Spotlight on Students: Social Institutions Essay

The following is a post dedicated to showcasing the work of one of my Anth 101 students.  Students were tasked with comparing three social institutions of a foreign culture to the same social institutions in American culture.  Please show your appreciation and support for this amazing work by an exceptional student.  :)

Saami Reindeer herder (Image Source: National Geographic)

Saami of Scandinavia

By: Kelsi Vincent

When many think of Scandinavia, they may think of the Vikings, the women, and the

cold weather. For the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia, the latter is not far off from the

truth. The Saami are natives to northern Scandinavia and the cold weather, dark nights, and

heavy reindeer husbandry is their daily lifestyle. The Saami are nomadic reindeer herders in

Lappland ("Erika Larsen: The Reindeer People"). The Lappland covers parts of upper Finland,

Sweden, Norway, and Russia (Transun). Saami culture is very tightknit.

The people in Saami culture work independently but can come back to family members to tell stories and share a temporary home ("Erika Larsen: The Reindeer People"). Modern society, however, has greatly affected the ways of a traditional Saami culture. Most Saami families may have several homes that they take turns in when the herd moves and may also occupy Lavvu's (a tent-like structure made out of branches and deerskin) (“The Last Generation? – Sami Reindeer Herders in Swedish Lappland, Documentary"). With a belief that truth is becoming, Saami are considered pragmatic individuals (Anderson). The Saami are an indigenous culture that varies greatly compared to American cultures, yet still experiences the modernization that has changed their lifestyle ever so slightly over time.

Today Saami culture and lifestyle is becoming endangered. With new technology, came

different ways for the Saami to travel, communicate, and become educated. Many Saami have

lost their native language as they do receive their education from public schools (“The Last

Generation? – Sami Reindeer Herders in Swedish Lapland, Documentary"). Saami culture is

most heavily endangered by heavy lumbering of Lappland areas (“The Last Yoik in Sami

Forests”).

On the other hand, the United States is a thriving group of cultures existing in one

country in North America. The U.S. does not have one specific culture but consists of many

micro cultures that branched off of a white, male, Protestant society (Henderson). With a variety

of cultures, there is not a specific, standardized way of American life besides educational needs.

The Saami foodways consist of pastoralism as their mode of subsistence. The Saami diet

consists mainly of reindeer meat and reindeer byproducts ("Erika Larsen: The Reindeer

People"). Being a nomadic pastoralist culture, the Saami proudly observe transhumance. During

the summer, the Saami move their herds towards the north; during the winter, the herd moves

towards modern civilization (“The Last Generation? – Sami Reindeer Herders in Swedish

Lapland, Documentary"). Saami pastoralism relies heavily on forests with older evergreens that

can grow the lichen that reindeer graze on (“The Last Yoik in Sami Forests”). The Saami dry or

cook reindeer meat, and may use the blood in a variety of dishes ("Erika Larsen: The Reindeer

People").

In the U.S., the foodways consist of pastoralism, industrial agriculture, and some people

even rely on private horticulture as their mode(s) of subsistence. American diet varies as some

people may be vegans, pescetarians, omnivorous, etc. Most people do not grow or raise their

food themselves but rely heavily on grocery stores. Farms and farmers along with many labor

workers, produce the food that gets distributed to stores across the U.S. A typical U.S. diet

contains many reinforced, processed foods.

Saami have believed in the shamanistic values for many centuries (Schnurbein). In early

shamanistic beliefs exhibited by the Saami, they believed in the ability to transform into a bear

(“Brown Bear Hunting and the Sami Traditions and Mythology”). Saami shamanism believed in

the soul of all aspects of nature and as with most shamanistic beliefs, had a strong spiritual need

("Religion"). The drum was an important religious symbol in Saami shamanism that met the

spiritual need of transcendence when a specific shaman individual possessed it ("Religion").

Chants called a joik, are a very important part of Saami culture and can signify the mourning of a

death, a strong connection, or to pass along a legend ("Religion").

For the Saami, religion had been a strong feeling and connection that many believed were

evil ("Religion"). Sweden had undergone a national church culture period that the Saami had

become swept up in (Olafsson). The national law had made Christianity the national religion that

had caused many traditional symbols and Saami holy places to be destroyed as they had been

considered evil witchcraft (Olafsson).

