Page 155 - 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. 155
livelihood diversification in early modern sami households in northern sweden
coast to and from market (Högström 1980, 86). Another aspect of transport
relates to mining. Whereas Sami attitudes to mining are generally charac-
terised as negative, some reindeer herders are known to have made a good
living transporting ore in winter time (Högström 1980, 86). Other forms of
commercial transport probably involved Sami conveying people, post and
goods from the coast to inland church centres. In winter these journeys
were made using draught reindeer, and in summer they were carried out by
boat along lakes, rivers and streams, and to a lesser extent using pack rein-
deer.
To sum up, Sami trade was conducted both at regular market plac-
es and on an everyday basis as bartering between neighbouring groups.
Mountain Sami primarily sold reindeer products while forest Sami primar-
ily sold dried fish and furs. At market Sami could also use their gained in-
comes to buy products, such as alcohol, metal, fabric, needles, silver and
tobacco from merchants. Moreover, Mountain Sami took advantage of
having access to two markets as they traded both in Sweden and in Norway
and also acted as intermediaries selling Norwegian goods to Swedish mer-
chants and vice versa.
Conclusions
In the 17th and 18th centuries the Mountain Sami’s subsistence was mainly
based on large-scale reindeer husbandry. This focus, particularly in terms
of milk production, being labour intensive, meant that they had less time
and less need for other forms of activity. They focused in part on producing
milk, and in part on meat, hides and pelts. Produce was consumed among
the household and used for trade and paying tax. Large-scale reindeer hus-
bandry provided products including cheese, hides, meat and handcrafted
items such as boots, gloves and fur parkas that could be exchanged with ne-
ighbouring groups and sold at market. In return the Mountain Sami wou-
ld buy products from merchants, such as iron kettles, knife blades, alcohol,
salt, silver and tobacco, at market in Sweden and Norway.
Even though the Mountain Sami focused on reindeer husbandry it is
also evident from the sources that they took part in a wide range of other
subsistence activities. These included for example gathering edible and me-
dicinal plants, hunting small game, handcrafting and fishing. However, a
social stratification among the Mountain Sami likely gave rise to varying
strategies within the group. For example, poorer Mountain Sami appear to
have been more active in handcrafting, fishing and hunting. The rational
153
coast to and from market (Högström 1980, 86). Another aspect of transport
relates to mining. Whereas Sami attitudes to mining are generally charac-
terised as negative, some reindeer herders are known to have made a good
living transporting ore in winter time (Högström 1980, 86). Other forms of
commercial transport probably involved Sami conveying people, post and
goods from the coast to inland church centres. In winter these journeys
were made using draught reindeer, and in summer they were carried out by
boat along lakes, rivers and streams, and to a lesser extent using pack rein-
deer.
To sum up, Sami trade was conducted both at regular market plac-
es and on an everyday basis as bartering between neighbouring groups.
Mountain Sami primarily sold reindeer products while forest Sami primar-
ily sold dried fish and furs. At market Sami could also use their gained in-
comes to buy products, such as alcohol, metal, fabric, needles, silver and
tobacco from merchants. Moreover, Mountain Sami took advantage of
having access to two markets as they traded both in Sweden and in Norway
and also acted as intermediaries selling Norwegian goods to Swedish mer-
chants and vice versa.
Conclusions
In the 17th and 18th centuries the Mountain Sami’s subsistence was mainly
based on large-scale reindeer husbandry. This focus, particularly in terms
of milk production, being labour intensive, meant that they had less time
and less need for other forms of activity. They focused in part on producing
milk, and in part on meat, hides and pelts. Produce was consumed among
the household and used for trade and paying tax. Large-scale reindeer hus-
bandry provided products including cheese, hides, meat and handcrafted
items such as boots, gloves and fur parkas that could be exchanged with ne-
ighbouring groups and sold at market. In return the Mountain Sami wou-
ld buy products from merchants, such as iron kettles, knife blades, alcohol,
salt, silver and tobacco, at market in Sweden and Norway.
Even though the Mountain Sami focused on reindeer husbandry it is
also evident from the sources that they took part in a wide range of other
subsistence activities. These included for example gathering edible and me-
dicinal plants, hunting small game, handcrafting and fishing. However, a
social stratification among the Mountain Sami likely gave rise to varying
strategies within the group. For example, poorer Mountain Sami appear to
have been more active in handcrafting, fishing and hunting. The rational
153
