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Sápmi – The Indigenous North
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March/April 2022 Vol 93:02 $9.95
02 2022
Experience Sámi Culture | Börje Salming’s Sámi Roots | Winter Sports Day
Photo: Hans-Olof Utsi/imagebank.sweden.se
Sápmi – The Land of the Sámi
The geographical area of Sápmi covers the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, and is home to the Sámi, an indigenous people who have lived there for millennia. By Kajsa Norman
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here are over 80,000 Sámi, spread over four countries: approximately 20,000 in Sweden, 50,000 in Norway, 8,000 in Finland and 2,000 on Russia’s Kola Peninsula. While most Sámi now live in urban centers, those living in the high Arctic still practice reindeer husbandry. Traditionally, the Sámi were a nomadic people following reindeer across vast regions, from the mountains to the sea. Today, the Sámi are sedentary, but the reindeer still migrate from their winter habitat to their summer pasture areas, and the Sámi culture still revolves around their Swedish Press | March/April 2022 | 10
sacred and beloved boazu. The Sacred Reindeer Reindeer have always provided food, clothing, and trading value for the Sámi. Thousands of years ago, the Sámi hunted wild reindeer, but over the millennia, hunting evolved into herding. Today, the Sámi and the reindeer coexist, with the animals roaming freely over vast, non-enclosed areas year-round. There are between 250,000 and 280,000 reindeer in Sweden, varying slightly from year to year. Both male and female reindeer grow antlers.
Those of the male reindeer are bigger, but they shed them early in the fall so they can dig deep down into the snow for food come winter. Reindeer run on top of the snow and use their big hooves to cut through hard snow. Reindeer are made for life in the arctic. The bottom of their retinas even change color with the seasons, from blue to yellow to blue again, altering the way they view the world; in the summer they are more sensitive to color, and in the winter, they are more sensitive to contrast. The Eight Seasons of Sápmi Since nature plays such a crucial part
Traditional bracelets. Photo: Pernilla Ahlsén/imagebank.sweden.se Photo: Mikko Nikkinen/imagebank.sweden.se Shoes, trousers and gloves made of reindeer skin. Photo: Lola Akinmade Åkerström/imagebank.sweden.se
Sámi lávvu camp. Photo: Lennart Pittja/imagebank.sweden.se
in the lives of the Sámi people, they have eight seasons. Dálvve (winter) is the longest and runs from December to March. It is cold and dark, but the Northern lights paint the sky in magical colors. This is followed by gidádálvve (spring-winter) in March/ April when there is still snow but the sun has returned, and the days grow longer. During this season, the reindeer are herded from the winter pastures in the woodland or coastal areas up to the high ground for Miessemánnu – the birthing of the reindeer calves in May. Spring is known as gidá, when the ice starts to melt in the southern part of Sápmi and the crystal-clear waters begin to flow. During gidágiesse (spring-summer) the nights gradually grow brighter, and the landscape becomes green. In the mountains, the reindeer graze on birch groves and swamplands. In giesse (summer) there is midnight sun shining bright throughout the night. Tjaktjagiesse (autumn-summer)
Inside a Sámi lávvu. Photo: Lola Akinmade Åkerström/imagebank.sweden.se
starts in August. This is harvest time. Berries and mushrooms ripen, and both the Sámi and their reindeer use this time to stock up on the riches of the land ahead of winter. In tjaktja (fall) it is time for the traditional elk hunt which gets underway at the start of September. November/December is known as tjaktjadálvve (early winter). The days grow shorter, and the snow sets in. Dwellings and their Goddesses In early nomadic times, the Sámi lived in lávvu – the Sámi version of a tipi. Lávvu were taken down whenever the Sámi moved. However, they also built similarly shaped, semi-permanent wooden structures called goahti. Goahti can be made with fabric, peat moss, or timber. The top of the structures are also different. The poles of a lávvu come together at the top, while the poles of the goahti do not. The turf version of the goahti uses wood resting on the structure covered with birch
