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Working Reindeer in Past and Present Reindeer Herding

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Domestication in Action

Part of the book series: Arctic Encounters ((AE))

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Abstract

It has been suggested that draught reindeer have been used for pulling and carrying people and their things ever since reindeer were domesticated. This chapter explores past and present working reindeer use through archaeological, historical, and ethnographic evidence and reindeer herders’ traditional and practical knowledge. As the identification of working reindeer in the archaeological record is possible using multiple methodologies such as palaeopathological analysis, the analysis of entheseal changes at muscle attachment sites, and the analysis of bone cross-sections, we present the archaeological evidence of working reindeer use gathered from Sámi sites dating to at least 700 years ago. The relationships between draught reindeer and the people training and working with them are also discussed, based on reindeer herders’ know-how of training reindeer for tourism and racing today. To explore the transforming practices and meanings of working with reindeer over time, we used these interdisciplinary strands of evidence of training and working with reindeer, as well as the relationships involved in such interspecies learning and cooperation in past and present reindeer herding.

Abstrákta

Vuojánat leat leamaš máŋggaid dutkiid mielas guovddášrollas árraboazodoalus. Dán lohkosis geahčadit vuojániid anu dolin ja dál nu ahte atnit arkeologalaš, etnográfalaš ja historjjálaš materiála sihke badjeolbmuid árbevirolaš dieđu. Arkeologalaš dáktemateriálas sáhttet identifiserejuvvot vuojánin adnojuvvon bohccuid dávttit ovdamearkka dihte paleopatologiija, dehkiid čanassajiid ja dávttiid rastáčuohpahagaid iešvuođaid mielde. Arkeologalaš dákteávdnasiid dutkamuš leanai čujuhan, ahte sápmelaččat atne vuojániid juo maŋemusat 700 jagi dás ovdal. Dasa lassin suokkardeimmet makkár gaskavuođat dálá áigge olbmuid ja bohccuid gaskii šaddet vuojána dápmama olis mieiggadettiin boazoolbmuid árbevirolaš dihtui turista- ja gilvobohccuid oahpaheami olis. Dáid máŋggalágán diehtogálduid anedettiin guorrat vuojániid anu earáhuvvi mearkkašumiid ja suokkardit šlájaidgaskasaš oahppama ja vuorrováikkuhusa rolla boazobarggus ovdal ja dál.

Tiivistelmä

Ajokkaat ovat monien tutkijoiden mielestä olleet keskeisessä roolissa varhaisessa poronhoidossa. Tässä kappaleessa tarkastelemme ajokkaiden käyttöä ennen ja nyt käyttäen arkeologista, etnografista ja historiallista aineistoa sekä poronhoitajien perinteistä tietoa. Arkeologisesta luuaineistosta voidaan tunnistaa ajokkaina käytettyjen porojen luita esimerkiksi paleopatologian, lihasten kiinnittymiskohtien ja luiden poikkileikkausten ominaisuuksien avulla. Arkeologisten luuaineistojen tutkimus onkin osoittanut, että saamelaiset käyttivät ajokkaita jo viimeistään 700 vuotta sitten. Lisäksi pohdimme nykyään matkailu- ja kilpaporoja kasvattavien poronhoitajien perinteiseen tietoon ja käytännön kokemuksiin nojautuen sitä, millaisia suhteita ihmisten ja porojen välille syntyy ajokkaan koulutuksen yhteydessä. Näitä moninaisia tietolähteitä käyttäen jäljitämme ajokkaiden käytön muuttuvia merkityksiä ja pohdimme lajienvälisen oppimisen ja vuorovaikutuksen roolia poronhoidossa ennen ja nyt.

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Acknowledgements

This project received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement No. 756431) and the Academy of Finland (project number 275635).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Unit for History, Culture, and Communications, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Anna-Kaisa Salmi, Sirpa Niinimäki, Päivi Soppela, Sanna-Mari Kynkäänniemi & Henri Wallén

  2. Arctic Centre, University of Lapland, Rovaniemi, Finland

    Päivi Soppela, Sanna-Mari Kynkäänniemi & Henri Wallén

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Salmi, AK., Niinimäki, S., Soppela, P., Kynkäänniemi, SM., Wallén, H. (2022). Working Reindeer in Past and Present Reindeer Herding. In: Salmi, AK. (eds) Domestication in Action . Arctic Encounters. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98643-8_4

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