In the Siberian Taiga, many small villages aren’t reachable by road. Forest fires have destroyed temporary pathways and left behind only boggy terrain. To deliver mail here in summer, the Russian postal service sends out a mounted postman.
Beyond Siberia’s few urban areas lies the vast Taiga, a boreal forest stretching along the Trans-Siberian Railway. It’s a region mostly devoid of human inhabitants. Many of the tiny villages aren’t reachable by road. Every month, the 53-year-old Taiga postman Andrian Chromov makes the 150-kilometer trip on the long, dangerous route through the bogs to bring mail, news and other essentials to people in this far-flung corner of the world.
In the summer, he does his rounds on horseback. But even if they haven’t been destroyed in forest fires, the paths can be marshy. The job is an adventure every time. And on this occasion, his horse has bolted. He can cover the first few kilometers in his old car, but that doesn’t always work, either. Then, he has to find another horse – or walk.
The villages he visits on his week-long ride through the Taiga are totally isolated. Siberia is extremely sparsely populated. Most people who live here have been settled in collective farming communities. But these often no longer exist. There is, however, a weather station: Some of its data is passed on by Andrian. That’s because there’s no telephone here, no Internet and no power. TVs and radios are powered with batteries or a generator. This requires fuel that can only be transported in winter when the ground is frozen. The postman is a link to the outside world. One that’s proving difficult to maintain.
#documentary #dwdocumentary #siberia
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Thank you so much for your work! The film was made with warmth and empathy for people!
I was not prepared for that performance
"I prefer to blame someone else' HAHAHAHAHHa!!!!
Heart warming documentary. I was a bit put off by the title but I'm glad I watched it. Very well produced with respect for the villagers and their way of life
14.51 😂😂😂😂 that's kind of what I'd thought "his" horse would think (it is exactly what I'd think if I'd done that route carrying the heavy load myself). I'm amazed and respect this man for understanding his horse, especially that it has feelings,thoughts, and its own life now…and that only if willing will he "come help", many of us stupid humans have forgotten that our fellow creatures have rights at all, or even grant them any form of independent thinking, feelings, cunning etc. We see them as property, yes …we care for them, say we love them (if we really did we'd grant them more freedom…tho in modern society it's not always practical to do so) and stop projecting human emotions/actions on them. I was brought up on a small subsistence farm, hardly anything bought,NOTHING wasted, respect for nature/following it, respect and grateful ness towards all animals (from a bear we'd meet in the forest to the horse for pulling the plow). PS we also got post (seldom) delivered (by my time) with an old bus. This population still haven't been cut off, so nice to see. Many totally urban people don't even reflect upon where that product (food, clothing etc) comes from, or under what conditions animals raised for our "food" or workers making our clothes live under. Really like this man. Amazing content as usual 👍
only mail is 'mobilization' papers
I love this channel
Such a beautiful Place ❤❤🇷🇺
😮😮❤❤❤❤❤😍😍😍
35:56 just occurred to me. Is there a cursive form of Russian? People rarely write anymore in any language. But still the postal carriers are integral to any society no matter how far flung and isolated. Great documentary!
The ambiance of the surroundings is reflected on the aura of each villager's face and of course the mailman – serene, peaceful and bright. . Their happiness is priceless although its hard to survive on the challenges.
***
The villagers faces and demeanor are welcoming for strangers from other countries …. but sadly the leader's face is ………
It reminds me some villages in the Amazon region that we have in my country. Those villages are in the middle of nowhere and we can only achieve them by river or by air. In the rain season, to reach them is almost impossible.
it is very convenient to keep the people in poverty while the oligarchs buy the most expensive yachts and send the people to war
20.49 why would anyone fish for "FUN" it's not fun…remember the fish also want to live. Only fish or hunt or kill in general for A NECESSITY and remember to respect nature and be grateful. That is a vital part of our common forgotten knowledge. And still we believe we're so smart. 😔 edit 21.22 again this man has "our forgotten knowledge" he has respect and is grateful…he knows his friend is helping him but that he (as we all do) also want our freedom. Wisdom. 21.42 to give them a rest…again wisdom. Not learned by studies as any university but by life. Also great to see cows with their calves…caring, suckling their babies. Reminds me of growing up. 24…off course, humans have through prehistoric times until now always been a good snack for other animals. That's just the way it, at least should be…if things were still balanced and not "all on our only 1 species" terms. As it has become, sadly. 24.52 exactly what my grandfather told me…again wisdom. He knows nature. The "lingonberries" look ripe and good, nice spot to collect many😊👍 also he collected the horn, nothing goes to waste. It's easy to use for knife handles or anything else needed. Great, free material. 26.16 great philosophy of life 👏😂 27.28 spot on man, and in my view you have your freedom with only the sun above you and your tasks but no constant surveillance, team meetings/ever increasing pressure of increased "performance and productivity" that you will not receive any benefits from (that goes to the share holders). Plus no pressures of competition for any level of consumption of lifestyle goods, posting "look how great my life is" shit online, worrying about someone else having more, or feeling bad about not fitting in to some elite group all the ridiculous stuff that preoccupies to many human minds. Edit: also love the comment by the pensioner, reg his pension, let's see what this "Russia" (ie a made up so called nation, created by powerful men, fought over…many lives lost…to create maps with lines crossing our planet, dividing it up artificially into this or that. All resulting right now in a horrible war bc a power hungry aautocratic psycho rules one nation/area that he wants to make bigger as per usual 😣😔
the efficient way would be to use just one drone. but what's the fun in that?
