00:00It's the middle of January and the thermometer often plunges below minus 70 degrees Celsius.
00:06Life in the taiga forest is not easy.
00:0811-year-old Ersan, the youngest in the family, rises early to gather ice for washing and drinking, the only source of water.
00:19Victor, a young reindeer herder, rushes to heat their tent to keep them warm on this ice-cold morning.
00:26To survive in this severe climate, the family keeps their stove running non-stop.
00:32They use a lot of firewood, kneading to add more every 15 minutes to prevent the temperature from dropping below zero.
00:42Ekaterina, a wife, grandmother and the only woman in the house, wakes up early to prepare breakfast for her family, ensuring everyone has enough food to stay warm.
00:52The Yachko family lives in a canvas tent with no private rooms, refrigerators, washing machines or shower, none of the signs of modern life.
01:04They only have a stove, a pile of firewood, a table for eating and a reindeer fur mattress.
01:10Showering is a rare luxury.
01:18With no bathroom, the family wash themselves with ice-cold water and uses the forest as their toilet.
01:27After their morning wash, the family gathers together for breakfast.
01:32Breakfast in the Yachko home is unlike any other.
01:35They start their day with reindeer meat, which is richer and more nutritious than beef.
01:41Ekaterina and Dmitry have four children, who are now grown up and now have families of their own.
01:48Despite this, their home is often bustling with grandchildren and others, eager to learn the skills and traditions of reindeer herding.
01:56After breakfast, the boys get ready to go outside and start their day.
02:09But first, they need to get ready for the cold by wearing multiple layers of warm clothes.
02:15All their clothes are made from reindeer hide by Ekaterina herself, one of the warmest materials that can withstand minus 70 degrees.
02:23The trousers and jackets are essential to protect against the icy winds.
02:30The heads cover their ears and heads completely, ensuring that no part of their body is exposed to the biting cold.
02:39Now, Aysen and Viktor are ready for their morning duty of bringing the reindeer back and protecting them from wolves.
02:48Twelve-year-old Aysen dreams of becoming a reindeer herder when he grows up.
02:52He has been learning to herd the reindeer since he was young, spending his holiday with the Dyachkov family to master the basics of reindeer herding.
03:03Every morning Aysen and Viktor venture into the endless forest to gather reindeer.
03:08While anyone else will be lost in the taiga forest, the boys have learned to easily navigate using the hills and bushes better than any satellite navigation.
03:17Reindeer herders must constantly check and protect the herd from wolves, which can kill and chase the herd.
03:19Reindeer herders must constantly check and protect the herd from wolves, which can kill and chase the herd.
03:20Reindeer herders must constantly check and protect the herd from wolves, which can kill and chase the herd.
03:35Reindeer herders must constantly check and protect the herd from wolves, which can kill
03:46and chase the herd.
03:48This is why I send Victor watch over reindeer ready to protect and lead them away from danger.
03:55Bears also pose a threat, especially in the spring, who may attack both the reindeer and
04:00people.
04:05The Diachko family have about 1,000 reindeer.
04:21These animals feed on their own, mainly eating moss and herbs, which they dig out from a thick
04:26layer of snow.
04:28However, the reindeer quickly consume their food and trample the ground, making it essential
04:35to move to fresh grazing grounds every few days.
04:39Reindeer herders must always be ready to move, often roaming not only in the taiga, but also
04:44moving south during the cold season.
04:46The Diachko family has no desire to live in the city.
04:49The Diachko family has no desire to live in the city.
04:58The confinement and restrictions of the city life will stifle their spirit and traditions.
05:03The vast open landscapes of the taiga forest are where they thrive, moving freely with their
05:18herds and appreciating the beauty of nature that surrounds them.
05:22Finally, Aysen and Victor brought back the herd.
05:34The reindeer are excited to have some salt, which is their little treat, and it fulfills
05:39their need for sodium, essential nutrient that helps digest food in their stomachs.
05:53Reindeer herding is one of the oldest professions that continues to exist, practiced for thousands
05:58of years by indigenous people in the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions, such as the Yvangs
06:04and Yvang people.
06:05The Diachko family are among the 20,000 indigenous Yvang people.
06:11The Yvang people have a rich cultural heritage, deeply connected to nature.
06:15They value their natural surroundings and freedom, seeing them as essential to their way of life.
06:34The role of women in the reindeer herding family is crucial, creating a special warm atmosphere
06:57in these tough living conditions.
06:59Ekaterina was born in a noble reindeer herding family with 12 siblings, has been living and
07:05working closely with the family of her husband Dmitri since childhood.
07:11Living in a reindeer herding family means being prepared for anything, including staying alone
07:15in a tent.
07:16Ekaterina must be ready for any situation.
07:20Preparing firewood and gathering ice in winter are daily tasks.
07:24Ekaterina handles the washing, cooking and looking after the children and all the other
07:48tasks around the house.
07:49A typical day for a woman in a reindeer herding family starts earlier and ends later than everyone
07:56else.
