I-Chan Park When gazing upon the winter landscape of the Nenets, it feels as though you can hear the sound of icy winds sweeping endlessly across the vast tundra. From the rough leather flap of a traditional tent, a small face cautiously peeks out. The child’s cheeks, flushed red by the biting cold, frame a pair of clear eyes filled with unguarded curiosity toward the unfamiliar visitor. Within that gaze, the weight of life and the harsh rhythm of the seasons quietly converge. The child’s breath drifts into the frigid air as a pale mist, and the surrounding landscape, holding that fragile presence, seems to carry both the piercing chill of the tundra and a subtle warmth born of its silent stillness. In this single frame, it feels as though the solitude of winter and the quiet pulse of life breathe together in unspoken harmony.
The life of the Nenets in winter takes place for the most part inside the Chum, their typical tent consisting of a conical frame of long poles and covered with a double layer of reindeer skins. The opening is small and must be kept open for as little time as possible so as not to lose the internal heat, obtained with stoves kept lit with precious and rare wood. However , children 's curiosity surpasses all rules and habits .