For seven days Yamal turned into the centre of nomadic culture of the Arctic—more than 200 events were held in 13 districts of the region from 5 to 11 August as part of the Week of Traditions and Native Peoples of the North. Salekhard, Novy Urengoy, Noyabrsk, Gubkinsky, Labytnagi and Muravlenko celebrated together with tundra dwellers from Nadym, Tazovsky, Priuralsky, Purovsky, Krasnoselkupsky, Shyrushkarinsky and Yamalsky districts. This is not just a regional tradition, but a real festival that opens up to its guests the unique world of the Far North.

The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area is home to 48 thousand indigenous people, 18 thousand of whom lead a traditional way of life. These are the Nenets, Khanty, Komi and Selkups, peoples each with their own unique culture. By the way, as of 2023, the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Area has become a leader in terms of the rate of growth in the number of indigenous minorities—16% over the last 10 years is a significant achievement for the region.



Within the framework of the Week of Indigenous Minority Languages, all events are in one way or another linked to the theme of preserving indigenous culture. The capital of Yamal and district centres host meetings with outstanding representatives of indigenous peoples, folklore festivals, national dress contests, competitions in traditional sports, ethno-quests and much more. For example, in the Tazovsky district on 6 August, guests could visit art chums, taste special tundra tea, throw a harness and watch nart races, as well as listen to Yamal singer Nadezhda Serotetto. At the same time, the holiday was prepared first of all for the locals—the events are focused on maintaining living traditions, not on 'a show for tourists.' In the Purovsky district, reindeer herders, hunters and fishermen from Tarko-Sale, Samburg, Kharampur, Khanymey, Khalyasavey and the Tazovsky district came together in a two-day competition in traditional sports.

'These are the sports we only practice, as they say, most of the winter. Here are the same throwing events, the same ethnobiathlon, and now the summer ones have been done. And many are interested in trying what this sport represents in the summer,' Vladislav Pyak, who works in the Kharampur community, told Purmedia. Many tundra dwellers specially adjusted their nomadic route to be in time for the holiday and to find out who was the strongest, most agile and fastest among them. The fact that athletes often know each other for many years, crossing paths in the vast expanses of Yamal adds a special spice.



In addition to sports and songs, the peoples of the YNAA are happy to share their gastronomic preferences. Nyan-Fest, which offered its guests traditional and modern recipes from the tables of nomads, was held this year for the first time not far from Salekhard. For many indigenous people living in cities, the week of the festival was an opportunity to return to their roots, become part of their native culture again and share their knowledge with others. Irina Kozhevina lives in Salekhard, but with awe and warmth keeps in her heart the covenants of the Komi-Zyrians. 'I lived in a chum all my childhood, and I'm very proud of that. I miss my native places, and this year, I had a chance to go to the tundra,' Sever-Press quoted her as saying. Irina Kozhevina participated in Nyan-Fest, as did hundreds of guests from around the region. In addition to food, the organisers offered participants and spectators to listen to a concert of folklore ensembles, arranged an evening of bardic songs and a large-scale fair of folk crafts, where you could find everything from a real handmade malitsa to authentic tundra ceramics and jewellery.

At the same time, the Week of Languages in YNAA is open to tourists from all over the country, and everyone can find an offer to suit their taste and purse. You can arrive in Salekhard and plunge into the life of indigenous peoples in its vicinity, or you can get to the most remote settlements—however, there you will need to invest a lot of effort and money in flights and all-terrain vehicles. The events themselves are open for everyone to attend. By the way, the Week of Indigenous Minority Languages is part of a large Yamal-100 project, which organises thematic festivals throughout the year.

Image attribution: Shutterstock