The foundations of life of Nenets people on the arctic Island of Kolguev

The social and economic foundations of indigenous people’s life on the Kolguev Island (Barents Sea) are presented in the article in terms of the ethno-sociological field work results, surveys and “focus-groups” research of Nenets people done in the years 2006, 2007 and 2014. The anxieties of people caused by the reducing of reindeer herd, changes of the environment that damaged the traditional way of life and economy and negatively influenced the quality of life of indigenous population were identified. Speaking about the transformations of the local environment, the indigenous people of the Kolguev Island mentioned natural and climatic anomalies, changes of plants and populations of birds and animal as well as the increasing pollution of the Island.