A Three Dog Night in Siberia

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Have you ever heard of a "three dog night?"  I'm not talking about the band.  I'm talking about the expression.  It goes way back to the Eskimos.  A three dog night is a night that's SO cold, you need to sleep with three dogs to keep from freezing.

beforethey.com

I first heard the expression from my high school Spanish teacher, and for some reason, it always stuck with me.  I think it's a great descriptor of cold - from before the times of thermometers and central heating.

Sometimes it feels cold enough for three dogs during wintertime in North America, even with the heat on... but can you imagine Siberia?  Oymyakon in northeast Russia considers the negative 60s "normal" in winter - and there are no records of it ever warming above zero degrees Fahrenheit between December and March.  The Weather Channel posted an article claiming that it's the coldest inhabited town in the world.

Further east of Oymyakon, near the Bering Strait (which separates Russia from Alaska), live the Chukchi, an ancient Arctic people.  With a population of about 15,000 according to "Countries and their Cultures," the Chukchi live in a way that we can only imagine.

beforethey.com

Traditional Chukchi live in tents made of reindeer hide with a fur-lined sleeping chamber, and they travel in sleds pulled by dogs or reindeer.  The men do the hunting and gathering, while the women keep the home clean and the clothes sewn.

Of course, in modern day times, there have been some changes.  Although some of the natives still prefer to live in tents, many have transitioned to one story houses made of wood and concrete (likely introduced during Russian military attacks on the Chukchi during the 1700s).  Snowmobiles, motor-boats and air travel are also becoming more common in the Tundra and along the coast.

One thing that's remained consistent with the Chukchi is the importance of hospitality and generosity.  Because of the harsh climate, it's forbidden to refuse even a stranger food or shelter.  Sounds like a much needed mantra to survive the bitter cold.  The community works together to provide for widows, orphans and poor, taking care of their own.

beforethey.com

In addition to their great hospitality towards other people, the Chukchi highly value and respect their dogs.  To them, dogs mean survival.  I found a great website on the native people called beforethey.com.  It has this quote: "The way you treat your dog in this life determines your place in heaven."

Specifically, the Chukchi are credited with breeding the original Siberian Husky - perhaps their greatest contribution to the outside world.  The dogs were bred for their endurance when the Chukchi men expanded their hunting grounds.  The American Kennel Club explains, "The Chukchis needed a sled dog capable of traveling great distances at a moderate speed, carrying a light load in low temperatures with a minimum expenditure of energy."  Eventually, word of the dogs made way to Alaska, and they started to appear in sled races.  You may have heard of Balto and the famous diphtheria "serum run?"  After that, huskies became popular throughout the rest of America.

Of course, the dogs can also come in handy on those cold three dog nights.  And for you dog lovers out there, maybe you've seen the news around a recent study that says letting your dogs in your bed can help you sleep better at night.  Something worth considering this winter.

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