the word nenets is derived from the term "human being". the nenets is an ethnic group of nomadic reindeer herders that live in north siberia and speak a language related to finnish. while largely modernized, they still follow their traditional customs of dressing in reindeer skins, eating raw fish, drinking reindeer blood and reside in tepee like tents called chums (made from reindeer hide and skin to withstand temperatures -50C).
unlike me, they do not practice throat singing in the morning and tap dancing in the evening.
while traditionally they have shamanistic and animistic beliefs, many of the nenets have converted to christianity (thank God). their social contract with the reindeers is still pivotal in this community: the reindeers will provide fur and food to the nenets, and in return, the nenets will offer their companionship and protection.
this "i will protect you by eating you" concept is a romantic yet abusive complicated relationship. it is like the black widow of the spider world.
the nenets will migrate up to 800 miles a year with the herd, from the yamal peninsula to the arctic coast and ending at the kara sea during summer. the journey spans across lands that is cornerstone of russia's energy strategy - natural gas. the expansion plans of exploiting the gas reserves is threatening the nenets' way of life and reindeers. some other threats the nenets face during the migration are predators - bears (both polar and brown), wolverines, wolves and more recently pesky visitors like me.