose whole lives had been about living with living alongside and looking after reindeer that would destroy the most robust of human souls having missed the meeting with our original family we need to find another group who will take us in [Music] quest for a new reindeer herding family has begun in a different trouble this one running on petrol so hopefully it won't freeze up despite the fact that it is absolutely bitter again and outside minus 35 we head for another slaughterhouse where we've been told Nanette's families are delivering their reindeer [Music] is this the slaughterhouses over there at this time of year the nur Nets come in from their camps in the surrounding tundra to sell some of their animals the cash they earn will buy what they need to survive the year ahead it's an extraordinary but sad sight as the reindeer are rounded up into pens ready for slaughter every part of the animal is used the meat is sold into a profitable global market while the fur is made into clothing in describe it because it's the sort of cold that makes you feel physically sick if you exert yourself in any way it feels like so I've jumped into this otherworldly scene well kind of life and death it it's hard to describe when your brain is frozen can feel my eyelashes freezing to my cheeks [Music] the Yamal Peninsula is home to the world's largest reindeer population with 600,000 animals looked after by 15,000 nomads rather sad that my first view of the reindeer here is the ones that are about to be slaughtered but I suppose what they also represent is the survival for another year of the people who own them with the reindeer rounded up their owners take a break inside a communal building there are several families here but one seems particularly friendly and blendable listen now and will you be migrating again when you'll finish their Natasha this a gun that the lien which image water would you allow me to come and learn from you about the Nets way of life we set off for the family's camp Natasha and her daughter guiding the way while Kostya travels back on his sledge it's an hour's drive through the snow and across a frozen river that's okay you know you're doing good driving Daniel don't worry [Music] and you [Music] you go up a tree on earth is he doing mining who's trying to get mobile phone signal not nomadism for you [Music] booyah booyah and then I met Madame Natasha Natasha and Kostya are nearing the end of their 500 kilometer seasonal migration at the moment they're moving every few days they're traveling with two other families next door is Jaeger Kostya's brother and in the third tent or tongue is their friend vitaly bulla okay okay these traditional chums are all that protect these families from the harsh Siberian winter a simple wooden frame is covered with reindeer skins and that's it without a fire it's as cold inside as out and right now that's -38 place be about this landscape and it seems amazing that little pyramids of snow are enough to keep whole families alive in conditions as harsh as this I think the thing that always strikes me is just how how pared down their lives are you know this is it Kostya has to move the herd to new pasture so while his neighbor's round up the reindeer to pools Reds he prepares the harnesses and upon her head a comfortable to go to remind unhonest are you due tomorrow is it the same rule for children new to the music much beauty she's doing it to get lights god I'm gonna hit in Annette's culture once a female reaches puberty it's considered bad luck if she steps over ropes poles and even men's boots it's believed to bring misfortune to the family and their herd so Kostya when I see this should I lift it up and put it over like this and that's just for women for men it's okay you can step - Kimberly - a traditional vampire - hundun Tanaka Tanaka yang go okay these ancient beliefs are part of the Nanette animist faith they believe everything in nature possesses a spiritual force when women start to menstruate they become directly connected to this force known by the Nanette as sire Mae [Music] Oh [Music] costea and his neighbors share over 300 reindeer unlike their ancestors they rely on them for food warns and transport the three families own individual animals but they all share the workload amazingly Kostya yeh gore and Vitaly can tell each animal apart even at several hundred meters the Nanette's animals are semi domesticated cousins of wild reindeer the bulk of the herd is for trading while sama used to pull sleds a few are believed to be sacred and will not be killed until they're too old to walk can you all explain to me how important reindeer are to your life in China which Arab new people I didn't check on in changing what Monty was until the territory you mr. hat I am Canada Hey seeking help from granny my Uncle Jake [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] I'm gonna touch that one [Music] evening we're taking the herd out to new pasture for the night it's a four kilometer ride [Music] it's actually quite a smooth ride and they move do you think the men's days are ruled by caring for their reindeer making sure they get enough food and protecting the herd from predators like foxes Eagles Wolverines and wolves [Music] actually it's quite heavy I don't how we gonna get through here we going just smashing please for free [Music] [Applause] [Music] after half an hour we arrive at a clearing the reindeer scraped through the snow to reach the lichen below remarkably it's all that sustains them through the long winter months the nur Nets need to be constantly on the move migrating up and down the peninsula to ensure that their herds have enough to eat just to be out here with these people having had all the trials and tribulations we've had and what was really really lovely was just seeing