Some places on the planet are amazing with their climatic conditions and life features of the peoples living there. One such place is the Far North. There is no more severe land on earth. In the conditions of permafrost, finding something living there is quite difficult. A rare plant and animal can withstand this temperature. However, even in those difficult conditions, people adapt to life. One of the peoples inhabiting the northern region are the Chukchi. They will be discussed in this article.
Who are the Chukchi
The Chukchi are the ancient inhabitants of the far north-east of Siberia. By the nature of their activities, they are divided into nomadic, sedentary and foot. Since ancient times, the Chukchi have two main types of economy. The first is reindeer husbandry, and the second is marine fishing. Both sedentary and nomadic Chukchi lead a very modest lifestyle.
Household utensils contain only the most necessary number of items made mainly of wood. One of the questions that is often of interest to web users is: how are the Chukchi washed? There are many rumors that the Chukchi allegedly do not wash at all or wash once a year.
Do the Chukchi
Take a hot bath or shower in the Far North - the task is almost impossible. Therefore, from ancient times it has become so common that the inhabitants of the northern region practically did not wash themselves. The Chukchi even had a belief that during washing, strength and health are washed out of the human body. This is not surprising, since even in a heated tent the air temperature rarely rises above zero. To protect themselves from the cold, the Chukchi are forced to rub their bodies with fat, which protects them from hypothermia. Flushing away fat, they become unprotected from severe frosts. Based on everything, it becomes clear why the Chukchi do not wash. However, they still came up with ways to cleanse the body.
How are the Chukchi
Local residents invented this method: they periodically gathered at the camp, smeared their bodies with the seal fat, made a fire and basked around the fire. The dirt adhering to the body was mixed with the fat melted from the fire. Having picked up special scrapers, the Chukchi scraped dirt and grease from their bodies.
There is another way of how the Chukchi are washed. To cleanse their body of impurities, residents of the Far North decided to wear leather clothes with a nap inside. As a result of this, mechanical cleansing of the skin with the help of villi occurs.
Current conditions
Of course, technological progress has reached even such corners of the planet remote from civilization as the Far North. Ever since Soviet times, tundra residents have been forcibly accustomed to bathing procedures. This process has taken root over time.
At this time, modern reindeer herders have the opportunity to use mobile saunas. They also have miniature portable ovens. This, of course, makes the process of cleansing the body much simpler and more convenient.
However, despite all the achievements of our time, the inhabitants of the Far North, in comparison with other peoples, take baths much less often. For them, the fat that they apply to their body is an important assistant in the fight against severe cold. Therefore, they are not in a hurry to part with it.
Interesting Facts
How and where are the Chukchi washed, we figured out. It is also worth noting the physiological characteristics of this nationality. Despite the fact that residents of the Far North rarely wash themselves, they do not emit a sharp, unpleasant smell. Northern peoples do not need deodorants. Moreover, there are even rumors that after the Chukchi began to regularly wash under the influence of Soviet power, their skin began to crack and bleed. Earwax among the inhabitants of the tundra is also different from European. If we have it sticky and sticky, then among the peoples of the North it is completely dry.
Conclusion
Many people come in shock when they find out how the Chukchi are washed. Anyone who is accustomed to take a shower every day, can not imagine how you can not wash for weeks. However, one should take into account the physiology of different peoples of the world, and the climatic conditions in which they live. The Chukchi have no need to wash every day. Firstly, in conditions of severe frost, they practically do not sweat. Secondly, their sweat, even if it forms, does not have an unpleasant odor and does not cause such inconvenience as residents of hotter regions. And thirdly, a protective film on the skin, together with the fat applied to it, is the most important protection from the severe frosts of the Far North.