The Reindeer and the Sami
During our trip in Northern Sweden, we learned about the Sami who are indigenous people native to Sapmi which encompasses large Northern parts of Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Russia.
As many indigenous groups, and following the establishment of nation states, the Sami have been the victims of abuse, forced assimilation, and discrimination. The Swedish Constitution was amended in 2011 to recognise the Sami as a people and the Government has made efforts to develop a bill to address issues related to the Sami people. These actions have however been criticised for not tackling the most pressing issues, in particular those related to land and resource rights, and for failing to consult the Sami people on it. Even though developments were made, challenges remain significant.
During the trip, we were also surprised to hear that many Swedes from the south had never heard of the Sami. It also seems the education curriculum still fails to include a multicultural approach.
One afternoon, we had the chance to have dinner in a Sami Hut, learn about their culture and try their food.
They mostly eat reindeer, fish, and berries. Every part of the animal is used.
On that day, we cooked blood pancakes and warmed coffee over the fire.
We also had a reindeer and vegetable stew called bidos, which tastes amazing!
Reindeers have traditionally been (and still are) herded by the Sami. According to the Rennäringslagen 1971: 437 act, the right to pursue reindeer herding only belongs to the Sami people.
The reindeer’s coat has a two layer fur which helps them to insulate from the cold and regulate their body temperature. Their large crescent-shaped feet help them to walk on the snow. The pads also shrink in the winter, which helps them dig for lichen.
Antlers begin to grow on male reindeer around March-April and on female reindeer around May-June. As the antlers grow, they are covered in thick velvet which is highly vascularised. When the antler is fully grown, the velvet falls off little by little.
