10 AM. Ivan, a resident of Yakutia,
begins his day by breaking the big blocks of ice in his garden to collect water for the day
Ivan is a welder and he has a big family with 7 daughters.
The youngest 5 are helping with the chores while the oldest are at
university in the city far away from the village.
Together, they carry the heavy blocks into the house.
This ice, is a precious resource in this harsh, unforgiving climate,
providing the family with fresh, clean drinking water for the day ahead…
As Christmas approaches,
the temperature in Yakutia plummets to a bone-chilling -50 degrees Celsius
In 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
Ivan built the house by himself. It’s made of larch wood, a durable material
that can withstand Yakutia’s harsh winters.
They are not connected to the gas grid,
so they rely on an electric boiler to heat the house, and Ivan must constantly tend to it
filling it with blocks of ice harvested from the frozen lake nearby.
The cost is about 10 dollars per month, thankfully in Yakutia there are subsidies which cover the
majority of the heating expenses to help keep their home warm and help them survive
Another way that Ivan and his family stay warm during the winter is to wear the right clothing.
Ivan’s wife - Nadezhda, a local shoemaker who makes
traditional Yakutian boots from reindeer skin
The fur-lined boots are the only and best material that can keep us warm
and help to survive the winters of Yakutia
These hand made boots are both functional and beautiful,
with traditional beaded patterns at the top.
The art of crafting these essential garments has been passed down for generations,
but it is becoming increasingly rare. There are not many people left who
still make traditional Yakutian boots, known as "Unty," by hand
Nadezhda, who is known for her skill, is one of the few remaining makers of Unty in her area
She takes great pride in her work, and is dedicated to preserving this ancient tradition,
passing on her knowledge to her kids so that the art of Unty-making does not fade away
Each pair is a labor of love, each one, taking Nadezhda weeks to complete.
A single pair of the boots can cost upwards of 1,000 dollars
Meanwhile, the girls venture go outside to the garden to
work and breathing in the fresh, frosty, cold air.
Armed with shovels, the family sets to work clearing the snow from their garden
In Yakutia, we have a saying, that hard work is the key to staying warm
After 20 minutes, the girls' eyelashes
are coated with frost and their cheeks are rosy from the cold
Now it’s time to visit their Grandma.
The family lives in a cozy, close-knit village of about 1,000 residents,
where everyone knows each other by name.
Grandma lives just down the road in an old wooden house with a wood-burning stove.
As the girls arrive at her home, they are greeted by warm hugs and love.
They’re chopping firewood and stoking the fire to help keep their grandma's home warm.
Back at the house, Nadezhda is preparing fish for lunch.
The Yakutian cuisine is rich and nourishing,
and consists of many hearty dishes made from fish, meat and bread.
After coming back home, the girls are eagerly assist their mother in the cooking process.
Another favorite dish of the family is traditional Yakutian fried hand pies filled with rice and meat
Eating regularly helps to fuel the body and keep it warm, especially in such extreme temperatures.
While the hand pies are sizzling in the pan,
Nadezhda boils some fish and brews a pot of tea made from ice water.
She also making a jar of homemade jam made from
berries harvested during the short Yakutian summer.
The family's traditions and customs, including the preparation of hearty meals
and making traditional Yakutian boots, help them to survive and thrive in this harsh environment
if you want to order Nadezhda’s hand-made traditional yakutian
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There, you will find a wide selection of crafts and other items from Yakutia,
all made by skilled artisans using traditional techniques.
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When the food is ready, the family gathers together to enjoy the delicious food,
relishing the warmth and comfort of home-cooked meals shared with loved ones.
It can be so cold outside in Yakutia, but the colder it is,
the warmer it is inside, not just from heat, but also from love…