back in Tsagaan Nuur

 

Back in Tsaagan Nuur we were able to locate Nansalmaa and the Norwegians.  Project managers from the UN’s Polar Program were there along with indigenous community leaders from Norway (Sàmi), Russia (Evenki), and Mongolia (Tsaatan).  The Norwegian Sàmi in particular have been successful over the past twenty years in lobbying the government and influencing policy where mining and drilling for oil threatened their way of life.  Students can attend Sàmi University College, an indigenous institution focusing on traditional knowledge as well as international scientific research.  Students, community leaders, and project managers were in Tsagaan Nuur discussing some of these experiences and successes with the Tsaatan. 

A main focus of the conference was to use Russian topographical maps of the taiga to mark out Tsaatan pastures and migration routes.  These routes have never been mapped, and it is hoped that the results will be used to influence policy governing mining in the area.  If the project continues to receive funding, routes can be mapped again and compared to the first data set in an attempt to understand how industry and climate change are influencing migrations.

The Tsaatan took to the project incredibly well, and the young Italian cartographer with the Russian maps was thrilled with the results.  Never having much use for maps themselves, the Tsaatan were immediately able to identify locations, and were soon drawing out elaborate keys to organize long lists of camps and pastures.  Translators frantically burned brain-calories keeping everyone on the same page.

temporary headquarters

our hosts slaughtered a sheep a day to feed the conference

Sàmi student working with the maps

the West taiga table

two of the Evenki herders with a Sàmi student

the East taiga table

Sàmi community leader with (I think) the head of the Taiga Nature Society

 

We're now back in UB.  Morgan Keay did eventually contact us and Itgel is in fact still operational, although Morgan is in Afghanistan.  We are happy to be editing Itgel’s most recent reindeer health report, or at least that’s the plan; the paperwork has been a little slow.  And we are resuming work with the university, so there is enough to keep us occupied here, if the city and the thirteen vodka-swilling German veterinary students downstairs weren’t enough. 

            So that’s that.