Growing Up in the Coldest Village on Earth at −71°C (−95°F) Yakutia, Siberia

kiun b

Description  Hi! I'm Kiun B, I was born and grew up in the coldest city on Earth - Yakutsk 🥶   I'm a native Siberian and I'm here to share some stories and crazy experiences of growing up in the coldest inhabitant region on Earth, Yakutia.   Welcome to my channel 💙

Transcript

00:007 a.m. 9-year-old Damir wakes up before the sun rises. The first thing he does is bring home

00:12heavy ice blocks because in his village water doesn't come from a tap. With no running water,

00:19as pipes freeze solid, ice becomes the main source of water. They stacked large ice blocks

00:25outside their home, ensuring they have a steady supply of clean water throughout the long winter.

00:33Damir melts the ice and washes with the freezing ice water, a routine he is used to.

00:46As the oldest son at home, Damir has many responsibilities. His 14-year-old sister

00:52studies far from home, leaving him to care for his younger sisters, 7-year-old Milana and 5-year-old Isolde.

01:04Damir's mother Alexandra has made the one breakfast no Yakutian family can live without.

01:10Fatty pancakes served with whipped cream and frozen berries. Packed with calories,

01:16it's the perfect meal to keep warm in the freezing cold.

01:23Today it's minus 50 degrees Celsius, so Damir and Milana have the day off from school. Primary

01:29schools close when temperatures drop below minus 45 degrees Celsius. But for 5-year-old Isolde there

01:36is no break. In Yakutia nurseries stay open, no matter how cold it gets, even at minus 60 degrees Celsius.

01:46It's not really hard to make a degree here, the science of the life class.

01:53You have to see these 15-year-old children who have aged 160 degrees.

01:55I have to understand that in the culture of school, but I have to understand that I have to speak

02:01in the form of school that has aged 150 degrees. I have to speak in order to help me,

02:01not to understand because of it. They have to understand that in the form of school.

02:03The speaker is superior and in the form of school of school that is prepared for 5-year-old children.

02:06They have to listen to the degree of school from school.

02:09I am to get 18-year-old children. My school is an old year for school.

02:10My school is now for the elementary days.

02:12This winter, school has been closed for weeks due to the extreme cold.

02:28Demir and Milana continue their lessons at home, something completely normal for children in

02:33Yakutia. After a big breakfast, while most kids his age are just getting ready for school,

02:38Demir's stay begins with work. Now it's time to head to the farm.

02:48The Diakonov family runs a large farm with 28 cattle and 60 horses. The family works from

02:56morning until evening, tending to the animals and selling fresh produce to neighbors and locals.

03:02With his mother working full-time in an office, Demir helps his father look after the farm.

03:07He's been helping since he was just three years old.

03:30Demir's best friend is his horse Chagul, whom he is scared for since he was young. Chagul is a Yakutian horse,

03:36known for its resilience in the cold. Small but strong, these horses have adapted to the harsh

03:43conditions of Yakutia, capable of surviving temperatures as low as minus 70 degrees Celsius.

03:56Demir arrives at Kaushet, a sturdy structure designed to withstand the extreme weather.

04:01This shelter is fully insulated to protect the animals from the freezing temperatures outside.

04:13Farming in this extreme cold is not easy. During the long, brutal winters, there is no running water

04:20and no fresh grass for livestock, so every task requires extra effort. Water must be hauled from the

04:27frozen lake and in just three short summer months hundreds of tons of hay must be harvested to last

04:33through the winter. Demir's morning routine includes cleaning the cow shed, a task he tackles without

04:41hesitation. Armed with a special instrument, he clears away the dung. Demir doesn't resist or feel embarrassed,

04:48he understands that this is how his family makes a living.

05:06Demir, come on!

05:10Tassik!

05:11Doltar!

05:12Yuko!

05:14Tassik!

05:16Doltar!

05:16Villers!

05:17Yatok!

05:26Sakit!

05:36After cleaning the shed, Demir moves onto milking the cows.

05:39He grabs his packets and a small chair before carefully approaching the cow he

05:44lovingly calls Tanyusha.

05:57Demir has given each cow a name and understands their personalities,

06:02knowing exactly how to handle them gently.

06:05He starts the milking process making sure to be efficient and careful.

06:14The cold doesn't bother him but he still has to work quickly,

06:22his hands can't stay still for too long and the milk must be collected before it cools.

06:27Demir makes sure Tanyusha is comfortable and the milk is collected properly.

06:32It's a task he's done many times and with each passing day he becomes more skilled and confident.

06:44Demir works hard on the farm and even though he is just 9 years old he is always full of advice.

06:51As he finishes milking Tanyusha he looks over at his parents, inspecting their work.

06:57He takes his job very seriously, always offering little tips to help improve the work around the farm.

07:04His parents can't help but smile at his grown-up attitude.

07:17where they became a woman.

07:20We learned a lot.

07:22They learned to be taught not only the way out,

07:26but the way they work hahahaha.

07:27That's how we learn them all.

07:28That's how we learn.

07:30We learn a lot about learning about how to learn the development of the community.

07:37We learn to learn how to learn how to learn how to learn how to learn how to learn how to learn.

07:47Now that Damir has finished his morning farm work, he carefully carries the milk home where

07:54his parents will pasteurize it and prepare it for the local shops.

08:00As soon as Damir finishes his work on the farm, he has another important responsibility,

08:19taking his younger sister Isolde to the nursery.

08:22Since his parents can often be busy with farm work, Damir steps in to help.

