A chum is a mobile home made from reindeer hides that is used by the indigenous people of Russia’s Far North. It has a simple design, tested by generations. The tent-like structure has to be easy to set up and move because this nomadic people has to change camps once every three to four weeks. A chum takes about an hour to assemble. The task used to fall exclusively on the shoulders of women, though this custom isn’t often observed nowadays. But it’s still women who work to make their families feel comfortable and warm in these extreme conditions. Since 2018, ‘chum-worker’ has been recognised as an official job title in Russia. Chum-workers are even paid a modest salary. What does it take to keep the family hearth in the middle of the frozen tundra?
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Tundra Wonder Mums
