Page 34 - THE SLOUGHI REVIEW - ISSUE 13

T H E S L O U G H I R E V I E W 3 4

Reindeer are among the most northerly large mammals. They migrate up to 5,000
kilometers across the Eurasian continent to escape the Arctic winter. Among other

things, the industrial development of the pastureland in these areas has an impact on
their survival.

Reindeer are already depicted in cave drawings from the Stone Age. The use of the
reindeer spread around 1,000 B.C. The model for this late domestication (?) was
apparently provided by livestock farmers from peasant or cattle-breeding cultures who
had advanced northwards. Until the 17th century, reindeer were only used sporadically;

only afterwards did tax laws encourage the keeping of entire herds. The herds roam
freely, people follow them.

Sami with lasso to catch individual reindeer, public domain

Today, the northern peoples mostly lead semi-nomadic lives, only a few are still fully
nomads. The reindeer are herded together at fixed times to mark the calves or slaughter

selected animals. For this purpose, the reindeer are driven into prepared gates and
caught out individually with a kind of lasso in this confined space.