Members of the expedition. Photo: Mzungu Expeditions
For the first time in history, a team of anthropologists from the country’s leading scientific institutes, under the auspices of the RGS and together with Mzungu Expeditions, embarked on a unique expedition journey connecting the north of Russia and the south of Indonesia. A bold idea to compare how traditional culture is changing in different parts of the world, from the peoples of Northern Eurasia to the tribes of New Guinea, has received an interesting embodiment and unexpected results.
The «Yamal + Papua» expedition trip to the indigenous peoples of the North and South took place with the participation of three scientific institutes at once: the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography (Kunstkamera) of the Russian Academy of Sciences, the European University in St. Petersburg, and the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Natalya Belyakova, Director of the RGS’s Expeditionary and Tourism Development Department, spoke about the historical concept of the expedition.
«Each expedition of the RGS is strong in its continuity,» she stressed. «A century and a half ago, Nikolai Miklukho-Maklay sailed to unexplored shores, and the 2025 expedition to New Guinea was again held under the auspices of the RGS, supporting scientific interest in the island in the Pacific Ocean. Another continuation of the Society’s research traditions is the Yamal part of the expedition: it was the RGS that began documenting the population of Siberia in the middle of the 19th century. At the same time, every modern expedition rethinks the heritage, developing it. We have added a time and distance parameter to the classic ethnographic expedition to study indigenous peoples. This is how the concept of comparing two cultures, north and south, Arctic Yamal and tropical Papua, was born. In addition to anthropologists, orientalists, and specialists in recreational geography, experienced travelers participated in the expedition; in the spirit of citizen science, they helped scientists conduct research, discovering the methodology of field work.
In the vastness of the Arctic tundra. Photo: Mzungu Expeditions
The first part of the research was the Yamal Peninsula: at the end of March, it is the height of winter here. Nenets reindeer herders introduced the guests to the secrets of national hunting, ice fishing, and nomadic cuisine. The work of scientists is observation and accurate recording; travelers were able to join the research in this part by compiling their field diaries.
«Modern social anthropology does not involve such comparative expeditions, ” commented Valeria Vasilyeva, a practicing ethnographer, anthropologist, employee at the Center for Social Research of the North of the European University in St. Petersburg, Candidate of Historical Sciences. "Meanwhile, comparisons are fundamentally important for our science, and this trip clearly showed me that the ethnographic situation, which seemed to be already well-known from the works and speeches of colleagues, appears in a completely different light, and an adequate comparison of cultures is possible only with personal experience of being in both groups."
After the snowy Arctic, the team of scientists and tourists traveled to Indonesia to experience the changing geographical latitudes and literally travel from the shores of the Arctic Ocean to the tropical rain forests of an island in the Pacific Ocean. It was under the auspices of the RGS that the greatest Russian travelers, ethnographers, scientists, and discoverers would set out a century ago. And of course, Nikolai Miklukho-Maklay occupies a special place here: thanks to him the whole world learned about New Guinea as a living, complex, diverse human civilization.
On the way to the Korowai forests. Photo: Mzungu Expeditions
«Modern expeditions, continuing the tradition of discovery, are inextricably linked with the activities of the Russian Geographical Society,» said Artyom Garin, a member of the RGS, a researcher at the Center for Southeast Asia, Australia and Oceania of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, head of the Laboratory for Digital Studies of the Modern East, Candidate of Historical Sciences. «For the scientific community, this is a unified system of values — a living history, a professional code, and a genuine spirit of research, which has been embodied by the RGS for almost two centuries. It is a special honor to follow in the footsteps of the great Russian travelers and scientists who worked under the auspices of the Society. Until the last third of the 19th century, New Guinea remained largely a blank spot: unexplored, misunderstood, mythologized. It is noteworthy that then, 150 years ago, and now, the expedition to New Guinea was organized precisely with the support of the RGS. This indicates the continuity of traditions, the highest level of training and deep respect for the cultures studied. This connection of times gives a special meaning to modern research — the realization that you are not just a traveler but part of a great scientific history, inspires and motivates like nothing else.»
Communication is a part of scientific work. Photo: Mzungu Expeditions
Traveling to the depths of New Guinea, whether in the middle of the 19th century or today, remains one of the most unique and profound forms of contact with another world. This is especially true of expeditions to peoples like the Korowai, who still maintain a way of life that has hardly changed over the centuries. A century and a half ago, travelers, making their way along the mountain slopes and through the swampy jungles of New Guinea, felt like pioneers on the edge of a world that no one had mapped yet.
The perseverance of the researchers brought unexpected results: they experienced the almost unexplored culture of the Korowai people, which has preserved its authenticity in the modern world. Of particular interest is the traditional architecture and way of life of this community, which exists outside the influence of globalization.
Together with the scientists, the travelers mastered modern methods of field research: from keeping observation diaries to carefully collecting ethnographic artifacts. Special attention was paid to the ethical aspects of interaction with the local population.
The main research method is participant observation. Photo: Mzungu Expeditions
«I am convinced that such popular science trips in the expedition format, where the Russian Geographical Society is our main partner, have a great future,» said Aleksey Kolbov, travel leader, photographer, and founder of Mzungu Expeditions. «This is a unique format and a great ambition, when in one trip we manage to combine both the scientific component with the participation of the most respected Russian institutions, and a deep immersion into the way of life and culture of the most remote and traditional peoples. Sometimes such projects simply cannot be implemented without the support of the RGS.»
The scientific group conducted a detailed study of the evolution of the traditional culture of the Nenets and the Korowai, paying special attention to the aspect of mobility of nomadic traditions and modern architectural transformations, including the construction of new tall structures among the Korowai. In the course of the work, an extensive digital archive was collected: unique photographs, video materials, and audio recordings, which will become the basis for creating special IT products. These developments will help preserve and popularize the cultural heritage of the Nenets and the Korowai for future generations.
The results of the expedition and the personal impressions of the participants will be presented at a special public seminar in St. Petersburg, which will be held at the Headquarters of the Russian Geographical Society. This event will be an important step in understanding the collected materials and planning further research.