The Evenki people, custodians of the resources of Yakutia – photo essay

Diana, 14, and Luba, 10, among the reindeer herd. Photograph: Natalya Saprunova

On 29 July 2022, on a shore of Lake Baikal, Evenki people from all over Russia gathered for the first time. The Evenki are Indigenous people of reindeer herders, and at the Tungus congress they had the opportunity to visit their original homeland, the cradle of their culture. More recently, the Evenki have occupied a vast territory from the Yenisei River to Kamchatka, from Yakutia to China.

[Iengra, Yakutia, Russia] Every year, in March, the reindeer herders’ festival takes place. While the Iengra community places emphasis on the transmission of knowledge, this festival is an opportunity for the village’s children to participate in reindeer races. Photograph: Natalya Saprunova