Since 2005 the Snowchange Cooperative has worked with the Northern Forum Academy and the Indigenous Peoples Institute in Yakutsk, Sakha Republic, Russia to support Nomadic Education and Nomadic Schools of the Northern Peoples. In practice this has meant a focus on a partnership between the Chukchi nomadic community of Nutendli located on the lower Kolyma watershed in Sakha Republic and the Snowchange project partners.
Since 2006 a civil society organisation Save the Children Iceland has contributed financial support to the nomadic school of Nutendli and to the well-being of the children in the school in partnership with the community and Snowchange.
Snowchange Cooperative works with Nutendli to document and assist in working with Chukchi traditional knowledge. In 2007 this cooperation resulted in a new partnership between the Inari School in Finland (Saami home area) and Nutendli on an Arctic Indigenous Educational Project on Snow Knowledge and Weather where the Saami children as well as the Chukchi interviewed Elders on snow knowledge and traditions. This work culminated on a visit from Inari School to Nutendli in March 2007. Elle-Maaret Näkkäläjärvi, Teacher of Saami handicrafts and language as well as Rector Yrjö Musta visited the nomadic community of Nutendli and discussed future aspects of cooperation as well as the work conducted so far. This trip was made possible by support of the Finnish Ministry of Education and the Municipality of Inari financially. We are grateful for this support.
The Snowchange 2007 Workshop: Traditions of the North in Neriungri Region of Sakha Republic, Russia had a whole day devoted to the Arctic Indigenous Education and Nomadic Schools based on the Saami and Nutendli cooperation as well as other schools of the Sakha Republic. You can find out the Final Resolution of Snowchange 2007 devoted to this aspect from the links.
The Snowchange Cooperative plans to work with Barnaheill – Save the Children Iceland as well as Nutendli and other Sakha partners on further cooperation and support for this unique way of Indigenous education over 2008 – 2010 period. One concrete plan is to get a delegation of the Nutendli community to visit Finland and Iceland. As well plans to participate in the Snowchange 2008 with the Maori are made.