A fascinating new documentary sheds light on nomadic life in the Arctic, where finding love is central.
In the short movieuploaded to YouTube by Patrushevs, it follows two groups of reindeer herders in a remote part of Russia as a young woman and man are introduced as part of an arranged marriage.
The girl is taken with dozens of reindeer in tow to her husband-to-be, who will be offered as a dowry.
When she arrives at her new home – a cylindrical yurt or comrade – she quietly eats with her new family while wearing a ceremonial dress and decorative headdress.
A fascinating new documentary sheds light on nomadic life in the Arctic, where finding love is central
The short film follows two groups of reindeer herders in a remote part of Russia as a young woman and man are introduced as part of an arranged marriage.
Other young nomads attend an annual reindeer herding festival in an effort to meet perspective partners
In one scene, an elder explains that it is “really hard” to be a nomadic woman, with basic living conditions and brutally cold winters.
After the festivities take place, the girl’s mother-in-law hand bathes her in a small bath in preparation for her wedding night.
The video captions show that all the nomad families sleep in the same shelter and there are no walls for privacy.
All rooms are combined with one room that serves as a bedroom, kitchen, living room and bathroom.
The film shows the bride crawling into bed next to her husband at nightfall, with a small canopy being the only thing separating them from the rest of the family.
Everyone – from the children to the grandparents – sleeps on deerskins and their coats are used as blankets.
“The young couple must of course be quiet,” the subtitles explain.
After her wedding, the video shows the young girl having to prove herself to her new family by helping them with chores around the house, from keeping the fire going to melting snow for water.
The newlyweds will continue to live with the man’s family for “years” because it is expensive to buy or create another yurt or buddy.
The elder reveals that relationships in the Arctic are just as complicated as they are in the West. She says: ‘There’s a myth that reindeer herders are puritans, that we don’t cheat… it’s all lies!’
The girl participating in an arranged marriage is taken to her husband-to-be with dozens of reindeer in tow, which will be offered as a dowry
When she arrives at her new home – a cylindrical yurt or comrade – she quietly eats with her new family while wearing a ceremonial dress and decorative headdress.
While the girl in the film was going through an arranged marriage by her parents, the subtitles reveal that other young nomads attend an annual reindeer herding festival in an attempt to meet perspective partners.
During the event, the young men demonstrate their strength and skills by competing against each other.
Some of the events include tug of war, lasso competitions and wrestling.
The women, watching from the sidelines, will then look for the ‘strongest and most agile man’.
In one scene, an elder explains that it is “really hard” to be a nomadic woman, with basic living conditions and brutally cold winters.
As a result, more and more girls want to move to modern cities and leave their nomadic traditions behind.
However, when it comes to relationships, the elder says they are as complicated in the Arctic as they are in modern cities.
She explains: ‘There’s a myth that reindeer herders are puritans and that we don’t make love… we don’t cheat… it’s all lies!
The video captions reveal that the nomadic families live together in the same shelter and there are no walls for privacy
After the festivities take place, the girl’s mother-in-law hand bathes her in a small bath in preparation for her wedding night
The film shows the bride crawling into bed next to her husband at nightfall, with a small canopy being the only thing separating them from the rest of the family.
‘We make love here in the tundra. We make love, we get lovers, wives cheat on their husbands and vice versa. We’re getting divorced, we’re fighting like other people.’
The film shows that because the nomads live together in a small space, they are quite emotionally reserved and that when couples fight, other people in their space will not know.
However, the wife will do ‘quiet things’ to punish her husband, such as not cooking food for him, while the husband will ignore his wife in bed.
To date, the short film has been viewed over 11,000 times, with many viewers thanking the filmmaker for an interesting glimpse into a different way of life.
One commenter wrote: ‘I can’t imagine a more awkward situation than having my wedding night in the same room as my mother-in-law.
‘I understand that it’s normal for them and that no one is making a big production out of it.
“This is why I love your videos and always want them to be longer. I get to see how people live in different countries and different parts of those countries. It’s fascinating and always interesting.’
Another viewer added: ‘Excellent documentary. It is essential to learn and appreciate how other cultures on Earth live, thrive and exist.”