Voice 1
Hello, I’m Ruby Jones.
Voice 2
And I’m Mike Procter. Welcome to Spotlight. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
A strong, cold wind blows across the white land. A thick blanket of ice and snow covers the ground. But some people are moving across it easily. They are riding snowmobiles - special vehicles made to move across snow and ice. But they are not alone in this wild, Arctic land. They are travelling with a large group of animals - a herd. The animals are reindeer. Reindeer are native to the Arctic area. Their owners are moving them across country to the north Arctic coast. This is the reindeer’s summer feeding land, free from ice and snow. But, they have to hurry. The female reindeer are pregnant. And they must reach their summer home before they give birth.
Voice 2
The reindeer and their owners have been making this trip every year for thousands of years. The reindeer owners are Sami - the native people of the extreme north of Europe. They are called, “the people with four countries”. Why? Well, the Sami population is divided between Norway, Finland, Russia and Sweden. They are also a very ancient people. Experts believe that the Sami’s ancestors were looking after reindeer over two thousand five hundred [2500] years ago! One Sami writer expressed it like this:
Voice 3
“We, the Sami people, come from nowhere. We have always been here, long before anybody else.”
Voice 1
Elle Siri is seventeen years old. She is one of the Sami travellers. Her family have owned reindeer for generations. They farm them for their meat, their skin, and their horns. But many Sami people have stopped being nomads - they have stopped moving from place to place with their animals. Instead, they have settled in towns and cities. They do office jobs or work in schools and hospitals. In fact, it is estimated that less than ten percent of the Sami population still work with reindeer.
So, Elle faces a hard decision. Should she follow in the way of her mother and grandmother? Or should she try and lead a more modern life?
Voice 2
But maybe the two choices are not as different as they seem. Today’s Sami reindeer herders are using modern technology. To see how, we join Elle and her family again. They are still travelling with their reindeer to the summer feeding grounds.In the past, Sami herders used skis to travel across the snow. With skis on their feet, they could move smoothly and at a good speed. However, skis use a lot of physical energy. And the herders were not able to control the reindeer herd as well as they wanted.
Voice 1
However, snowmobiles changed all that. Their speed makes it easier to control the animals - to chase any reindeer that falls behind the rest of the herd.
Voice 2
Also, two or three people can ride on one vehicle. This year, Elle’s younger brother and sister have come on the trip! They could not have managed on skis. But this way, they can learn about Sami life at an early age. And their experiences may encourage them to continue living the traditional way as they grow older.
Voice 1
The spring nights grow shorter. And the hours of darkness are few. But Elle and her family still need to sleep! Each night, they set up their tents - called lavvos in the local language. Before, Sami people made their lavvos out of reindeer skin. But now, modern, man-made material has replaced that. It is much lighter to carry. And it keeps out the cold Arctic wind just as well as the animal skin.
Voice 2
In the lavvo, Elle’s mother sings her children to sleep. The Sami call this kind of traditional singing, ‘joiking’. A joik captures the special qualities about a person or a place. No two joiks can be the same. The singing works. Soon, Elle and her brother and sister are sleeping deeply.
Voice 1
The reindeer have almost reached the coast. The ice has melted. Flowers and plants appear in the rich earth. But the reindeer have to face a very modern problem - traffic! The E6 coast road cuts across the reindeer’s travelling path. Elle explains what they have to do next:
Voice 4
“People must stand there and stop the cars. They must wear Sami clothes so that the drivers know why to stop. The drivers will then understand that the reindeer are going to cross the road.”
Voice 1
All the reindeer cross the road safely. And Elle’s father is now riding on an ATV. This four-wheeled motorcycle can travel on any kind of land. Elle’s father easily guides the reindeer safely to the edge of the sea.
Voice 2
From there, Elle and her family will take the reindeer by boat to a small island. There, the female reindeer will give birth to their young. The herd will spend the summer months on the island, eating grass and plants. This will strengthen them for the trip back to their winter home.
Voice 1
And what will Elle do? Well, in the summer months, she attends Sami school. She learns all about looking after reindeer using the latest technology. Sami herders use computers to store information about their reindeer. For example, ear markings. Each reindeer owner cuts his own special mark into his animal’s ear. He enters a picture of his design into the computer. Then, he puts his name next to it. This means that other Sami can see what mark belongs to which person. And, it avoids any arguments about who owns which animal.
Voice 2
Soon, Elle will go back to the island. She will help her family gather their reindeer together. Her father will count the new reindeer born that summer. And, he will mark their ears. You must never ask the Sami how many reindeer they have - that is a private matter. Elle is sure that it will be a good year for the family.
Voice 1
So, what does Elle’s future hold? She thinks that she would like to continue as a reindeer herder. It is a hard life. But, it is also exciting. And, Elle can make a good living from it. The Sami have been able to change with the times. And it seems that their future is safe in the hands of young people like Elle.
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