Traditional Sámi gákti. Photo: Lola Akinmade Åkerström/imagebank.sweden.se
bark, then peat, to provide a durable construction. In Swedish, both lávvu and goahti are known as kåta. Traditionally, the entrances to both the lávvu and the goahti always faced east, to greet the sun – beaivi. Goahti and lávvu were associated with certain goddesses, each of whom played an important part in everyday life. Máttaráhkká, the mother goddess, was believed to live under the goahti or lávvu while her daughters Sárahkká, Uksáhkká and Juoksáhkka each had their own responsibilities and domains relating to childhood. Juoksáhkka decided whether a baby would become a boy or a girl. Sárahkká, the goddess of birth, presided over both reindeer calves and human babies. Uksáhkká was the gatekeeper at the door of the dwelling, protecting newborns. And Påssioakka, another goddess of the home, protected the kitchen area. She also decided whether the hunt would be successful. Swedish Press | March/April 2022 | 11
Key terms:
There are over 80,000 Sámi spread over four countries, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Illustration: Anders Suneson/tecknadebilder.se
The Sámi Language The Sámi language is a Finno-Ugric language that is related to both Finnish and Hungarian. It can be divided into three main linguistic regions: Eastern Sámi, Southern Sámi and Central Sámi. These three regions, in turn, have multiple, distinct dialects. In Finland, Norway and Sweden, Sámi people speak Central Sámi, while in Norway they speak Southern Sámi. In Russia, Eastern Sámi is spoken. In Sweden, the most common dialects are Northern Sámi, Lule Sámi, Arjeplog Sámi, Southern Sámi and Ume Sámi. Like with Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish, some of the dialects are mutually intelligible. However, the greater the geographical distance, the more linguistically dissimilar the dialects become. All Sámi dialects contain a multitude of expressions, and synonyms, for nature and reindeer husbandry. Many towns, mountains, and rivers in Swedish Lapland were named by Sámi people. Knowing the meaning of some Sámi words, can help decipher these names and add another dimenSwedish Press | March/April 2022 | 12
sion to your visit up north. Signs are usually written in both Swedish and Sámi and anyone who has ever hiked up north will be familiar with the term luokta, meaning bay. The mountains, valleys and streams are terrain descriptive, i.e. often named after their distinguishing features. A mountain with the suffix “-bakti/bakte” will be steep, while the suffix “-tjvadda” is a mountain with soft slopes and gradual changes in elevation.
The Sámi flag is for all Sámi people, regardless of which country they live in. Photo: Thom Reijnders/unsplash.com
Fell – (from Old Norse fell, fjall, “mountain”) is a high and barren landscape feature, such as a mountain or moor-covered hill. It is cognate with Danish fjeld, Faroese fjall and fjøll, Icelandic fjall and fell, Norwegian fjell and Swedish fjäll, all referring to mountains rising above the alpine tree line. The Sámi have many words for fell, depending on size, altitude, shape, etc. Tjuolta is a small fell, tjåkko or tjakke the top of the fell, vardo, the lower part, while a gaisi or kaise refers to a steep fell at high altitude. Åive or oaivi refer to head-shaped fell tops. Gákti – (also known as kolt). The colorful, traditional dress of the Sámi is called gákti. It is worn for special occasions such as baptisms, confirmations, weddings, and funerals. The style of the gákti can vary based on region, gender, age, and marital status. Duodji – Sámi art and handicraft are known as duodji. The antlers, leather, and tendons from the reindeer are used in their creations which are passed down through the generations. Children learn the crafts from watching their parents and grandparents. This collective traditional knowledge is called árbediehtu. Sameby – (Swedish for “Sámi village”) is an economic and administrative association that organizes reindeer husbandry in a certain geographical area for the benefit of its members. The land is typically owned by the Swedish state but used for reindeer herding, hunting, and fishing. There are 51 samebyar in Sweden with Sirkas in Jokkmokk being the largest.
