Chukotka, the world of 'real people'

 Chukotka is the most remote, inaccessible, unknown and harsh region of Russia. Here man feels like a grain of sand in a snowy and silent desert. Arriving here, we can enjoy the freshness of the winds of two oceans, get to know the exceptional flora and fauna of the Arctic lands, see the enigmatic monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Chukotka and, also, see one continent with our feet on another.

The meager local population resides in small towns scattered by the enormous tundra, which in summer glows with bright colors and smells and in winter is plunged into an endless night, in the snow, in the terrible winds of the Arctic and in the mystical northern lights.

 Place of confluence of two oceans

 The Chukotka Autonomous District is the most north-eastern region of Russia and Eurasia. Its surface is greater than the surface of any European state, 721,500 km2. Furthermore, this region is one of the least inhabited in Russia: only 50,000 people live in the vast areas of the Chukotka Autonomous District, half of them representatives of the small towns in the north.

 Chukotka fits like a wedge between two oceans, the Arctic Glacier and the Pacific. So when you reach Cape Dezhniov (the easternmost point of continental Russia), on your left you will see the sea of ​​the Arctic Glacial Ocean and on your right the Pacific Ocean; In front you will see another continent, America, but if you look back you will see the infinite tundra of northeast Eurasia.

Furthermore, Chukotka is the only region in Russia that is located in two hemispheres at the same time. There are only two places on the planet through which the 180th meridian, which divides the eastern and western hemispheres, passes through the mainland: in Chukotka and in the Fiji Islands, in the Pacific.

Chukotka is tundra. Huge expanses of mossy hills, dwarf trees (birch, willow, and other tiny trees that spread across the ground) and grass. During the short polar summer, thanks to arctic berries, mushrooms and flowers, the tundra literally turns into a multicolored carpet where bright colors and smells shine. However, in the most remote points it is possible to see snow even in summer.

Real people

Chukchi call themselves "lygo 'ravetlan," which means "real people."

 At the end of October, after a period of rain and fog, the first snow falls. And they will continue falling until June of the following year. During this time Chukotka is plunged into the long Arctic winter night, when sunlight is only seen for a couple of hours a day.

The Chukotka coast is among the windiest regions in Russia. The maximum gusts reach 80 meters per second (288 km / h). If you come in winter, you will also be impressed. During this time of year you can observe a phenomenon of nature of incomparable beauty: the northern lights.

Arctic biodiversity:

Much of Chukotka's territory lies beyond the Polar Circle. Despite its harsh climate (the average temperature ranges from -4.1ºC to -14 ° С), the nature of Chukotka surprises with its variety: about 1,300 plant species, from mosses and arctic lichens to trees of the multi-century taiga, more than 400 species of fish, 220 of birds. Many of the animals that inhabit Chukotka are included in the Red Book of the Russian Federation, among them: the white bear, the snow sheep, the narwhal, the humpback whale, the fin whale, the blue whale, the gray whale, dwarf whale, ... Geothermal springs serve as a refuge for many plants and animals.

Only in late June does a brief spring begin. Then the many meters of accumulated snow begin to melt slowly, filling the towns with deep puddles, and turning the tundra into an impractical humid maze over which thousands of birds come from the south. Only in July and August will the colorful and aromatic polar summer begin again.

Philosophy of life of the local population

Upon arrival in Chukotka you will stumble upon many unusual and incomprehensible scenes at first glance.

Thus, for example, all doors open inside buildings, not outside. This is so because during the winter, which lasts for nine months, the houses are very often covered with snow up to the roof. In order to leave in the morning, residents have to open the door to the inside of their home and dig a tunnel in the snow. If the door was opened out, it would be completely impossible to get out.

Another local singularity: when meeting someone at the entrance of a building, the one who is leaving always gives way to the one who is entering, and then he already leaves. People who live in the permanent cold will always allow access to the heat it reaches first, and later they will go outside.

The indigenous population of Chukotka - the Chukchi and the Eskimos - is a happy and party-loving town. Dog sled and reindeer races are held every winter. In summer, the Beringuia festival is organized on the bank of the Bering Strait. Folk groups from different corners of Chukotka perform at this festival, master craftsmen show their items, sports teams compete in different types of national sport.

At the end of the summer in Anadyr, the capital of Chukotka, a folklore festival of indigenous peoples is held, the “Ergav”.

Also during the summer you can have the unique opportunity to see whale hunting. The indigenous population of Chukotka maintains special respect for the environment in which they live: after dragging the dead whale to dry land, it is mandatory to cut a piece and throw it into the sea in the hope that the whale will be born again and return with the people .

The mysteries of ancient Chukotka

In the southeast of Chukotka, on Yttygran Island, one of the most enigmatic monuments of Arctic culture is located: the whale promenade. On this island, where no one has ever lived, for approximately 500 meters, two rows of ribs and skulls of giant boreal whales sunk into the earth. The height of the ribs reaches almost five meters.

Wrangel Island

On the territory of the Chukotka Autonomous District is the real pearl of the Arctic: the Wrangel Island Nature Reserve, which still today is called the "maternity" of white bears. Due to its biodiversity, the island of Wrangel is unmatched by the other Arctic island territories, surpassing in this respect the entire Canadian Arctic archipelago.

 Surprisingly, the bones were purposely brought here. From the promenade a cobbled "path" leads to a small square shaped like a ring of stones, in the center of which is an old ash fireplace. Scientists called this place a sanctuary for ancient Eskimos.

It is surprising that contemporary Eskimos, who treat the tombs and remains of their ancestors' dwellings with great care and respect, know nothing of the significance of these columns; the whale promenade does not appear in any way in the oral transmission legends of this town.

To this day another interesting monument of the ancient Eskimos has arrived: the Pegtymel petroglyphs. This monument is made up of drawings carved into the rocks 20-30 meters high. The drawings are nearly 2,000 years old.

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They depict hunting scenes of the ancients, as well as strange anthropomorphic creatures with mushroom heads. To this day, scientists are still discussing what the ancient Eskimos wanted to represent. Some compare it to the images of the ancient Maya and relate it to the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms. But others see the origin of these representations in the contact of the ancient Eskimos with extraterrestrial civilizations.

How to get:

From Moscow to the city of Anadir, the capital of Chukotka, can only be reached by plane. Travel around Chukotka is hampered by the absence of roads, so you can go from one town to another by plane or by helicopter. In summer it is possible to move between villages by sea.

Special authorizations from the Federal Security Service are required for all Chukotka towns. This is due to the proximity of the Russian-American border.

Authors:

Irina Reshetova

Andrei Stepano

https://es.rbth.com/viajes/2013/05/12/chukotka_el_mundo_de_la_gente_de_verdad_27765