No official reason, and entirely personal actually. I just wanted to escape my life at the time, and always dreamed of what life was like in the remote and wild places of the world as a nomadic people- especially as their way of life was starting to disappear. An old friend had told me of his experiences living with nomads in the Peace Corps. When I bugged him enough, he (probably more for fun not thinking I’d ever do it) told me how to find the Kazakhs. I didn’t want to go to change people or follow them around and document them, I just wanted to live. The Siberian reindeer herders were much more cautious of outsiders, and when it eventually became clear I didn’t want to give them anything (medicine, language, religion) I was just folded into the family as an aunt. That took months and there was ceremony about it. The Kazakh of Tavan Bogd are more accustomed to outsiders, and for a long time I had an issue with them assuming I had doctoring abilities. Eventually they just let me be a part of their group without expectations of medicine. People come and go more frequently amongst the Kazakh and some leave to the city or come back, so that was more easy.

Is there any way you see to monetize the art produced by the people you teach? I appreciate what you are doing a great deal and wanted to thank you for it but wonder if there is a way that you could use Reddit to offer some of this artwork for sale in order to help these people obtain basic resources such as medicine, food, and shelter. I know that art and the process of producing it has value outside of monetary gain, but am just wondering if there is more that can be done to help these people that you work with. Thanks again for all that you do!

What is one life lesson you wish you could download into every one in the world?

Daily life: almost forgot to answer that one! So, it’s very very seasonal for both peoples I was with.

In Siberia it was more gender segregated with very specific roles and taboos. I wake up very early and gather wood and brush for fires, I then usually cooked, put the bedding away, watching kids is communal so I was always had someone’s child in tow, then helped sew clothes and gather food. The key was to always have a fire, and always have tea on! Evenings was more cooking, cleaning, and making beds. Plus seasonal activities regarding reindeer breeding and health. Other duties were moving camp every few weeks, tanning hides, preserving meat, etc.

In Mongolia in was less gender segregated and my daily schedule varied substantially more. Always when I woke up, I kindled the fire and milked the animals. Then made cheese, milk, or something else. In winter you don’t move camp, so you are settled down and have more consistent duties. Animal care, fire making, cooking, cleaning, mending, etc. Lots of entertaining other nomads who come to visit. In summer you move a lot, so it’s animal care, putting up and taking down camp, herding, cooking, collecting animal poop for kindling as there aren’t many trees, and hunting. I was with eagle hunters (using eagles for hunting) and so I was given a juvenile eagle to train, that takes up a lot of the day!

How do the different groups meet potential partners to marry? Presumably they marry outside of their own group to prevent inbreeding, so how do they go about meeting others?

What was the purpose of your visit, was it research, tourism, journalism? And did the people accept that purpose and welcome you?

If I say all of the above is it too much to ask? Else, whichever you think matters to you most?

I’m sorry, you’re going to have to be more specific, that’s a big question! What kind of inspiration are you talking about? Are you asking what inspired me to go live with nomadic peoples? Or with different cultures? Live in remote places in general? Inspires me to travel? To love nature?

Valuable thing I learned far from home? It is hard to pinpoint the most valuable, but as corny as it sounds, I learned a sense of self worth and self value that was not externally built. That one I didn’t realize until looking back, but another I realized in the moment was that stubbornness and flexibility have to be balanced. At first I was given way more to do and I thought I was just proving myself or something, but then I realized in was because I just didn’t say no or delegate to others. I was too flexible. But being stubborn and pushing back too hard just resulted in vital relationships becoming strained in a place where I couldn’t afford that. So learning what was actually important, and how to give and take in real life, in real time.

The Dukha? No, I was with a different nomadic peoples in Mongolia, the Kazakhs. We did cross paths at the end of summer though, they are similar in dress and customs from what I could tell, but with different animals and consequently different herding areas.

What inspired you? And inspires you still?

How connected: in Siberia, very little connection. Maybe once a year the patriarch goes in to a village and trades for goods which then get traded amongst the different families/reindeer herds. Some families have never gone to a village, and others (the minority) go in every season except summer. In the Tavan Bogd (western Mongolia), I would say moderately connected as now almost all the routes of their goat/yak/camel herds cross a small village or at least a trading outpost. So at minimum two times a year the whole family is going to cross paths with a village when the animals and supplies are driven between the summer and winter grounds. Those towns are not big or developed much. They don’t have plumbing, or stores. A few have portable generators for electricity.

Oh wow! That’s a big topic as the two groups of people with whom I stayed were very different. Both were polytheistic and practiced shamanism, though a small subset of Kazakh herders I met in Mongolia were a combination of Muslim/their older beliefs in a very complex blending of the two. I did participate in ceremonies as they are still a part of daily life for both peoples and I was expected to participate (I did, out of respect) and in being there for many changing seasons I was able to witness major ceremonies but had no role in those directly.

A very memorable one amongst the specific group of Kazakh nomads of Mongolia I was with, is was when a visitor (in this case me when I first arrived) comes from afar there is a ritual prayer said for that person and a feast laid out, with horse head and intestines. The visitor (me) sits at the head of the feast. The youngest toddler has their ankles tied with said horse intestines and the people pray and light incense while encouraging the young child to walk to the visitor. The visitor kind of catches/grabs them after a short distance (which I almost didn’t do, and everyone was frantically pantomiming at me). This is considered their first journey and the gods are expected to bless the child with a good nomadic life. I was confused for a long time, until my language skills got better and I eventually asked what that event was.

Hi Jaya, Happy new year. It's so nice to hear your story and see your artworks :) I'm interested in art too. My questions to you:

How do you pick your subjects?

And which piece took you the longest to paint?

Thanks for your time

Love of a place, a way of life, and of a community and peoples, yes. I will always hold those experiences in my heart, I truly love that land. But I was not there for romantic love, and did not go in that direct if that is what you are asking.

Did you find love?

Can you summarise the spiritual beliefs of the people you were with? Did you witness/partake in any ceremonies? Thanks!

/u/worldtravelstephanie has provided confidential proof to the moderators.

Were you living with the Tsaatan peoples in Mongolia?

What did your daily life look like when you lived with the herders. How connected were the herders with those living in cities/towns/villages? What is the most valueable lesson you learnt while living so far away from home?

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Actually, it was one that I’ve never been asked, so kudus to you for more specifics than just ‘what’s it like?’!

Thanks for the answer! I know it's a silly question but I was curious. Hope you're enjoying life out there!

Towns (colloquially we call them villages) do elect Mayors! Registered towns elect through ballots and serve terms, and unofficial towns elect through a show of support. To be official your town must be registered with the Alaskan government as a ‘city’. So the town of one you heard about probably isn’t officially on the books and thus doesn’t officially have a mayor. He might have raised his hand to support himself though!

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