My late father loved this type of documentary, and he was a postal carrier in the USPS for nearly thirty years, so he would've really enjoyed this one. Even though the environment – a wealthy suburb of Detroit, MI, Grosse Pointe Park – was very much different, to him, there would still be that postal-worker bond.
29…they took their reindeer and paid them with a cow🤔🤯 just like that. We're taking away your life and subsistence…be happy we are offering you a cow, the poor thing doesn't even belong there. Edit: so sad they lost their lives…there are still natives travelling with their reindeer in Scandinavia. Also very sad this man lost his language. I do remember using the sieve to clean lingon berries. Love them. We never had any "fan" though. Only human labour. It was a long time ago. 31.11 she is almost described my childhood …never bored, lots of work, the garden/greenhouse, reading/talking…no social media. I grew up happy and learned a lot. 33.06 what a beautiful lady and wise as well…the years do rule us all, no point in resisting that part. In my view she has a beautiful, well kept house, I hope she remains in good health until her last moment🙏❤. 35.37 good job for saving his life👏❤ 38.58 again, wisdom, sacrifice and show gratitude for what nature gives.
40.58 👍😊 top thinking…the area wouldn't be the same. It would have been ruined by development. Yes, it'll become re-wilded. Only approx 30% of our whole planet is free from humans n our development. This way nature and other life can thrive😊 and hopefully live in peace. What a beautiful uplifting documentary 👏 reminded me so much of my childhood and happiness. Thank you.
I could very well adapt to a life like that.
what a gem!
Leave it to DW to take you someplace that you had never really thought of.
Loved every part of it. You get the human side, the history, the geography… This guy is precious, worth millions to these people, and yet, 150 euros a month to risk your life every day.
Here I am again, practicing my english with DW! This documentary section that has material of many different topics are really useful 👌🏽 Greetings from Argentina!
Great documentary. Please keep up the great work.
Excellent. Many ways to live life.
Do these documentaries warn the heart of everyone else, the way they do me? I feel a little more connected to my fellow man, each time I learn something new here.
DW documentaries are the best…. lovely and well detailed
It's a bit funny that name of his horse is associated with the name of mountain from another region of Russia wich is quite far from there)) Thanx for that great documentary!
I can't catch your step, so many good documentaries.
No much time to finish these.
This guy says he rode horses all his life but can't even form a bond with his own horse. Why make a documentary on an asshole
Large Russia
I am really amazed the amount of effort from the film crew one who records this beautiful journey..might be gone through a tough experience to make the another impeccable documentary. Hats off DW team !
Watch this from a city which has population of 1.2 crores.longing for that fresh breath never ends.nice work from mail man.
I’m not as amazed as the fact that this was filmed by a crew of at least 2 people, with all the filming gear on the same dirt road. The dedication you guys have for bringing forth the hidden treasure! Absolute respect!
very good. beautiful.
The mail man& his wife talking abt neighbour's envy, backtrack of mailman saying he puts blame on some one, mailman's arduous trip(respects and love to him) to the far off villages in siberia, mingling with nature, talking to horse, venting out his feelings is interesting and heart warming to watch, sad parts: 93 year old lady sorrowful that she cannot meet his sister and grand daughter,an old man feeling sorry for loss of reindeer, language, etc.,
Wow. Russia is so huge
1200 euros per year, but still life goes on.
What a great documentary! With swift pace of modern life, we often ignore nature, the simple things in life and forget to stop and take time to interact with others.
I love to live there
The Internet can be very dark but when programmes like this are available it's wonderful. It's sad that so many in Europe don't appreciate what we have and just want more and more. Most of which we don't need and, after a while, don't want!
no 4G high speed internet???
noooooo !!!!
its sad that putin made these folks into global enemy