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At -58*F, the frosted face of
herder Sergei manages a smile.
Not only do the horses survive the cold, but they also
endure the sweltering heat of summer. Temperatures can rise
to over 100*F. The region can experience the greatest annual
temperature range of anywhere on earth.
During the winter, much of Yakutia experiences a temperature
inversion. This results in an unusual phenomenon. When the
temperature dips below --63*F, you can often hear a soft
whooshing noise like the sound of grain being poured. It is
caused by vapor in one's own breath turning to ice crystals
in the cold, dry air. Because sound travels much farther in
extreme cold, it can be particularly noticeable if you are
close to a group of horses in the taiga on a cold, still
night. The local Yakut people call this sound "the Whisper
of the Stars."
A noble partner in human life
Horses and horse herding play an intrinsic part of Yakut
culture and traditional belief. The horse is as important to
the Yakuts as reindeer are to the Saami (Lapps). Not only
used for transport, the animals are a valuable source of
meat and milk. Their skin is used for clothing and rugs,
while the hair is transformed into bucket handles and
mosquito whisks. There is even a popular alcoholic drink
called komys, which is made from fermented mare's milk.
Komys is used in a number of the Yakuts' shamanistic
religious ceremonies, including the midsummer festival of
Ysyah. During this ceremony, which is dedicated to the
abundance and fertility of horses, a shaman dressed in white
robes sprinkles komys onto an open fire.
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Copyright 2002 THE
WORLD AND I Magazine. All rights reserved.
The World & I is published monthly by News World Communications,
Inc.
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