[Travel]
Experience sámi culture in idre Hike with reindeer, stay in a traditional lávvu, and learn to cook Sámi food over open fire. These are some of the experiences awaiting visitors to Renbiten in Dalarna.
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sn’t it a lovely day – windy and quite cold? Do you agree that winter is the best time of year? Summer is so overrated,” says Tomas Andersson, reindeer herder in Idre Sámi village. Located six hours north of Stockholm, in the northwestern part of Dalarna, Idre Sámi village is the southernmost Sámi village in Sweden. The placename is somewhat misleading as it doesn’t refer to an actual village, but to a geographical area where the reindeer belonging to a few families graze. In the case of Idre Sámi village, this area stretches from the Norwegian border in the west, halfway to Älvdalen in the southeast and up to Lake Rogen in the north. Tomas’ brother Peter and sisterin-law Helena run Renbiten, a small family business offering traditional Sámi crafts, food, and experiences. Tomas helps out when he has time and today, he is taking us on a reindeer hike. The Life of a Reindeer Herder Born and raised in the area, Tomas tells us about the life of a reindeer herder while we take a few tame reindeer for a walk. Reindeer won’t kick, bite, or headbutt so they make for good walking companions. When the reindeer named Lovis was born, her mother was killed by a wolf. Helena and Peter nursed Lovis, but once tamed, reindeer can no longer Swedish Press | March/April 2022 | 18
By Kajsa Norman be released into the “wild”. Now Lovis lives in a fenced-off area with ten other reindeer. However, the bulk of the village’s 3,000 reindeer roam free. “In the olden days, people lived in more close proximity to the reindeer year-round, moving with them as the
Helena feeds her reindeer Lovis, whose mother was killed by a wolf. Photo: Bianca Brandon Cox/Sametinget
seasons shifted. This made the reindeer incredibly tame,” says Tomas. “These days, it’s no longer necessary to stay overnight with them on the fell. The advent of cars and snowmobiles has made it possible to return home in the evenings.” Today, there is a myriad of modern technologies, such as radio, telephony, GPS, and drones to help keep track of the herds. “Do you think something has been lost in the process?” I ask Tomas. “Culture is constantly evolving,” he replies, “It just happens at different speeds at different times in history. But there’s no doubt that the herders had to be incredibly fit in the olden
days. My father made the cut for Sweden’s national cross-country skiing team. And in the summers, they had to follow the reindeer on foot. Now we use motorbikes.” A Family Business Idre Sámi village is made up of about 30 people, divided amongst four families. They keep 3,000 reindeer grazing in the area but aren’t allowed to expand beyond that. Being a reindeer herder is typically a trade passed down through the generations, but since one needs a herd of 500 to 1,000 reindeer to be able to make a living, not every child gets the opportunity to pursue this way of life. Tomas has five children and will have to choose which one is best suited to carry on the legacy. Fortunately, it appears only his 19-year-old daughter is interested. “We need more women in the trade,” he says. Historically, tending to the reindeer was as common among women and men, but over the years the industry has become increasingly male-dominated. “I’m not sure why,” says Tomas. “Perhaps because it involves a lot of motors these days – herding on a motorbike in the summer and on a snowmobile in winter.” The Seasons of the Reindeer In the late fall, the reindeer return from their summertime pastures on
The reindeer are herded to winter pastures sometime before Christmas. This herding takes place in traditional fashion with a cross-country skier leading a reindeer with a bell. The rest of the herd then follows. Photo: Renbiten
their own. This is the busiest time of year as it marks the start of the annual slaughter, and the butchering and processing of the meat. Most reindeer are slaughtered at 7 or 8 months-old when the quality of their meat is at peak. The meat sells for about 150 SEK/kg and a bull can weigh up to 220 kg. “We do it ourselves. If you raise animals for meat production, I think you need to handle your own slaughter as a way to show them respect,” says Tomas. The remaining reindeer are then herded to winter pastures sometime before Christmas. This herding takes place in traditional fashion with a cross-country skier leading a reindeer with a bell. The rest of the herd then follows. “Because our area is small, only about 60 square kilometers, we are able to do it this way,” says Tomas, adding that larger villages typically opt to move their reindeer by truck.
