Discover what it’s like to grow up in the coldest village on Earth, located in Yakutia, Siberia, where temperatures can plunge to a staggering −71°C (−95°F). This eye-opening video explores the daily challenges, unique traditions, and incredible resilience of children and families living in one of the most extreme environments on the planet. Experience the harsh beauty of Siberia through the eyes of those who call it home.
00:007 a.m. 9-year-old Damir wakes up before the sun rises. The first thing he does is bring home heavy
00:12ice blocks because in his village water doesn't come from a tap. With no running water, as pipes
00:19freeze solid, ice becomes the main source of water. They stacked large ice blocks outside their home,
00:27ensuring they have a steady supply of clean water throughout the long winter.
00:33Damir melts the ice and washes with the freezing ice water, a routine he is used to.
00:46As the oldest son at home, Damir has many responsibilities. His 14-year-old sister
00:52studies far from home, leaving him to care for his younger sisters, 7-year-old Milana and 5-year-old Isolde.
01:04Damir's mother Alexandra has made the one breakfast no Yakutian family can live without.
01:10Fatty pancakes served with whipped cream and frozen berries. Packed with calories,
01:16it's the perfect meal to keep warm in the freezing cold.
01:23Today it's minus 50 degrees Celsius, so Damir and Milana have the day off from school. Primary schools
01:30close when temperatures drop below minus 45 degrees Celsius. But for 5-year-old Isolde there is no break.
01:38In Yakutia nurseries stay open, no matter how cold it gets, even at minus 60 degrees Celsius.
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01:50as well as the original would be the last.
01:54That was the actual Sunday人民 inądra Horizon forandevu.
01:55There are two schools and the primary schools,
02:00the losers have never been taken in four schools until 45 degrees.
02:04The champs are under AKAIs.
02:06So the first thing looks like Advcis,
02:07it's likely another school year,
02:08such a child or not but the father,
02:09even though the initialbesondere of polyps are in the same crowded category.
02:11That's not part, but it's not a boy.
02:12I think that is true.
02:13Flowers are usually average tohemian,
02:13This winter, school has been closed for weeks due to the extreme colds.
02:27Demir and Milana continue their lessons at home, something completely normal for children in Yakutia.
02:34After a big breakfast, while most kids his age are just getting ready for school,
02:38Demir's day begins with work. Now it's time to head to the farm.
02:43The Diakonov family runs a large farm with 28 cattle and 60 horses. The family works from
02:56morning until evening, tending to the animals and selling fresh produce to neighbors and locals.
03:02With his mother working full-time in an office, Demir helps his father look after the farm.
03:08He's been helping since he was just three years old.
03:13The Mir's best friend is his horse, Chagul, whom he is scared for since he was young.
03:34Chagul is a Yakutian horse, known for its resilience in the cold. Small but strong,
03:41these horses have adapted to the harsh conditions of Yakutia,
03:44capable of surviving temperatures as low as minus 70 degrees Celsius.
03:49The Mir arrives at Kaushet, a sturdy structure designed to withstand the extreme weather.
04:01The shelter is fully insulated to protect the animals from the freezing temperatures outside.
04:06Farming in this extreme cold is not easy. During the long, brutal winters, there is no running water
04:20and no fresh grass for livestock, so every task requires extra effort. Water must be hauled from
04:26the frozen lake and in just three short summer months, hundreds of tons of hay must be harvested
04:33to last through the winter.
04:36The Mir's morning routine includes cleaning the cowshed, a task he tackles without hesitation.
04:42Armed with a special instrument, he clears away the dung.
04:46The Mir doesn't resist or feel embarrassed,
04:48he understands that this is how his family makes a living.
05:18After cleaning the shed, the Mir moves on to milking the cows.
05:39He grabs his packets in a small chair before carefully approaching the cow he lovingly calls Tanyusha.
05:48The Mir has given each cow a name and understands their personalities,
06:02knowing exactly how to handle them gently.
06:05He starts the milking process making sure to be efficient and careful.
06:09The cold doesn't bother him, but he still has to work quickly, his hands can't stay still for too long
06:24and the milk must be collected before it cools. The Mir makes sure Tanyusha is comfortable and
06:30the milk is collected properly. It's a task he's done many times and with each passing day he becomes
06:36more skilled and confident.
06:45The Mir works hard on the farm and even though he is just 9 years old, he is always full of advice.
06:51As he finishes milking Tanyusha, he looks over at his parents, inspecting their work.
06:57He takes his job very seriously, always offering little tips to help improve the work around the farm.
07:04His parents can't help but smile at his grown-up attitude.
07:08In fact, we have a lot of people who have affected their lives and had no doubt.
07:13We have to get married first in a life and have to be a little bit more than that.
07:17And we're still talking about his parents who have to work on the farm,
07:22so we have to learn that they have to be a little more than the family who have to work on it.
07:26And so we have a lot of teachers who have worked on it today.
07:28It's like we have teachers and the children who are working on it in their lives.
07:31I used to eat the milk, and I used to eat the milk, and I used to eat the milk, and I used to eat the milk.
07:49Now that Damir has finished his morning farm work, he carefully carries the milk home,
07:54where his parents will pasteurize it and prepare it for the local shops.
