00:0010 a.m. Ivan, a resident of Yakutia, begins his day by breaking the big blocks of ice in his garden to collect water for the day.
00:10Ivan is a welder and he has a big family with seven daughters.
00:14The youngest five are helping with the chores, while the oldest are at the university in the city, far away from the village.
00:30Together, they carry the heavy blocks into the house.
00:41This ice is a precious resource in this harsh, unforgiving climate, providing the family with fresh, clean drinking water for the day ahead.
00:50As Christmas approaches, the temperature in Yakutia plummets to a bone-chilling minus 50 degrees Celsius.
01:06In this severe climate, Ivan and his family take extra precautions to keep their home warm and to keep every last bit of heat within their homes.
01:15Ivan built the house by himself. It is made of large wood, a durable material that can withstand Yakutia's harsh winters.
01:31They are not connected to the gas grid, so they rely on an electric boiler to heat the house.
01:36And Ivan must constantly tend to it, filling it with a block of ice harvested from the frozen lake nearby.
01:42The cost is about $10 per month. Thankfully, in Yakutia there are subsidies, which covers the majority of the heating expenses, to help keep their home warm and help them survive.
02:01Another way that Ivan and his family stay warm during the winter is to wear the right clothing.
02:06Ivan's wife, Nadjezda, a local shoemaker who makes traditional Yakutian boots from reindeer skin.
02:18The fur-lined boots are the only and best material that can keep us warm and help to survive the winters of Yakutia.
02:24These handmade boots are both functional and beautiful, with traditional beaded patterns at the top.
02:30The art of crafting these essential garments has been passed down for generations, but it's becoming increasingly rare.
02:40There are not many people left who still make traditional Yakutian boots, known as unti, by hand.
02:46I want to wear.
02:49I also wanted to make kits toatanake and painting.
02:54My
03:15few remaining makers of unti in her area.
03:21She takes great pride in her work and is dedicated to preserving this ancient tradition, passing
03:26on her knowledge to her kids so that the art of unti-making does not fade away.
03:36Each pair is a labor of love, each one taking Naderza weeks to complete.
03:40A single pair of boots can cost upwards of 1000$.
03:54Meanwhile the girls venture to go outside to the gardens to work and breathing in the
03:58fresh frosty cold air.
04:09Armed with shovels, the family sets to work clearing the snow from their garden.
04:14In Yakutia we have a saying that hard work is the key to staying warm.
04:33After 20 minutes, the girls' eyelashes are coated with frost and their cheeks are rosy
04:38from the cold.
04:43Now it's time to visit their grandma.
04:46The family lives in a cozy close-knit village of about 1000 residents, where everyone knows
04:51each other by name.
04:53Naderza lives just down the road in an old wooden house with a wood-burning stove.
04:58As the girls arrive at her home, they are greeted by warm hugs and love.
05:02There are chopping firewoods and stocking the fire to help keep their grandma's home warm.
05:26Back at the home, Naderza is preparing fish for lunch.
05:41The Yakutian cuisine is rich and nourishing and consists of many hearty dishes made from
05:46fish, meat and bread.
05:50After coming back home, the girls are eagerly assisting their mother in the cooking process.
05:59Another favorite dish of the family is traditional Yakutian fried hand pies filled with rice
06:04and meat.
06:06Eating regularly helps to fill the body and keep it warm, especially in such extreme temperatures.
06:20While the hand pies are sizzling in the pan, Naderza boils some fish and brews a pot of tea
06:25made from ice water.
06:37She is also making a homemade jam made from berries harvested during the short Yakutian summer.
06:44The family traditions and customs, including the preparation of hearty meals and making
06:49traditional Yakutian boots, help them to survive and thrive in this harsh environment.
06:57If you want to order Naderza's hand-made traditional Yakutian boots or other crafts from Yakutia, you
07:03can order on my website kunbi.com.
07:05There you will find a wide selection of crafts and other items from Yakutia, all made by skilled
07:11artisans using traditional techniques.
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07:57When the food is ready, the family gathers together to enjoy the delicious foods, relishing the
08:02warmth and comfort of home-cooked meals shared with loved ones.
08:07It can be so cold outside in Yakutia, but the colder it is, the warmer it's inside, not
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