The Brigade

This documentary was filmed during three months on the Yamal Peninsula in West Siberia, where the Nenets have been herding reindeer for about a thousand years. Many years ago, reindeer herders were assembled into state farm brigades. The Yar_Sale sovkhoz includes 22 brigades, each of which looks after several hundred thousand reindeer. In a year, a brigade travels several thousand kilometres. The calving time in spring, the ty nintch, is the busiest time of the year. The brigade has to make sure that the new-born calves keep up with the herd - larger rivers must be crossed before the ice breaks. During the polar summer, people work at night as well.