07:58Without the contribution of women, the life of reindeer herders would be unbearable.
08:12Being a woman in a reindeer herding family is demanding and officially recognized work.
08:17Women receive a salary for their efforts, about $200 a month from the government, emphasizing
08:24the importance of their role in this traditional way of life.
08:31Reindeers are integral to their culture, providing not only a source of food, but also materials
08:38for clothing, tools and transportation.
08:40The herders can profit from reindeers in many ways, from the meat, skin and the antlers from
08:46which medicine and cosmetic products are made.
08:50One kilogram of antlers can sell for around $10 and a single reindeer could be worth up
08:56to $1,500.
09:01As part of their tradition, the reindeer herders also drink fresh reindeer blood, which is considered
09:06highly nutritious and a vital source of warmth and energy, especially during the cold winter
09:11month.
09:15These practices have been developed over centuries and respecting the cultural tradition of indigenous
09:21people is an essential part of our humanity.
09:27as the family gathers for lunch, the tent fills with the comforting aroma of traditional food.
09:54Yekaterina has prepared a feast, hearty reindeer stew, fresh warm bread, coat boiled fish and
10:03a traditional dish of reindeer stomach and a reindeer tongue.
10:11The children eagerly reach for their favorite dishes, while the adults savour the rich flavors.
10:18Every dish tastes like a heaven, especially after working hard outside and being in the fresh,
10:23freezing air.
10:30During the school year, children often travel long distances to attend boarding schools.
10:35They ride snowmobiles or use leds pulled by reindeer to reach the nearest town, a journey
10:41that can take up to 18 hours.
10:44Once at boarding school, children stay for the entire school year, returning home only during
10:49holidays.
10:56After a big lunch, the boys head outside to
11:26play games in the snow.
11:28Ekaterina stays inside the tent, washing the dishes and tidying up, her mind already
11:33on the task for the evening.
11:39From a young age, children are taught essential herding skills.
11:43They learn how to handle the reindeer, learn practical survival skills in the wilderness
11:48such as building shelters, starting fires and finding food.
12:00After playing outside, the boys help gather more firewood, a crucial task for the family
12:05survival in the cold climate.
12:08Firewood is essential for cooking, warmth and even heating ice for showering.
12:13The boys work together using their small access to chop wood.
12:20We can make some exhibition, housing, or water.
12:27Let's have a few weeks, we'll have to make some food.
12:31We'll have to make some food when we continue to make some food.
12:36I'm a young person who is going to eat a baby's fruit.
12:40I saw you were born in the middle of the world.
12:51I had one mother, three, three years old.
12:56After that, my mother's only sister.
13:01I was born in the middle of it.
13:03What did you mean?
13:05You can do it on a road, but you can do it on the road.
13:10Well, the people are needing to worry about the women.
13:15Both are trying to leverage the regime,
13:18and we don't have to worry about the government.
13:23They have to send a children to the state,
13:27but that's the way it is.
13:31That's how they're going to pick up the public.
13:34As evening approaches, the family checks the generator to ensure they have electricity
13:42to light the tent.
13:44It often freezes in the harsh cold, so they use thick blankets to cover and insulate it.
13:50Meanwhile, a son has a task, to gather snow for washing and cleaning.
13:54He ventures deep into the forest to find the cleanest snow, filling a large bowl to bring
14:00back to the tent.
14:01Back at the tent, the family begins preparing the evening meal using ingredients they preserved
14:19earlier.
14:20Today's menu includes traditional delicacies, raw frozen fish, liver and fatty carp.
14:31As night approaches, the boys are busily stocking firewood for the night.
14:38Finally, it's time to sit down and relax.
14:59The boys gather together and listen to the many interesting stories that 12-year-old Aysen
15:04eagerly shares from his life in the wilderness.
15:11Thanks.
15:12How are we doing?
15:13How are we doing?
15:14How are we?
15:15I was doing the food.
15:16We wanted to bring back our horses and ourragas.
15:18We put the bag as his stuff in the mud.
15:22What's going on then?
15:23Where are we?
15:24Even if we were thinking about to bring back our horses.
15:28How do we get back our horses?
15:29He went back as well.
15:30Why do we take these horses?
15:31Yes, in the snow?
15:32It's as old as early as we see.
15:34It's not too long.
15:35What's going on then?
15:36Around the world, people live in many different ways, yet certain values remain universal.
15:46The Dyachkov family, despite their remote and rugged lifestyle, embody these values.
15:52Far removed from modern conveniences, they find profound happiness in their daily lives.
15:58Their joy stems from the love and warmth they share, their deep connection to nature, and
16:03the simple pleasures like a shared meal or a song around the fire.
16:08As the Dyachkov family shows us, happiness is not about having everything, but is a spiritual
16:15experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude.
16:33Of the Dyachkov family and heroes, the Dyachkov family shows us that you will tell them that you are
16:40just the other one.
16:40The Dyachkov mother, mother, who died in the sand of the field,
16:45when the Dyachkov family shows us.
16:46I'll see you next time.
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