Page 150 - 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. 150
integr ated peasant economy in a compar ative perspective
(Fjellström 2003, 254; Niurenius 1983, 15; Tornaeus 1983, 60). The eggs were
collected in summer from nesting-boxes set up for this very purpose.
Wild-game meat was more important for the Forest Sami than it was
for the Mountain Sami with their large reindeer herds. The Forest Sami
are consequentially described as better marksmen than the Mountain
Sami (Högström 1980, 85; Linnæus 2003, 138). While staying with Moun-
tain Sami in Lule lappmark Linnæus (1811, 298) writes: “The Laplanders
of this neighbourhood do not often take the diversion of shooting. They
are seldom masters of a fowling-piece; and when not occupied in follow-
ing or attending the reindeer, they remain in idleness for whole days to-
gether, feeding on nothing but milk, and the dishes prepared from it.” Par-
allel to this, Högström (1980, 85) notes that he encountered few Mountain
Sami with rifles or steel bows. On the other hand, the sources describe the
Mountain Sami in Lule lappmark as dexterous users of wooden bows for
hunting squirrels in the forest in winter (Högström 1980, 86; Linnæus 2003,
138). This indicates that squirrel pelts, at least, were part of the Mountain
Sami economy, along with the pelts of other small game they occasionally
hunted. Noteworthy is also that there may have been regional differences
with regards to hunting methods. Lundius (1983, 18) writes that the Moun-
tain Sami in Ume lappmark did not use wooden bows but strictly used ri-
fles that they bought in Norway. Moreover, accounts describe poor Moun-
tain Sami staying as long as possible in the mountains in winter to snare
ptarmigans (Fjellström 2003, 253; Högström 1980, 97; Linnæus 2003, 107).
The meat from ptarmigan was dried and eaten.
To conclude, hunting was carried out by both Mountain Sami and For-
est Sami. However, it seems to have been more important for Forest Sami
as wild-game meat was an important input to their diet and the pelts and
furs were important as trade goods. The Mountain Sami, at least in the Lule
lappmark, more seldom owned rifles and steel bows and primarily hunted
small game in winter using wooden bows. Small-game hunting gave furs
that were sold at market or used to pay tax.
3.4 Gathering
The growing season lasts only a couple of short summer months in northern
Fennoscandia. At this time of year the Sami would have certainly spent
less time gathering firewood and more time gathering various herbaceous
plants, berries and sedges. Among the edible herbaceous plants most often
described are garden angelica (Angelica archangelica), wild angelica (Ange-
148
(Fjellström 2003, 254; Niurenius 1983, 15; Tornaeus 1983, 60). The eggs were
collected in summer from nesting-boxes set up for this very purpose.
Wild-game meat was more important for the Forest Sami than it was
for the Mountain Sami with their large reindeer herds. The Forest Sami
are consequentially described as better marksmen than the Mountain
Sami (Högström 1980, 85; Linnæus 2003, 138). While staying with Moun-
tain Sami in Lule lappmark Linnæus (1811, 298) writes: “The Laplanders
of this neighbourhood do not often take the diversion of shooting. They
are seldom masters of a fowling-piece; and when not occupied in follow-
ing or attending the reindeer, they remain in idleness for whole days to-
gether, feeding on nothing but milk, and the dishes prepared from it.” Par-
allel to this, Högström (1980, 85) notes that he encountered few Mountain
Sami with rifles or steel bows. On the other hand, the sources describe the
Mountain Sami in Lule lappmark as dexterous users of wooden bows for
hunting squirrels in the forest in winter (Högström 1980, 86; Linnæus 2003,
138). This indicates that squirrel pelts, at least, were part of the Mountain
Sami economy, along with the pelts of other small game they occasionally
hunted. Noteworthy is also that there may have been regional differences
with regards to hunting methods. Lundius (1983, 18) writes that the Moun-
tain Sami in Ume lappmark did not use wooden bows but strictly used ri-
fles that they bought in Norway. Moreover, accounts describe poor Moun-
tain Sami staying as long as possible in the mountains in winter to snare
ptarmigans (Fjellström 2003, 253; Högström 1980, 97; Linnæus 2003, 107).
The meat from ptarmigan was dried and eaten.
To conclude, hunting was carried out by both Mountain Sami and For-
est Sami. However, it seems to have been more important for Forest Sami
as wild-game meat was an important input to their diet and the pelts and
furs were important as trade goods. The Mountain Sami, at least in the Lule
lappmark, more seldom owned rifles and steel bows and primarily hunted
small game in winter using wooden bows. Small-game hunting gave furs
that were sold at market or used to pay tax.
3.4 Gathering
The growing season lasts only a couple of short summer months in northern
Fennoscandia. At this time of year the Sami would have certainly spent
less time gathering firewood and more time gathering various herbaceous
plants, berries and sedges. Among the edible herbaceous plants most often
described are garden angelica (Angelica archangelica), wild angelica (Ange-
148
