Komi reindeer herders and the art of the migration

The Komi reindeer herders of Russia’s eastern Arctic once maintained a highly efficient migration system, moving their entire camp of skin tipis and belongings across the tundra in just a few hours (Gordon Wiltsie). Every year, these families disassembled their chums and loaded them onto dozens of sleds to follow a herd of 2,500 reindeer toward seasonal grazing grounds. This mobile existence allowed them to thrive in a landscape that remained largely untouched by western influence until the early 2000s. While climate change and the lure of modern town life eventually ended this nomadic tradition, the group’s ability to manage constant transition through rigorous, communal labor remains a masterclass in adapting to an unforgiving environment.

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