We Are Hunters

On the Russian side of the Bering Strait, in the village of Lorino, lives a small community of Chuktchs. They are hunters. In this harsh environment nothing is growing, the products are very expansive due to transport difficulties, wages are low, unemployment is high. Therefor the only way to survive is hunting and fishing. The hunters are organised in brigade, like during the soviet time, during the season they go at sea as much as possible, hunting for grey whales, walruses and seals. They have quotas determined by the international whaling company and they cannot sell the meat which is distributed freely to the villagers. The hunters have wages from the government, the weapons, boats and fuel are also usually provided. It is a hard and dangerous work, every year some hunters are dying in the cold water, the days are long and physically exhausting. However they know that the village is relying on them for its survival, they feel a strong purpose in what they are doing, death is not given for nothing. When a whale is killed, all the villagers are gathering on the coast and dismembering altogether the prey. the link between the community and the nature is strong, life and death is every day life. The climate change is strongly affecting this way of life. The permafrost is melting so the coast is slowly falling in the sea, building are collapsing. They are less and less ice, so hunters have to go more far at sea making days longer and more dangerous.