Photo Exhibition of the nomadic Nenets at some cities and villages in Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District., West Siberia, Russia, 2020-2021.
The Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, located in the northern part of Western Siberia in Russia, currently occupies an important position in the context of the petroleum and natural gas development and use of the Arctic Ocean shipping route due to the warming of the high latitudes. LNG shipments have already started in this area which has a natural gas extracting area as a hinterland. On the other hand, this area is known as the reindeer herding center by indigenous nomadic Nenets, and it has about half of Russia’s domesticated reindeer (about 700,000 livestock; Russia has more than 70% of the world’s livestock reindeer). In other words, the composition of conflict and appeasement between development and indigenous people is drawing attention.
A. Yoshida (Chiba University, Japan), a participant of Arcs II, has conducted several anthropological field researches on the livelihoods of the Nenets reindeer herders in the area since 1995, and has attempted to research various aspects of the practical lives of reindeer herders. These researches were carried out entirely based on the understanding and cooperation of local governments and residents, and some form of local return has been sought in order to continue the research by this project. Among them, there are many photographs of the livelihoods and lives of the nomadic Nenets herders recorded during the researches of 1995-2016 years. In that process with the cooperation of the cultural administration department of the local government, a photo exhibition will be held to help these locals understand ArCS II activities. The main venues and periods are as follows (subject to change due to covid-19 situation) :
Novy Urengoy City (45th Anniversary Event of Municipal Administration) : September 18-25, 2020
Salekhard city (90th anniversary event of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug) : December 10-15, 2020
Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug Tazovsky Village, Antipayuta Village, Gida Village: March-April 2021 (Reindeer herders day commemorative event).
Atsushi YOSHIDA Chiba University, Japan
(cooperating to Human Society research program)
