The Oroqen: Once forest hunters, now superstars in ice-cold Harbin

Wandering leisurely with their reindeers along Zhongyang Street in northeast China's Harbin City, a group of people wearing roe deer's head hats and clothes made of animal fur are attracting attention. Even though it's extremely cold, tourists can't stop staring at them and taking photos.   

They belong to the Oroqen ethnic group, one of the 55 minorities in China. Dubbed "China's last hunting ethnic minority," they used to live a nomadic life, hunting in the forests of the Greater and Lesser Hinggan Mountains located in northern Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and northeastern Heilongjiang Province. 

After the establishment of Oroqen Autonomous Banner in Inner Mongolia in 1951, the lives of the Oroqen people changed for the better. By 1958, many of the region's nomads had settled down and changed the way they lived and worked. Nowadays, the Oroqen people mainly live in certain regions in Inner Mongolia and Heilongjiang.

"Oroqen" can be interpreted as "deer hunter." The Oroqen once hunted on the back of reindeers, but later changed to quicker horses. Their prey varied based on different seasons, but they mainly hunted deer species.

Their traditional clothes are sewn with pieces of roe deer's fur, and sometimes other animal fur is used, too. Only men wear the roe deer hat.

After hunting was banned in 1996, the local government began to develop other industries to increase the income of the Oroqen people. Now, they make a living by farming and as herders. Also, they don't wear their fur-made traditional clothes and hats other than on important occasions, at festivals or to promote their culture. 

As Harbin's snow season attracts interest from across China and beyond, people are getting to know more about the Oroqen people.