18.12.2025
In a world where the grid disappears only when we deliberately choose a digital detox, it is especially interesting to look at communities where every choice, from a route to the object in one’s hands, carries weight and consequences.
The indigenous small-numbered peoples of Russia are often perceived as a single, simplified image—tundra, reindeer, nomadic camps. In reality, however, the life of northern communities is far more complex and is changing under the influence of the economy, infrastructure, industrial development, and even the internet. This is discussed by Tatiana Kisser, Deputy Director for Research and Organizational Affairs at the Kunstkamera. Her first trip was to see Chukchi reindeer herders who lead a nomadic way of life. A winter expedition to the Chaun Tundra became a turning point and a moment of professional growth for the ethnographer. Although Dr. Kisser defended her dissertation on German communities of the Urals, over time her academic interests have shifted toward the Arctic. Today, her primary research focus is on the Nenets of the European North of Russia, living in the Nenets Autonomous Okrug. In some areas, the traditional chum tent is preserved; in others, it has been almost completely replaced by lightweight tents. This is due both to natural conditions and economic factors. “Building a chum today costs about one million rubles,” the researcher notes. As a result, support measures are emerging for reindeer herders and young families for whom having their own traditional dwelling is important. Of particular interest is the culture of practical adaptation. On the Kanin Peninsula, closer to the sea, reindeer herders use items washed ashore—plastic, barrels, buoys—finding practical applications for them in everyday life, from repairing sleds to solving household needs. Modern nomadic life is not only about reindeer and migration routes, but also about communication. Indigenous peoples actively use messaging apps, create family and village chat groups, run blogs, and even look for partners online. Sometimes migration routes are planned specifically to catch a mobile signal and get connected. As a result of the work, specialists developed recommendations for building relationships between industrial companies and local communities. Expedition materials—photographs, videos, and field notes—become part of the Interactive Atlas of the Peoples of Russia.
