Yuri Rytkheu was born into a family of Chukchi hunters in Siberia in 1930. He sailed the Bering Sea, worked on Arctic geological expeditions, hunted whale, defended the indigenous Chukchi people since the fall of the Soviet Union, and championed Siberia's environment, in addition to writing over ten novels and collections of stories. He was the definitive voice of the Chukchi people.

Yuri passed away in May 2008.

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Last modified on July 24, 2008  | © Telegram 2005