Transcript:

The Living Culture of LaplandCelebrating three decades of Pulse of the Planet, here's a program from our archives.music of LaplandWe're listening to music from Lapland. Although the rest of the world refers to them as Lapps, the people of this extraordinary culture call themselves by another name. I'm Jim Metzner and this is the Pulse of the Planet. Simma: Our own name is the Samis. Lapland is not a sovereign country, we are divided into four different countries but we have the same language, we have had the same history, and also there's the same way of living. So we really feel like our own nation. We are not Swedes, Norwegians, Finns or Russians, we are Samis. Paul Simma is a film director, born in Lapland. Like many Samis, his family herded reindeer for their living. Simma: The first thing you learn as a kid in a reindeer family is to know your reindeer brand. You cut a mark in the ears of the reindeers, it's like an alphabet. For example in my village we have about four or five hundred different reindeer marks in the ears, so when you start to do reindeer herding, this is the most important thing to learn, to know your own reindeers, your family's reindeers, your relatives' reindeers, and we work in bands. As a child, Paul and his family followed the reindeer migration, traveling by foot, on skis or by reindeer-drawn sleds. Simma: We made our clothes from the reindeers. The reindeer was used for pulling sledges for transportation and also we were milking the reindeers to make cheese and have milk. Today the reindeer herding has changed. Today the reindeers are primarily used for meat, for producing meat. Our culture is not a museum. Our culture is living and we are changing and we are trying new ways all the time. Nowadays they are also buying satellite pictures to see where you can find the best grazing grounds for the reindeers." This archival program is part of our thirtieth anniversary celebration. If you want hear more, check out our podcast.