08:01As soon as Damir finishes his work on the farm, he has another important responsibility, taking his younger sister Isolde to the nursery.
08:21Since his parents can often be busy with farm work, Damir steps in to help.
08:27Before they step outside, Damir makes sure his younger sisters are dressed warmly for the freezing temperatures.
08:36Even though Milana doesn't have to go to school today, she decides to go with her brother to help take care of their younger sister.
08:43Damir gently places Isolde under the sled and wraps her up with a thick warm blanket to make sure she stays comfortable and safe from the cold.
08:52Together, Damir and Milana begin walking to the nursery.
08:57The temperature today is minus 50 degrees Celsius, something completely normal for little Yakuts.
09:04They know that wearing the proper clothes is crucial for survival, and walking quickly or even running helps keep them warm against the brutal cold.
09:13There are rules set by nature, no stopping and no taking different routes, otherwise they will freeze.
09:22But for Damir, Milana and their little sister, this is just part of life.
09:28They know how to handle the cold, and walking to school or nursery in these temperatures is nothing unusual.
09:35With each step they push forward, used to the harsh conditions, and determined to take care of each other, no matter how cold the weather may be.
09:45In this small village with just 200 people, walking around feels safe and peaceful.
09:58It's rare to worry about anything other than the cold.
10:01The roads are quiet with only the occasional sound of a sled being pulled across the snow or the distant calls of livestock.
10:09The grocery store is quite far, so getting products from the supermarket requires careful planning.
10:15People here make sure to stock up on essentials during the few trips they can manage, so Damir's family mostly using only their fresh produce from their own farm.
10:39Now, with no time to sit around and relax, Damir takes on yet another responsibility.
10:55There is no running water in their village, so it's up to Damir to make sure the cattle have something to drink.
11:02With practice hands, Damir pulls out a special tool and starts chopping through the ice.
11:08The ice can be up to 2 meters thick.
11:22As soon as the ice breaks, the cattle rush forward, desperate for the water.
11:27Damir gives a firm grip on the situation, trying to control his cattle as they eagerly crowd around the freshly broken ice.
11:35He knows they need to drink fast before the hole freezes over again.
11:46The cattle are fighting for their turn, some nudging each other out of the way, while others shove to get closer to the water.
11:54Damir shouts at them, trying to keep the herd in order.
11:57It's a bit of struggle, but Damir stays focused, not letting the chaos overwhelm him.
12:03Now, let's jump right over again!
12:27After a few moments the cattle are finally content and the water is consumed.
12:40Demir stands back, watching the last of the cattle finish, ready to head back home.
12:57After a long time at the lake Demir heads back home, but there is no time to rest just yet.
13:19His next responsibility is feeding the horses.
13:22In Yakutia horses are incredibly resilient.
13:25They don't need much from Demir during the winter.
13:28One of their remarkable traits is the ability to dig through thick snow to uncover the grass
13:34beneath.
13:35An instinct passed down over centuries of surviving in one of the coldest places on earth.
13:42Now Demir is cleaning the ice off their coats.
13:45The freezing temperatures have caused ice to form on their thick fur, so Demir carefully
13:50scrapes it off, making sure they are comfortable.
13:54The horses stand still, allowing him to work, knowing that it's all part of their daily
13:59routine.
14:01Finally, after a busy day of caring for the farm and the animals, Demir gets a well-deserved
14:08break.
14:09It's time to spend a little time with his best friend, Chahul, his Yakutian horse.
14:15Demir settles up and climbs onto Chahul's back, feeling the familiar warmth of his friends
14:21beneath him.
14:23His father, Daniel, taught him to ride from a young age.
14:26For Yakut people, horses are more than just animals.
14:29They are companions, a part of their heritage and a key to survival in the harsh climate.
14:35However, these emotions are different from their children.
14:39They are directly linked to a young age.
14:42They live inсь犯 oz.
14:44They are the ones that do not exist and they do not exist.
14:46They are the ones that do not exist.
14:48Then they don't exist too much, because they are the ones.
14:51They both grew up to a young age.
14:53They have the ones that do not exist.
14:55I have to go to the front of my car and I have to go to the front of my car.
15:02I have to go to the front of my car.
15:07I have to go to the front of my car.
15:13Damir, where is the car?
15:15Yes, you are.
15:17Yes, you are.
15:18After his peaceful ride, Damir knows there is still work to be done.
15:26The farm never rests.
15:28He returns to the cow shed where the evening chores begin.
15:32The cows are settled in, but the shed needs to be cleaned again.
15:36Damir grabs his special tool and starts clearing the dung, just like he's done countless time
15:42before.
15:43It's tiring, but Damir doesn't complain.
15:46He knows that every job, no matter how small, is important for keeping the farm running.
15:54Once the shed is clean, he takes a moment to play with his animals, enjoying their company.
15:59The work may be hard, but he loves it and he takes pride in every part of it.
16:07As he steps out of the cow shed, night has already fallen.
16:11The long day is over and tomorrow it will all begin again.
16:15But for now, he takes a moment to rest, embracing the quiet beauty of the Arctic night.
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