At 7 a.m. every morning in Yakutia, Kirill Petrov, the head of the household, begins by warming the house using a wood-burning stove to shield his family from the intense cold. Given the harsh climate, the demand for wood is high as he continues heating the house non-stop for nine months. Water, sourced mainly from ice due to the absence of functional water treatment facilities, is gathered by Kirill and the villagers from the river, harvested during a favorable temperature period in November.
While Kirill attends to heating duties, his wife Liubov prepares an atypical breakfast of Kercheh, a dessert made of whipped cream and summer-harvested strawberry germ—a rarity in Yakutia’s tough conditions where fruits and vegetables are challenging to grow. The family relies heavily on dairy-based foods for their yogurt desserts.
As the clock strikes 7:40 a.m., it’s time for Arian, their youngest son, to rise. Despite the freezing temperatures, Arian, a nine-year-old attending the local primary school, must go to school unless it’s colder than minus 55 degrees. With today’s temperature at a “warmer” minus 40 degrees, Arian heads to school after using the ice-cold water his father prepared for washing up.
The family’s breakfast, consisting of fatty pancakes and whipped cream, serves as high-energy sustenance during the cold winters. While Arian’s sisters study in a faraway university, his parents aspire for him to excel in education for a self-determined future.
Understanding the significance of proper clothing for survival in extreme cold, locals layer up and wear insulated footwear, especially protecting their knees. Arian’s mom ensures everyone is well-dressed to prevent life-threatening cold from penetrating deep into their bodies and safeguard against frostbite, particularly on exposed facial areas.
The extreme cold is evident outdoors as moisture instantly turns into icicles on eyelashes. Even brief exposure to the elements can cause discomfort, fatigue, and potential frostbite in fingers and toes. However, the resilient Yakut people have adapted to these conditions.
After enduring a few minutes in the biting cold, Arian finally reaches school, joining other children who have braved the chilly journey. With only eight students in his class, Arian’s day comprises five hours of learning various subjects including math, literature, art, geography, history, and languages—Russian, English, and Sakha, the latter being the native tongue.
Following the first two lessons, a second breakfast of apples is served to boost energy, crucial for surviving Yakutia’s cold. Due to the harsh temperatures, outdoor play is restricted, and it’s time-consuming to gear up again.
Usually concluding at 2 pm, Arian finishes slightly earlier today, heading home with a friend. As they return, they stop by the local snack shop for ice cream, relishing the sweet treat despite the biting cold.
Arian’s homecoming marks a close-knit community where everyone knows each other in the village of about 800 people. Most houses, constructed from wood, require an average of over 60 cubic meters of wood each winter to stay warm, despite efforts to seal gaps with oakum or snow.
Yakutian horses, well-adapted to the harsh environment, graze on snow-covered vegetation, enduring temperatures as low as minus 70 degrees. Meanwhile, Arian assists his father, Kirill, who is renowned for crafting traditional Yakut knives, an art passed down through generations.
In addition to studying and assisting his father, Arian’s routine includes chopping firewood and helping his mother prepare meals like Christian carp, a local favorite typically boiled, fried, or frozen.
Outdoor toilets are the norm in Yakutia due to the freezing of indoor pipes. Arian quickly finishes his business, preferring to spend minimal time in the bitter cold.
Fishing and hunting play vital roles in Yakutian life, sustaining the community with food throughout the year. Arian particularly enjoys fishing expeditions with his father during early spring, participating in traditional ice fishing called Kuiuur.
Despite the hardships, Yakutians embrace their environment, finding beauty and harmony even in the extreme cold. After all, they believe there’s no such thing as bad weather, only differing attitudes toward it.