Yakoutia, a Siberian mystery (Siberia)

2016 • 26' • French, English & Neutral Spanish

Poster of Yakoutia, a Siberian mystery (Siberia)

Director(s): Agnes Molia & Clémence Lutz • Producer(s): Tournez S'il Vous Plait • Coproducer(s): ARTE • Format(s): HD

Yakutia - one of the coldest inhabited areas of the globe - extends beneath the polar circle to the east of Siberia.

This land of extremes is home to a unique people whose origins were completely unknown until the recent discoveries of a team of archaeologists and geneticists.

During wintertime in Yakutia, temperatures can reach -70° C, whereas in summer the thermometer regularly displays 30° C, 100° more than in winter!

Yakuts are basically divided into two groups, which despite having their own language and culture, have lived together in this region for centuries. The northern Yakuts are largely nomadic reindeer hunters, while southern Yakuts raise cattle and horses. The former Yakuts have practically disappeared, while the latter has survived to the present day.

Where do the Yakuts come from? How did they manage to survive in this land of ice? Archaeologists will tell us the story of a successful adaptation.

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episodes (20)

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