Page 142 - Panjek, Aleksander, Jesper Larsson and Luca Mocarelli, eds. 2017. Integrated Peasant Economy in a Comparative Perspective: Alps, Scandinavia and Beyond. Koper: University of Primorska Press
P. 142
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
al. 2000). These studies can contribute with useful knowledge of various as-
pects related to subsistence in Early Modern Sami households.
There are also economic-historical studies that contribute to our un-
derstanding of subsistence in Early Modern Sami households and its role
in the Sami economy as a whole. Marklund (2008) has for example anal-
ysed Forest Sami subsistence and trade from the 17th to the 20th century. He
presents a model of trade and subsistence which illuminates the high level
of connectedness between Mountain Sami, Forest Sami and farmers along
the Sea of Bothnia. Moreover, Nielssen (1986) has studied Sami econom-
ic adaption in around 1700, focusing on coastal Sami in northern Norway.
He concludes that economic adaptation varied between regions where sets
of subsistence activities played important roles. Historical Sami trade has
been studied in detail by Hansen (1990; 2006) and put in a wider histori-
cal Sami context by Hansen and Olsen (2014). In these works the Sami’s ac-
tive and dynamic role in trade systems in Early Modern northern Fennos-
candia is emphasised. To sum up, most recent archaeological and historical
analysis portrays the Sami mainly as their own historical agents with vary-
ing subsistence practices and many contacts with neighbouring groups, not
least with regards to trade.
The question of when and how the Sami transitioned from hunting/
gathering to reindeer pastoralism has been dealt with in a number of ar-
chaeological and historical studies. Some scholars claim the change oc-
curred in AD 800–1000, yet others suggest it took place only in the early 17th
century (Bergman, Zackrisson, and Liedgren 2013; Lundmark 1982; Som-
merseth 2011). It is however indisputable that large-scale reindeer husband-
ry was a feature of the Swedish lappmark in the late 17th century. Contrib-
uting to this discussion, Bjørklund (2013) has used a household approach to
question the established idea that the transition from hunting to large-scale
reindeer husbandry took place abruptly at a specific point in time. He has
instead developed a model where he characterises Sami livelihood until the
19th century as a continual multifaceted household adaption consisting of a
wide range of activities.
Bjørklund’s model of “multifaceted household adaption” (Bjørklund
2013) has parallels with the analytical concept of the integrated peasant
economy (Panjek 2015). Peasants engaging in a wide number of subsistence
activities is a prominent characteristic of pre-industrial farms in many re-
gions of Europe and particularly in upland areas. The concept of integrat-
ed peasant economy understands this livelihood diversification as an active
140
al. 2000). These studies can contribute with useful knowledge of various as-
pects related to subsistence in Early Modern Sami households.
There are also economic-historical studies that contribute to our un-
derstanding of subsistence in Early Modern Sami households and its role
in the Sami economy as a whole. Marklund (2008) has for example anal-
ysed Forest Sami subsistence and trade from the 17th to the 20th century. He
presents a model of trade and subsistence which illuminates the high level
of connectedness between Mountain Sami, Forest Sami and farmers along
the Sea of Bothnia. Moreover, Nielssen (1986) has studied Sami econom-
ic adaption in around 1700, focusing on coastal Sami in northern Norway.
He concludes that economic adaptation varied between regions where sets
of subsistence activities played important roles. Historical Sami trade has
been studied in detail by Hansen (1990; 2006) and put in a wider histori-
cal Sami context by Hansen and Olsen (2014). In these works the Sami’s ac-
tive and dynamic role in trade systems in Early Modern northern Fennos-
candia is emphasised. To sum up, most recent archaeological and historical
analysis portrays the Sami mainly as their own historical agents with vary-
ing subsistence practices and many contacts with neighbouring groups, not
least with regards to trade.
The question of when and how the Sami transitioned from hunting/
gathering to reindeer pastoralism has been dealt with in a number of ar-
chaeological and historical studies. Some scholars claim the change oc-
curred in AD 800–1000, yet others suggest it took place only in the early 17th
century (Bergman, Zackrisson, and Liedgren 2013; Lundmark 1982; Som-
merseth 2011). It is however indisputable that large-scale reindeer husband-
ry was a feature of the Swedish lappmark in the late 17th century. Contrib-
uting to this discussion, Bjørklund (2013) has used a household approach to
question the established idea that the transition from hunting to large-scale
reindeer husbandry took place abruptly at a specific point in time. He has
instead developed a model where he characterises Sami livelihood until the
19th century as a continual multifaceted household adaption consisting of a
wide range of activities.
Bjørklund’s model of “multifaceted household adaption” (Bjørklund
2013) has parallels with the analytical concept of the integrated peasant
economy (Panjek 2015). Peasants engaging in a wide number of subsistence
activities is a prominent characteristic of pre-industrial farms in many re-
gions of Europe and particularly in upland areas. The concept of integrat-
ed peasant economy understands this livelihood diversification as an active
140