08:28Before they step outside, Damir makes sure his younger sisters are dressed warmly for

08:32the freezing temperatures.

08:36Even though Milana doesn't have to go to school today, she decides to go with her brother

08:41to help take care of their younger sister.

08:44Damir gently places Isolde under the sled and wraps her up with a thick warm blanket to make

08:50sure she stays comfortable and safe from the cold.

08:54Together, Damir and Milana begin walking to the nursery.

08:58The temperature today is minus 50 degrees Celsius, something completely normal for little Yakut.

09:05They know that wearing the proper clothes is crucial for survival, and walking quickly or

09:09even running helps keep them warm against the brutal cold.

09:14There are rules set by nature.

09:16No stopping and no taking different routes, otherwise they will freeze.

09:21But for Damir, Milana and their little sister, this is just part of life.

09:29They know how to handle the cold, and walking to school or nursery in these temperatures is

09:34nothing unusual.

09:36With each step they push forward, used to the harsh conditions, and determined to take care

09:41of each other, no matter how cold the weather may be.

09:52In this small village with just 200 people, walking around feels safe and peaceful.

09:57It's rare to worry about anything other than the cold.

10:02The roads are quiet, with only the occasional sound of a sled being pulled across the snow

10:07or the distant calls of livestock.

10:10The grocery store is quite far, so getting products from the supermarket requires careful

10:15planning.

10:16People here make sure to stock up on essentials during the few trips they can manage, so Damir's

10:21family mostly using only their fresh produce from their own farm.

10:46Now, with no time to sit around and relax, Damir takes on yet another responsibility.

10:56There is no running water in their village, so it's up to Damir to make sure the cattle have

11:00something to drink.

11:03With practice hands, Damir pulls out a special tool and starts chopping through the ice.

11:08The ice can be up to 2 meters thick.

11:22As soon as the ice breaks, the cattle rush forward, desperate for the water.

11:27Damir keeps a firm grip on the situation, trying to control his cattle as they eagerly crowd

11:33around the freshly broken ice.

11:36He knows they need to drink fast before the hole freezes over again.

11:47The cattle are fighting for their turn, some nudging each other out of the way, while others

11:52shop to get closer to the water.

11:55Damir shouts at them, trying to keep the herd in order.

11:57It's a bit of struggle, but Damir stays focused, not letting the chaos overwhelm him.

12:06I'm going in, too.

12:09Ah.

12:10We'll go in.

12:11We'll go in.

12:12We'll go in.

12:14We'll go in.

12:15We'll go in.

12:19We'll go in.

12:22After a few moments the cattle are finally content and the water is consumed.

12:40Vemir stands back watching the last of the cattle finish, ready to head back home.

13:10After a long time at the lake, Vemir heads back home, but there is no time to rest just yet.

13:19His next responsibility is feeding the horses.

13:22In Yakutia horses are incredibly resilient.

13:25They don't need much from Vemir during the winter.

13:28One of their remarkable traits is the ability to dig through thick snow to uncover the grass beneath.

13:34An instinct passed down over centuries of surviving in one of the coldest places on Earth.

13:41Now, Vemir is cleaning the ice off their coats.

13:44The freezing temperatures have caused ice to form on their thick fur, so Vemir carefully scrapes it off, making sure they are comfortable.

13:53The horses stand still, allowing him to work, knowing that it's all part of their daily routine.

14:00Finally, after a busy day of caring for the farm and the animals, Vemir gets a well-deserved break.

14:09It's time to spend a little time with his best friend, Chahul, his Yakutian horse.

14:15Vemir saddles up and climbs onto Chahul's back, feeling the familiar warmth of his friends beneath him.

14:22His father, Daniel, taught him to ride from a young age.

14:26For Yakut people, horses are more than just animals.

14:29They are companions, a part of their heritage, and a key to survival in the harsh climate.

14:35He is a one-year-old family member for the families of our resilient women.

14:40I am very happy to be able to go into the voice as a storyteller.

14:45It's like he just learned.

14:49You are very happy to get in the voice of the child.

14:52You are very happy to see in the voice of the teachers.

14:56You are very happy to see in the voice of the children.

15:02It's a long way to go, it's a long way to go.

15:22After his peaceful ride, Damir knows there is still work to be done.

15:26The Faram never rests.

15:28He returns to the cow shed, where the evening chores begin.

15:32The cows are settled in, but the shed needs to be cleaned again.

15:36Damir grabs his special tool and starts clearing the dung, just like he's done countless times before.

15:43It's tiring, but Damir doesn't complain.

15:46He knows that every job, no matter how small, is important for keeping the farm running.

15:52Once the shed is clean, he takes a moment to play with his animals, enjoying their company.

15:59The work may be hard, but he loves it, and he takes pride in every part of it.

16:04As he steps out of the cow shed, night has already fallen.

16:11The long day is over, and tomorrow it will all begin again.

16:15But for now, he takes a moment to rest, embracing the quiet beauty of the Arctic night.

16:22So I'm ready to mad.

16:23It might be thegranate of the river, and it is silence the night.

16:24It might be the only time to rest.

16:25I'm ready to relax.

16:26At least the day is over, and sometime I'll run away.

16:28I'm ready to go out and go up before theесяte.

16:30I'll come up before now.

16:31I'm ready for the reason for the living civil world, because of the time I'm ready!

16:32I'm ready for the old men.

16:33I'm ready to go up before the van.

16:35I'm ready for the summer.

16:36I'm ready for the new cars, but here is the next week.

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