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world1d ago
Where the real Rudolph lives: reindeer herding with the Sami people in Sweden’s wild west
- A cooperatively owned reindeer herd of about 800 animals is managed by the Grövelsjön Sami community in Dalarna, Sweden.
- Modern tech like drones and thermal imaging is used to monitor reindeer during calving and bear and predator risks.
- Local guides explain Sami language and snow geography as essential tools for managing the herd in the mountains.
- The trip blends authentic Sami life with tourism, subsidized by handicrafts and a shop run by the family.
- The experience includes sleeping in a tipi, drinking coffee, and sharing a traditional joik in the snowy wilderness.
- The narrative touches on historical repression of Sami culture and current debates over bears and wolves in reindeer ecosystems.
- Peter and Helena sustain livelihoods through a combination of guiding, reindeer management, and selling handicrafts.
- Visitors sleep in tipis and cabins, experiencing a night under the stars after a day with the herd.
- The article notes the seasonal cycle, with herd management tied to calving, predator risk, and wind direction.
- The journey to Grövelsjön is framed as a culturally authentic yet evolving Sami experience for travelers.
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