In the U.S., religion started out as significantly Protestant. The U.S. was created on the

grounds of escaping a standardization of religion in Europe. Religion in modern days is a

completely different story, however. In modern society in the U.S., religion can vary

tremendously. The majority may remain under a monotheistic religion, but many other religions

are exhibited among citizens. With the freedom of religion under the Bill of Rights, U.S. citizens

may express their religion and customs/symbols that accompany their religion.

In Saami culture, genders role options are either male of female. It is common to see both

men and women doing laborious work. You may see both male and female reindeer herders in

Saami culture, especially in modern times. There was a time when women experienced

insubordination, however. During the Christian movement, women's equality was undermined

(Prince). While men traditionally, were the herders, hunters, and craftsmen; women were the

ones to raise children, cure meat, make the clothing, and cook (Prince). Women are very

important to the Saami culture because they are the ones to pass their culture on to their children

and ensure children's survival (Andrews). Saami women today have taken a part of the feminist

movement to try and speak for their rights that they had lost in the Christianity movement

(Andrews).

Genders in the U.S. offer more variety than the male/female society of the Saami. In the

U.S., you have third genders such as transgender, cross dressers, etc. The roles of genders in the

U.S. can be specified by religious stereotypes, however with larger media coverage, equality is

becoming more widespread, and women and men can partake and contribute to all roles in

society. Like the Saami, the feminist movement is a very large role in the equality of genders in

U.S.

Learning about the Saami was an eyeopener of how modernization works in several different ways. The modernization of the Saami culture humbled me and made me realize how important culture is and how fragile it can be. Even with a proud culture identity, an influence such as the introduction of Christianity was able to shape greatly Saami daily life in the sense of changing gender based power and stance. Another change that greatly shaped Saami daily life

was the introduction of technology that brought new methods of herding, traveling, and living.

I also learned that culture, in general, is always changing. The diversity of cultures around the world contribute to the changes that happen to specific cultures. With new technology advances, cultures will continue to shape whether it be for better or for worse; American or Saami. The diversity of cultures is what makes Earth a great place, and if the Earth did not have the variety of cultures that is does, it would not as advanced and amazing as it is today.

Works Cited

Anderson, Myrdene. The Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute 2.4 (1996): 763–764.

Web. 22 November 2015.

Andrews, Sarah. “Women in Saami Society.” Sami Culture. Web. 22 November 2015.

“Bill of Rights of the United States of America (1791).” Bill of Rights Institute.Web. 22

November 2015.

“Brown Bear Hunting and the Sami Traditions and Mythology.” Wild Life Film. Erik Ferström.

Sweden. Online Media.

“Eirka Larsen: The Reindeer People.” National Geographic Live!. National Geographic.

Washington, D.C. 9 March 2014. Online Media.

Henderson, Phyllis. “Educational Theories and Philosophies.” Truckee Meadows Community

College. Dandini Campus, Reno, NV. 26 October 2015. Lecture.

Henderson, Phyllis. “Social Issues in American Education.” Truckee Meadows Community

College. Dandini Campus, Reno, NV. 3 November 2015. Lecture.

Mathiesen, Per. “Saami Pastoralism at Risk”. Current Anthropology 36.3 (1995): 525–526. Web.

22 November, 2015.

Olafsson, Haraldur. Man 29.3 (1994): 749–749. Web. 22 November 2015.

Prince, Marion. “Women’s Role in Sami Culture.” LinkedIn. 12 May 2015. Web. 22 November

2015

“Religion.” Milwaukee Public Museum. Web. 22 November 2015.

“Religious Landscape Studies.” Pew Research Center. Web. 22 November 2015.

Schnurbein, Stefanie. “Shamanism in the Old Norse Tradition: A Theory Between Ideological

Reticulum 6

Camps.” November 2003. The University of Chicago Press. Vol. 43, No. 2. pp. 116138.

Web. 22 November 2015.

“The Last Generation? – Sami Reindeer Herders in Swedish Lapland, Documentary.” Gällivare,

Lapland. 20122013.

Online Media.

“The Last Yoik in Sami Forests.” Signs of Life. Saami Council and Cooperative Marjarinteen

Metsäpuutarha. 2007. Online Media.

Transun. “Where is Lapland? A Guide to Exploring This Unique Destination.” Transun Travel.

31 October 2014. Web. 22 November 2015.