Hunting a sea beast is a dangerous occupation! Especially in autumn, when the sea off the coast of Chukotka is already cold. A whale has turned over a whale boat, or a walrus has pierced it with its fangs, and you have a chance not to return to shore… But if you have returned with prey, the whole village rejoices. After all, coastal Chukchi can no longer live without walrus meat or whale oil. That’s how they’ve gotten used to it over the centuries.… Once upon a time, the Chukchi were divided into two peoples.

The tundra people now roam with their reindeer, but the coastal Chukchi still follow the traditions of their ancestors. However, they may still need reindeer for their livelihood. Reindeer blood, for example, is used in the so-called “green porridge,” which is one of the coastal Chukchi’s favorite dishes, along with mantak (whale skin) and yukola. Reindeer antlers are also placed on the graves of those who have passed to the “third heaven.” However, the spirit of a deceased ancestor may return in the form of a newborn child. The coastal Chukchi believe that everything around them is alive; that the spirits of these places protect them… And there is nothing better than their native coast – and, of course, the sea – in the world! After all, they feel so good here that it’s like a fairy tale.