Educational Media Reviews Online

This video provides a rare glimpse into the fascinating world of the Taigana, a tribe of nomadic Mongolians who live in the mountainous Hovsgol region, the northernmost part near Siberia. They are also called Tsaatan or 'reindeer people' as they depend solely on reindeer for all their needs. Starting with the story about the beginning of this extraordinary relationship between man and beast, it covers all aspects of their lives and finally touches on the unfortunate circumstances that are forcing these people towards extinction.

This is a story about man's relationship with the environment, about traditions that are passed down from generation to generation and the tragic results of upsetting the ecological balance and age old traditions. The film highlights the impact of government restrictions and other limitations on these nomadic people and their desperate need for immediate help if they are to survive.

The first part of the study deals with the day-to-day lives of these people. It provides a detailed account of their daily activities, which include looking after the animals, taking them for grazing high up in the mountains, preparing dried meat and cooking, cheese making, making clothes etc. The film also covers other aspects of their lives such as the annual migration and setting up of new camps, following their age old customs which provide deep spiritual meaning for them. The latter part of the film deals with the adverse effects of government restrictions on Taigana's movements, forcing them to live in villages and other limitations. The drastic reduction in their freedom of movement has affected the health of both man and beast thus forcing them to death. Even though their desperate call for help has been answered with help from International Crossroads and the Mongolian Red Cross, the film stresses the urgent need for more help while highlighting the reasons why these people must not be forced to give up their traditions, culture and their land.

Although the film runs for only 17 minutes, it provides a rich source of information about the reindeer people. The narration is very clear, but the color seems to be fading in some places. This film is highly recommended for anthropology and Asian studies collections in high school, college and academic libraries.

The following web site provides additional information on this topic http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/26/regions/26CA1.html