What religion are the Nenets?

They have a shamanistic and animistic belief system which stresses respect for the land and its resources. During migrations, the Nenets placed sacred items like bear skins, religious figures, coins and more on a holy sleigh.

What is the Nenets culture?

The Nenets are an indigenous people living in the Extreme North of the Russian Federation. They speak a language totally unrelated to Russian, practise an animistic religion, have Asian facial features and are traditionally nomadic reindeer herders.

How do Nenets live today?

Today, the Nenets’ nomadic way of life is under threat from the effects of climate change, making the tundra increasingly unpredictable – and the discovery that the peninsula contains the largest gas reserves on the planet. Nenets herders move seasonally with their reindeer, travelling along ancient migration routes.

What do Nenets do for fun?

Nenets only rest from work once a year: at a festive celebration where families within the community get together to compete in sled races and participate in traditional activities such as reindeer herding and other events from their culture.

What are the beliefs of the Nenets?

They have a shamanistic and animistic belief system which stresses respect for the land and its resources. During migrations, the Nenets placed sacred items like bear skins, religious figures, coins and more on a holy sleigh. The contents of this sacred sleigh are only unpacked during special occasions or for religious rituals (like sacrifices).

What is the status of the Nenets?

In the Russian Federation they have a status of indigenous small-numbered peoples. Today, the Nenets people face numerous challenges from the state and oil and gas companies that threaten the environment and their way of life. As a result, many cite a rise in locally based activism.

What challenges do the Nenets face today?

Today, the Nenets people face numerous challenges from the state and oil and gas companies that threaten the environment and their way of life. As a result, many cite a rise in locally based activism.

How many Nenets are in Russia?

According to the latest census in 2010, there were 44,857 Nenets in the Russian Federation, most of them living in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug and Nenets Autonomous Okrug. They speak either the Tundra or Forest Nenets languages, which are mutually unintelligible.