how costume completely understood his reindeer his dogs the landscape you know I've only just met him we got lost my heart is a puppy tail you can see is clearly learning from the other dogs and when the other dogs are that one's okay we all bet down in the tomb together the family on one side the crew and I on the other [Music] [Music] I'm not quite sure what time it is in the morning they've been amazingly hospitable these two the absolute yours used that's who me and the crews an attempt before we die so we spent the night here in the Chum and I think this is what are we gonna be for the next week [Music] when you're the government most days the men tend to the reindeer whilst the women look after the home and these strict gender roles also extend to the dress code and her neighbor which is also her sister-in-law have told me that basically wearing a pair of Santa pets is completely unacceptable so I need to wear a skirt so do you both make all your clothes until the intern you don't need to tell me much all yogurt can we order so Natasha how did you meet Kostya nope I mean you wish for my newest we'll never know that I would say what they wish what happens can you tell me about in the Nets wedding important matter I didn't what you seem to nuuma sister do you know a boy or girl and a boy who knew my name she just ocean storm and with general Castillo our customer Mia but Stella teasing after when you're mashing I didn't open couple my mg was ready so when your sons are older will you do the same for them really pulling him after my in any way you talk alone you know what you can you have nothing else though but look at the holy water dear for the new home woman hall no one understood there okay so put it in a nut not give it an instance I'm Janice tonight yeah what do you think what well you come here look at us we are the best-looking girls on the tundra what do you think that's good crispy yeah Natasha and Kostas camp is next to the Gazprom railway this afternoon the director of the 350 mile train track is coming to visit the railway has blocked some of the new nets migration routes as the reindeer and sleds struggled to cross the track the gas industry has also been accused of damaging feeding grounds Alexandra Melhem Chuck and his family are here on a PR exercise to find out how this heavy industry is affecting than our next lives under you you work up here your base up here your work is usable is distribution got stuff in booze of number one youngster mr. Hayes jr. when the Soviet state collapsed in the 1990s multinational corporations flooded in to explore the tundra for its huge gas reserves in 2011 Gazprom the Russian energy giant began to exploit them at 41 billion dollars it's the fourth most expensive energy project in the world and a vital and strategic part of the Russian economy how did you meet Kostya and Natasha Thank You Chrissy snow boom the gathers come jeez Mugen a human will can you know can you w to compensate the Nanette's for blocking some of their migration routes the railway has made concessions Southwest anomaly dodging asteroids it's an EP hold it published of Magnum ugly new Paris but when appreciate with compensation given to to the nomadic people in this area Moochie Liuba industries that say goodbye industrial uses a la primo [ __ ] dakota up in the nose sophistication blood shows what the GM is the gas industry pays each Nannette adult 20 pounds a month and funds development across the tundra I didn't doomed as I shoot at the why should that the waters divide six it's Alka did you throw it special compost tryouts do you think that this is good progress for the people of the tundra sealer product over here makin a nice immediate cook time with the usually shouldn't we need civilian it's a very interesting little visit I thought the most telling thing about him was how extraordinarily well media trained he was there was a man who was never ever ever going to answer a question straight there are no doubt some benefits for the new nets the tax revenues raised by the local government from the gas industry are helping to finance schools and medical facilities in the Yamal district what scares me is that these are big powerful industries and I suspect pretty unstoppable is this a way of them seemingly to be doing the local people here a favor when actually what they're doing is gently eradicating their culture with gas production plan to travel over the next 15 years the impact on the Lynette's is only just beginning it's very early in the morning and the family are on the move its migration day the absolute essence of nomadism for me it's incredibly romantic it's sort of thing that as a child you know I wanted to be a nomad or a gypsy or in the circus you know somebody who is constantly on the move costea natasha their neighbors and their reindeer are heading for new pastures and I'm going with them everything has to be packed up and put on a specific sled literally five minutes ago everyone was sitting around they relaxed having tea and then suddenly the whole thing is dismantled in what seems like moments times maneuver giant chopsticks it's taken three hours to pack three families and their entire lives on to 33 sleds the migration is a colorful affair the sleds are decorated with bells and red leather tassels and the reindeer wear special harnesses it's a very beautiful thing what's it made out a forum would you know what that moment do we give you this is mama no no no no no no no that do you still find mammoths sometimes out in maternal touch at them then you are seven eight with a yoni who be some work on the diva beckoning he'll do it with a near with amnesia you got using them [Music] [Music] with everything finally packed we're off [Music] [Applause] we head down the ice road alongside the railway