The celebration of the Reindeer Herder’s Day was started in Salekhard on the Polyabta River

The celebration of the Reindeer Herder’s Day was started today on the 25th of March. It is taking place within the forum of Indigenous ethnic minorities of the North, Siberia and the Far East that gathered about 600 participants in the regional capital – the town Salekhard. Since the very morning many people have gathered to the holiday.

The competitions on national kinds of sport were started on the bank of the Polyabta River. Reindeer herders are competing in throwing of a tynzyan on a khorey (a rope lasso for catching reindeer on a long pole for driving a reindeer team), triple jump, mas-wrestling, jumps over narty (northern nomadic sledge), northern wrestling.
Also the guests and inhabitants of the capital of Yamal can watch the competitions on snowboarding and snowkiting, participate in the performance “The legend of the North” and in the flashmob.
The opening ceremony is taking place at 12 o’clock. The race of reindeer teams traditionally is the main event of the holiday. The program includes contests of national suits of Nenets, Komi-Zyryan, Khanty peoples and children’s national suits. It is possible to taste and to purchase delicacies of northern cuisine – fish, venison, berries within the fair organized on the place of conducting of the holiday.
Tundra dwellers can pass medical examination and receive juridical consultation. The mobile point of the health center and the tent for free juridical consultations are set near the place of the holiday. Also the mobile center for tourism is working within conducting of the Reindeer Herder’s Day. The tourist and information center of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug organized it for the first time. Inhabitants and guests of the region can learn about the most interesting sights of Salekhard and the arctic region. They can receive consultations on issues of tourism in the region and get acquainted to programs of tours around Yamal.