The Oki Pyuika Project

Van’s knowledge rescues the pyuika from unsuitable confinement and gives Oki families a fragile economic opportunity.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

Unfamiliar Animals

A Breeding Problem Failed husbandry The Oki have tethered pyuika inside a corral, unaware of their need for free movement and the lichen Mohoki that can guide them. A costly mistake The animals are difficult to manage and have not bred. The family’s decision to replace taxed reindeer with pyuika has put its livelihood at risk.

The Fence Transformed

Van Frees the Herd Mohoki as a key Van gathers Mohoki and uses it to shape the enclosure, letting the animals move without simply escaping. He cuts their tethering ropes one by one. A practical demonstration The pyuika settle into freer movement, and the family sees that successful care depends on understanding the animals rather than forcing them into familiar livestock practices.

The Herd Bears Young

A Difficult Hope Learning the cycle Van teaches Tohma and neighboring youths how to identify calving places, choose mounts, and form bonds with fawns. Several does become pregnant and deliver healthy young. Opportunity with a limit The tax reduction offers relief, but the Zolians misunderstand how long it takes to raise riding animals. The family gains time, not certainty about its future.

The first winter in Oki

Late autumn before the first winter

The following spring and summer