with the herd following behind [Music] costea and natasha have travelled nearly 500 kilometers south in September and now are only a few weeks away from their winter grazing grounds [Music] dusk spooling as we head off the road and onto the wide open Tundra after six kilometers we arrived at the Nou Camp just as the wind picks up [Music] [Music] so this is what I'm really getting the sense of this is this relationship between them and reindeer is it's a symbiotic relationship which allows people an animal to to be up in this really wild place and to not just his Gracchus survival but live kind of MV ibly successful way of life here [Music] it's quite funny I just caught Natasha having a little moment with some of her reindeer she's a complete softy she comes out here with bits of bread and feed some of her favorite doesn't see I haven't got any bread your reindeer supposed to eat lichen the reindeer are meticulously cared for because the Nannette simply can't live without them reindeer meat is the staple food and one animal can last a family up to a month [Music] so posture is killing reindeer now and he stuns the animal first with the axe on the top of the head and then he stabs it in the back of the head and then straight into the heart and the animals dead already [Music] this is a non breeding male that's been kept specifically for meat nothing will be wasted the new Nets eat some of the reindeer meat rule sure and the fat an awful while it's still warm it's a delicacy to drink the blood which is salted to stop it congealing but the biggest treat is the warm raw liver take all of it like this can I have half of it worse than you polish your sweatshirt [Laughter] it's quite a mental process to to eat this cuts how enjoying it terribly much but it's actually a very mild taste and an oddly kind of quite a crisp texture you sort of expect liver to be soft because I've only ever had it cooked before the families gather round the reindeer carcass to eat their fill but they've asked us not to film any close-ups in the past the nur Nets have been portrayed badly in Russian and foreign media sometimes being called savages and even vampires for eating raw meat but why wouldn't you eat the meat while it's fresh and warm in this cold it'll be frozen solid in minutes [Music] the new nets make almost everything they need their sleds harnesses chums and all their clothing whilst Koster works on some antlers that he can sell Natasha is making sewing thread from dried reindeer sinew seems over you okay marching okay Jim go sit there with dementia ten million no don't tell me [Laughter] look it's one of Natasha and Kostya's sons but nothing remember your miniature can't do you--what's buddy huh I won't learn it though my zero huh okay their three sons are away at school it's the legacy of the old Soviet system which provided education for all the nets most children have to board as their parents are constantly on the move is it hard to send your children away to school don't you ever call me an email ship with no cone in the middle and today then come back and and spend the holidays here with you I'm poppin air how old will she be when she goes to school she will I mean even you can open your garage them they're all missing you want him said and then my cell mmm-hmm number will give a little and I don't mean you don't worry I'm assume the mir-method - Enzo walks away with the medium Natasha guess her on the subject of education and you can see there's a slight a slight sort of mist in us comes over her she would love I think to have gone to university and although Kostya and natasha feel very rooted here to the tundra it would be interesting to see what choices their children make and I suppose the reality is will they be actually be able to make that choice or will gas extraction and climates actually take that choice away from them I don't know [Music] [Music] it's my last morning living alongside Natasha Kostya and their family thank you so much for all your help thank you for lending me your beautiful coat I've become genuinely fond of the whole family so leaving them is going to be hard ok this is a life that is incredibly difficult not just because it's so cold you know in north of the Arctic Circle this is a life on the edge [Music] nomadic families all over the world are are adapting evolving if you'd like to include parts of the modern world that suit them but I get the feeling here that they've done all those things but there is such a big outside influence that is also chipping chipping chipping insidiously away at their lives and that is the fact that the Yamal Peninsula is one big gas reserve Plus even a subra receiver frankly a few nomadic people are not going to be able to stop that level of development and I really hope I'm wrong but I'm just not sure and that makes me feel genuinely sad [Music] next time I journey to Mongolia the most magical place to live with a family of nomads who are adapting to the modern world deep in the Gobi Desert [Music] but life in this wilderness is still dominated by the power of nature like alien spring day it started to snow as storms and predators constantly threatened their nomadic way of life I can't stand here and say don't kill that wolf it's not my place to [Music]

Channel: Real Stories

Views: 459,192

Keywords: Real Stories, adventure documentary, arctic living conditions, authentic tribal experience, cultural exchange, documentary series, extreme conditions, harsh environment, human connection, ice desert, kate humble documentary, native lifestyle, outdoor living, self-sufficient living, survival documentary, survival in Siberia, survival journey, survival skills, traditional living, traditional survival, tribal customs

Id: -kIbHN7PmWQ

Length: 51min 1sec (3061 seconds)

Published: Sat Sep 07 2019