Written and © by Jarno Tarkoma

Reindeer

Ordinary (Rangifer tarandus) and flying ones. The biological reindeer lives in arctic and subarctic regions (predominantly in Finland, Sweden, Norway and Russia). The people tending reindeer are the Lapps who, curiously enough, do not have any apparent role in Santa Claus story. The cult of flying reindeers (eight of them) was probably originated by Moore in early 19th century.

The biological reindeer is used as meat and skin producing animal (the horn or poronsarvi is desired by the Japanese for aphrodisiac). It used to be draft animal (and can be - for tourists - such a one even today). The reindeers are not wholly domesticated. The most part of the year reindeers are free to roam and search for food . They are collected for counting and slaughter in the so-called poroerotus (division of reindeers). This is a truly exciting happening with thousands of animals, their owners selling and buying and dragging the obstinate beasts. One can see true Northern reindeerboys (if there exists such a term) there with lassoes (suopunki).


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