Das Projekt- und Medienarchiv der HdM

Beschreibung

In Northern Finland, just south of the arctic circle, between the vast cold nothingness of epic landscapes, big lakes and small villages, Juha Vikkunen works and lives as a reindeer farmer, something quite usual in that region for many centuries but not at all common today. While reindeers still are a major source of income in the very north of Finland, especially around small villages, in the land surrounding Taivalkoski, Juha is one of the last reindeer herders around.

Despite all that, Juha is a cheerful, incredibly friendly man with loads of stories to tell. In addition to being a farmer, a local politician and a former olympic sportsman, his farm that dates back to the 17th century, is the home for a collection of many historical items he knows plenty of fascinating tales about.

Reindeers are amazing creatures. They are semidomesticated animals that remain wild by their anatomy and behaviour. The animal whose colour can vary from almost black to pure white has adopted very well to the harsh arctic climate.

The reindeer is an inseparable part of Northern Finland and its herding is a truly hard job, that is often passed on from generation to generation. But the industrial land use in the more northern parts and the lack of young herders in the southern parts of Northern Finland challenges the culture that is dependent on large pasture areas and grazing cycles.