🧑🤝🧑 Nenets
Also known as: Nenets people
Tundra reindeer herders; milking reindeer is not typical for them: the reindeer is above all transport, meat and hides.
The Nenets are one of the largest reindeer-herding peoples of the tundra. Their economy is built on large herds of reindeer that are driven year-round between winter and summer pastures, sometimes over hundreds of kilometres.
For the Nenets, reindeer are above all transport, meat and hides for their tents (chum) and clothing. Milking female reindeer is not typical for them, unlike the Sámi and some taiga reindeer herders: their diet is based on fresh and frozen meat, fish and blood, and dairy products have traditionally played a minor role. Nowadays milk and cream are usually bought and added to tea.
Nenets reindeer herding endures, although it is affected by climate change, industrial development of the tundra and changing ways of life: many Nenets live in settlements, and only some families still migrate.
How it connects to milk
🧑🤝🧑 Nenets → live in → 🌍 Arctic and the North ← milked in ← 🦌 Reindeer → gives → 🥛 Milk
Links
- Where they live
- 🌍 Arctic and the North
Frequently asked questions
Do the Nenets milk reindeer?
As a rule, no: for the Nenets reindeer are transport and a source of meat and hides; dairy products play a minor role in their traditional cuisine.
What do Nenets reindeer herders eat?
Reindeer meat, fresh and frozen, fish, and bought foods, including tea with milk.
How far do the Nenets migrate?
Migrations between pastures can cover hundreds of kilometres a year.