The winter is a calm period for the reindeer, but the herders still have to circle the herd every day making sure they stay where they are allowed. “The reindeer love licking salt off the highways, which is of course very dangerous, so our main job in the winter is to keep them away from the roads,” says Tomas. And while technology has made the work of reindeer herders more comfortable, climate change has brought about new challenges. “We used to have cold, long, stable winters. Now there’s much more volatility. Rain in the winter is the worst. If the reindeer get wet, followed by a drop in temperature, they get very cold and require a lot of energy to heat back up.” Normally, reindeer sustain themselves by grazing. However, last winter was the first time Idre Sámi village had to feed the reindeer supplemental food as rain turned to ice, preventing
the reindeer from smelling their fodder and thus digging for it. In April, the reindeer head to the open mountain fell where they give birth. “They are quite anxious and timid when it’s time to give birth, so we keep our distance,” says Tomas explaining how the herders take turns watching from afar through binoculars for predators like bears, wolves, lynx, wolverines, and eagles. While they scare off plenty, they can’t always be present. Last spring, a single bear killed 32 calves, three grown reindeer, two baby moose and one beaver in just over a month. While bears kill the most reindeer, it’s the wolf that is the greatest cause of concern because they injure so many and leave the entire herd stressed out. “It’s often difficult to know how many are so badly injured that they just head off and lie down somewhere to die where we can’t find them,” says Tomas. Swedish Press | March/April 2022 | 19
Noelle walking a reindeer. Photo: Private
The Unique Renmärke To distinguish who owns which animal, each reindeer calf receives a renmärke, a cut or series of cuts to the ear in a particular pattern or location. Most calves are born in mid-May and reindeer marking takes place in late June, around midsommar. “Calves follow their mothers around so when I see a calf following one of my reindeer, I throw my lasso to capture it and mark it,” Tomas explains. The signs have to be approved by the neighboring Sámi villages to ensure no two signs resemble each other too closely. The new signs are then registered with the county administrative board. Tomas was four or five years old when he received his first reindeer, bearing his distinct mark. “That day is imprinted in my memory. I would walk around, always looking for it in the herd,” he remembers. By the age of 6, he began marking reindeer himself. He outlines his mark Swedish Press | March/April 2022 | 20
in the air, while describing the pattern in Sámi. “It’s impossible to express in Swedish,” he laughs. Once all animals are marked, the rest of the summer is meant to be fairly quiet from a reindeer maintenance perspective, as the reindeer graze peacefully nearby. On the other hand, summertime is when most tourists come to visit.
The Language and Oral Traditions We take a seat by a nearby stream and dip our kåsor in the delicious, cold water. Tomas unpacks a picnic of different reindeer meats for us to try: reindeer jerky, smoked meat, sausage, chorizo, and smoked reindeer tongue. “Do you have anywhere you need to be?” he asks. “I tend to keep talking.” We shake our heads. The Sámi are renowned for their oral traditions. The main reason we’re here is to listen. “Do you speak Sámi?” I ask. “Yes, but lots of Swedish too. I’m not completely fluent unfortunately. I wish I was. It’s strange because both my parents have Sámi as their mother tongue, so they are obviously fluent, but they didn’t speak Sámi with us all the time. It’s a shame, but when my parents grew up and started school, they weren’t allowed to speak Sámi. Everyone was expected to speak Swedish.” Tomas has taught his children all the Sámi he knows, and they also study it at school. “They speak it better than I do so it’s a sign that things are heading in the right direction,” he says.
Huskläppen, Idre. In the late fall, the reindeer return from their summertime pastures on their own. Photo: Renbiten
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