Yaranga Rigol - the life of Ukrainian Chukchi

In 1919, in a heavy snowstorm to Yaranga Ivan Ryntyrgina literally pripolz almost frozen, gaunt, ragged man.
His adopted rescued. He lived and became like a family member. Soon he married a widow - a mother Ryntyrgina, which appeared stepfather, whose name was Ivan Ivanovich Minenko. Nationality - Ukrainian.

As he came to this beach? Young, full of bright hope, the Ukrainian Ivan guy wandered in Argentina, Chile, Peru ... A loader, a stoker, he worked in the U.S. cutter, bakery, dug and washed tons of rock, hoping to find a «luck» ... «Better» find «blessed America» he did not succeed.

Learning in 1917. about the revolution in Russia, the Americans began to ask permission to return home. Was refused. Ivan went on more than foolish move - decided to go on foot! It has been more than half of Alaska with the «white silence», and went ashore the Bering Strait, at the tip of the Cape Stewart. In the west, a distance of 90 km lies Chukot ...
Great was the thirst for their own land! Ivan went on foot via the Bering Strait! Before him on such «exploits» nobody dare! Had nothing to lose. What is the difference, where to meet death on a desert Alaska or in the sea, but on the way home! As he succeeded, it was not! He went on drifting ice, broke in the «raft» - block of ice (!) About 20 km of pure water. It has been the island Diomida, Ratmanova and went to Cape Dezhneva!

Along the coast, probirayas over hummock of ice, he was still about 200 km!
Most likely, he would have died if it had not stood alone before dopolz Yaranga Ryntyrgina. Unfortunately, this unique move, the first time in history, and remains unknown!

Soon, Ivan Minenko outwardly very similar to Leo Tolstoy, was a «oravetl'anom» - «purely Chukchis». Married the widow Etgeut - the mother of Ivan Ryntyrgina. So Ivan came from the father. Father became a baker in the factors of Cape Schmidt, a translator from the geologists. He is not worse than others began to run from the dog sled and Chukchi spoke approvingly of him: «The present kayur!».
Language Chukchis he examined quickly. Much he learned Ryntyrgina - and the Russian language, and read and write, to understand the «wheel-motors» ... Together they went to sea, but were promoters of translators, among geologists, the «Chiefs».

In 1933, they first found traces of the missing aircraft «Hamilton», who flew from Alaska to save nipped in ice boat «Nanuk» Olaf Svensona. The plane crashed on the spit, which has since been known as - «Kosa two pilots». Pilots were well-known polar aviator Ben Eyelson and Borg Osland.

By order of the government of the USSR was organized searches. Upon learning of the IM Minenko and I. Ryntyrgina on the spit, in an area where they heard the noise of aircraft, Mauritius Slepnev flew back and «found» dead ... In Alaska, and still pictures of the pilots' hang on a place of honor! (In early 90-ies of the Moscow newspaper «Air Transport» organized the search for remnants of the plane, which is very fast «found». Seconded to Alaska newspaper correspondent in the Magadan region, which took a big piece of «iron», which was greeted with honor and stored at Alaska Museum of Polar Aviation).

Years passed. Ivan Minenko did not change its second home-Chukotka, was never live here your age. Grew, children, grandchildren. One son became a KGB chief reactor, the second - the polar aerology, wintered in Antarctica. Granddaughter Tamara - head. department executive committee.

So Ukrainian Ivan Minenko found his «luck», his home, family. He did not change them, not left. True say that as good as a feast. Ryntyrgin that have a first name and patronymic stepfather - Ivan, was interesting life, a decent description of a book.