New Path: A window on Nenet life

Documentary photographer and anthropologist Alegra Ally travelled to the Yamal Peninsula in Siberia from October through December 2016 to study and document the Nenet way of life. For thousands of years,indigenous Nenets have lived nomadic lifestyles herding reindeer across the Yamal Peninsula in the Russian Arctic. Lena’s family is one of 12,000 Nenets still migrating the same routes as their ancestors have done for centuries.

By following the Khudi family, New Pathopens a window onNenet life today, highlighting how they have adjusted to modern life, how their culture evolved in light of recent resource extraction developments, globalization, climate change -factors which both enrich and threaten their collective identity.

The journey takes another dramatic turn as Lena -nine months pregnant -prepares for giving birth while the family needs to continue their annual winter migration in order to ensure the future of their herd of 800 reindeer. The birth saga thus becomes emblematic ofthe struggle for survival of the culture.

This bookis part of a larger initiative, Wild Born Project, documenting and revitalizing through ethical photography the traditional practices and beliefs of major life events of indigenous women such as rite of passage initiations, pregnancy, birth and postpartum rituals.

Foreword by noted anthropologist and explorer Wade Davis.