The Reindeer People: Living with Animals and Spirits in Siberia
SKU: 61254269632

The Reindeer People: Living with Animals and Spirits in Siberia

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The Reindeer People: Living with Animals and Spirits in SiberiaSince the last Ice Age, the reindeer's extraordinary adaptation to cold has sustained human life over vast tracts of the earth's surface, providing meat, fur, and transport. Images carved into rocks and tattooed on the skin of mummies hint at ancient ideas about the reindeer's magical ability to carry the human soul on flights to the sun. These images pose one of the great mysteries of prehistory: the reindeer revolution, in which Siberian native

Since the last Ice Age, the reindeer's extraordinary adaptation to cold has sustained human life over vast tracts of the earth's surface, providing meat, fur, and transport. Images carved into rocks and tattooed on the skin of mummies hint at ancient ideas about the reindeer's magical ability to carry the human soul on flights to the sun. These images pose one of the great mysteries of prehistory: the reindeer revolution, in which Siberian native peoples tamed and saddled a species they had previously hunted.

Drawing on nearly twenty years of field work among the Eveny in northeast Siberia, Piers Vitebsky shows how Eveny social relations are formed through an intense partnership with these extraordinary animals as they migrate over the swamps, ice sheets, and mountain peaks of what in winter is the coldest inhabited region in the world. He reveals how indigenous ways of knowing involve a symbiotic ecology of mood between humans and reindeer, and he opens up an unprecedented understanding of nomadic movement, place, memory, habit, and innovation.

The Soviets' attempts to settle the nomads in villages undermined their self-reliance and mutual support. In an account both harrowing and funny, Vitebsky shows the Eveny's ambivalence toward productivity plans and medals and their subversion of political meetings designed to control them. The narrative gives a detailed and tender picture of how reindeer can act out or transform a person's destiny and of how prophetic dreaming about reindeer fills a gap left by the failed assurances of the state.

Vitebsky explores the Eveny experience of the cruelty of history through the unfolding and intertwining of their personal lives. The interplay of domestic life and power politics is both intimate and epic, as the reader follows the diverging fate of three charismatic but very different herding families through dangerous political and economic reforms. The book's gallery of unforgettable personalities includes shamans, psychics, wolves, bears, dogs, Communist Party bosses, daredevil aviators, fire and river spirits, and buried ancestors. The Reindeer People is a vivid and moving testimony to a Siberian native people's endurance and humor at the ecological limits of human existence.

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Mariner Books
Published: 12/01/2006
ISBN: 9780618773572
Pages: 464
Weight: 1.60lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 1.30d

Review Citations: Kliatt 05/01/2007 pg. 36
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SKU: 61254269632

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Katrina Rhodes
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 5
Nice divider, serves it's purpose well!
Size: 3 Panel 12FT W
This room divider worked out very well for what I needed. I wanted a simple way to create a little more privacy and separation in a larger room without doing anything permanent, and this divider was an easy solution. The panels provide good coverage, and the black color gives it a clean, modern appearance that blends in nicely with different décor styles. Assembly was fairly straightforward, and once set up, the wider feet helped keep the divider stable on the floor. I was especially happy with how flexible the panels are to arrange. You can keep it mostly straight, angle it around furniture, or create a more enclosed private space depending on the layout you need. The material allows light to filter through slightly while still offering a noticeable sense of privacy. I’ve used it for separating a workspace area, but it would also work well in bedrooms, apartments, dorms, studios, or shared living spaces. Another plus is that it can be folded and moved without too much effort when you want to change the setup. Overall, this divider delivers a good balance of functionality, portability, and appearance. It’s a practical option for anyone needing temporary room separation without installing permanent walls or curtains.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2026
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Jamie K.
Pawtucket, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect for Adding Privacy to a Piano Studio
Size: 2 Panel 8FT W, Size: 2 Panel 8FT W
I Ordered the 2 Panel version which is way too big for my needs... that's on me. So keep in mind that the picture shows a fabric made for two panels only being used on one and hence it is not pulled tight; it would pull tight and not be so wrinkly if it was set up properly as two panels. The metal pools that make up the panels seem to be well made, stable, and of good quality. They were very easy to put together and they stand up tall with plenty of height. The appearance of it with the fabric on it isn't as elegant as it could be, but it still looks good enough. The material is plenty solid, not allowing light through it, and thereby making a solid barrier. I am using it to block the view out the studio door when a student is sitting at the piano to avoid distractions from the hallway. It will allow a student to enter the studio with our distracting the student who is at the piano.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2026
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Just Me
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
Room Divider That Gives Instant “This Is a Separate Space Now” Energy
Size: 3 Panel 12FT W
The Siebwin 3 Panel Folding Privacy Screen is surprisingly effective at changing the feel of a room without requiring construction, commitment, or somebody yelling about load bearing walls. The 12 foot width gives a substantial amount of coverage, making it useful for creating privacy, dividing open areas, blocking visual clutter, or setting up temporary sections within larger rooms. This saved us a ton of time and money in our new studio and enabled us to create a kitchen and office in one room. The wider feet make a huge difference because flimsy room dividers that collapse every time someone exhales too aggressively are deeply annoying. This one feels more stable and grounded once positioned. The folding design makes it easy to move around or adjust depending on the space, and it folds down relatively compactly when not in use. It is basically the introvert curtain wall of dreams. The material has a clean, neutral look that blends well into different room styles without screaming “temporary office cubicle panic.” It works well for apartments, studios, shared spaces, dressing areas, or simply hiding the mountain of chaos you swear you are going to organize tomorrow. Practical, portable, and refreshingly easy to use without turning setup into a three hour emotional event.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2026
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Skeetre
Port Orchard, US
★★★★★ 4
It's 2 panels holding 1 big privacy screen. Can't use as 2 separate 4' panels, but works great.
Size: 2 Panel 8FT W
This 2 panel privacy screen works well. Assembly was very straight forward, with easily labeled tubes. My son and I had it together in about 10 minutes, which was probably 3 minutes of me telling him to quit playing around and hand me the parts. It feels very sturdy, not likely to fall over or anything. The material fits well, with the Velcro being very strong. Measurements are all very accurate, with all pieces attaching properly. We have a similar privacy screen at work that we have to try and stretch out because the top and bottom Velcro doesn't fit quite right... this model does not have any issues though. The material is thin and light weight, but solid black so that you can't see anything through or behind it. I definitely think it's a great deal for the money. What I think would have given it 5 stars though, is if you had 2 totally separate 4' panels instead of 2 panels with one big screen. It really wouldn't cost any extra to make it so that the screen was in 2 pieces and you could use it as 2 separate panels instead of having to use it as one big panel. It says 2 panel folding privacy screens, but it's really one big one that folds in the middle.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 25, 2026
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Verified Purchase
Chris Stockbridge
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Worth the investment
Size: 1 Panel, Size: 1 Panel
I had to order this in an emergency. To put it in brief words, I live in a two level studio unit. My bedroom TV fell backwards off the bureau accidentally and down the stairs to its demise. Putting this together was no problem, instructions were thorough and easy. It came with several bars that connected together smoothly and an Allen key for the brackets and screws for the feet. I did one less horizontal bar on top and bottom so it could fit, which was great because with all of them on it was too long. However I ran into the difficulty of the horizontal bars popping out of the brackets during the last stages, but eventually got it done. I was also looking for a specific type of divider where I could adjust the feet so I could tuck it in between the dresser and banister. Glad I made this purchase.
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Reviewed in the United States on February 19, 2026

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