Mariia Berel’tueva talks about making skis

“My grandfather told me how skis used to be passed down from the eldest son to his children, and then further down the generations. In the past, the skis were covered with reindeer hide. They were so durable that they were handed down from one generation to the next. The boards were made from birch or spruce, and wood without knots was chosen for the process. It had to be well dried and slightly shorter than a person’s height. Well-crafted skis allowed you to glide easily through the mountains and across the snow without making any noise. People used to say that even the animals wouldn’t hear you. The dry wood was very light, making it easy to move quickly on skis. When winter came, hunters would start preparing their skis so they would last for years. They also used to say that if you loved your skis, they would carry you home swiftly.” (Video in progress)

Self-recorded, Ulyunchan 2024.