The 4th World Reindeer Herders Congress wrapped up on Friday April 4th with the delegates from Russia leaving the Thon hotel early Saturday morning at the start of which for many is a long trip home. Vassily Serotteto, a Nenets herder from the Yamal peninsula described the journey,
 
"First we drive to Murmansk, theny we fly to Moscow the next day. After that there is a flight to Salekhard and then Nyadma (Khudi, another Nenets herders) and I will find a helictopter that will take us back to our reindeer and families. It will take about 3-4 days."

Some travelled even further - from northern Mongolia, Chukotka, and the Republic of Buryatia. The last few days of the Congress saw an enormous amount of activity - from a gala concert that featured stars from China to Sápmi and a cyber lavvu and the world championships of lassoo casting alongside some reindeer racing. There was important World Reindeer Herding Association business to take care of as well - the adoption of new statutes, the creation of a new board and the election of a new President, and new vice Presidents. Norwegian Sami reinder herder Odd Erling Smuk (who has been involved in the Association since the first Congress) is the new WRH President. A new streamlined board was elected with the Chair being Mikhail Pogodaev (Even, Sakha-Yakutia), Juha Magga (Sámi, Finland) and Inga Anita Smuk (Sámi, Norway). More on these developments later. 

One of the final acts of this years Congress was the offer by the Evenki delegation from China to host the next Congress, in 2013 - a major step in the promotion of reindeer husbandry in China to the outside world. In addition to the scientific day and a visit to a Sámi reindeer herd (see earlier news item), there was also a signing agreement between the Association of World Reindeer Herders, the International Centre for Reindeer Husbandry and the Sámi University College on the establishment of a UArctic Institute for Circumpolar Reindeer Husbadnry (more on this later).

 

 A photo gallery has been mounted that gives an overview of the Congress. You can view it here. More pictures to come..