There is a certain force in the Nenets worldview called sya mei. It is connected with the other world, that of birth and death, and can be harmful when it comes into contact with this world. Post-pubescent women are permanently affected by this, as are newborn babies and people who have recently been present at a funeral or death. There are a remarkable number of taboos and restrictions on people affected by sya mei. They must not touch the sacred sledge, they must not step over anything that has been touched by a reindeer, instead passing harnesses, etc, over their heads and going under them, they must not cross an imaginary line which runs from the central pole in the chum to the sacred pole at the back of the chum and out into the tundra while still in sight of the chum, they cannot visit sacred sites or participate in sacrifices. They must not cut certain fish, cross It should be noted that all of the above is true for Yamal Peninsula Nenets, who have preserved their culture remarkably well. It is not true for all Nenets areas, however. For example, in European Russia’s Nenets Autonomous Okrug in some areas the men alone work three-months shifts in the tundra, then spend three months getting blind drunk in the nearest village. They have completely forgotten their own language and spiritual beliefs, although when working they still live in chums, use reindeer sledges and wear fur clothing. For them, reindeer herding has become a tough, unpleasant job where men spend months on end away from their families. On Yamal it has remained a respected and prestigious way of life, with whole families migrating together year-round.