Finland : Life In Lapland (1938)

laughs often owns a thousandaire or more reindeer are for swimmer's place sometimes thousands may be seen crossing the rivers before they can find grasses and moss in the open laughs a force to follow whether reindeer lean it's impossible to keep the herd back when it suddenly decided a herd will some fence purposes these are shed during therefore dependent mostly for defense on the foot which can be very dangerous when attacked they will rear up on the hind legs an attempt to trample the enemy this is the sport of sports in Lapland not only a sport but the fastest means of transportation north of the seventieth latitude the so-called Polka is a small sled with just sufficient room for one person and extremely difficult to handle only one suit and two speeds fast and faster we have finally arrived at a spot for the reindeer moss is visible and more easily obtained here the animals the most without too much scraping and digging in the snow once more the old huts are taken into use the laps personal effects and food unloaded from the large baggage pockets these Hut's are scattered all around the mountain country and only occupied during that period but the reindeer chooses to graze in the neighboring country side often addition the left lambdas life is rather uncertain one they never know when there will be fat pack up and leave again therefore the housekeeping has to be light and all arrangements quite primitive a few minutes is all that is required refurnished the vacated wigwam everybody has to help men women and children very much like the American in develops awards of the government and their huts as well as the one industry of Texas rent doors are never locked in hospitable Laughlin everybody is welcome even your Hollywood cameraman a good ole Lapland customers to keep the snow out of the little Hut not to bring any in on your feet they usually cut you the interior of the hut is not unpleasant not so much close here they're usually us and the floors covered with spruce Leafs and reindeer films the household utensils are scattered all over the place all necessary light comes from the smoke escape above the open fire is built directly below it and it usually keeps burning day that ring there meets is naturally the main course on their menu the most important seems to be the coffee it's rather funny thing that coffee should mean so much to these people when no coffee has grown anywhere in Northern Europe coffee pot is hot day and night and it is said that these people drink more coffee than any other people in the world they use salt instead of sugar and no cream the Laplanders life is strenuous and bedtime comes early all they do is curl up from their reindeer pelts and call it a day no such frivolity is taking their clothes off no no not until spring comes around again then the time comes for the annual slaughter of the animals each year hundreds are killed for the benefit of the family first many different birds are brought together from all directions belonging to many owners of course they're all branded very much like the American cattle the media shipped all over the world and the height descent to Swedish tanneries wear gloves and other products are made from it often as many as 10,000 reindeer are gathered on one spot the most desirable ones picked out government inspectors come around to see that the killing is done according to rules and regulations it is no easy test to catch anyone in this Restless Bunch and every once in a while they will get stubborn and ready to fight back many a lapras at are good thrashing from is reindeer and they seldom forget it their hoofs are faster than drumettes and their antlers are well equipped with unpleasant points but these glorious antlers can also be the downfall of the poor reindeer it's a perfect place to throw a lariat which the laps swing with the same skill that our Western Cowboys do every part of the reindeer is used in some fur other even the sinews and here the former being sold to merchants who export them for threading surgery from the latter being disposed of in large quantities for the stuffing of light films well the hair of the reindeer is a hollow tube and filled with air and Unsinkable every once in a while that happens that son little of the hives even their foots are made from a knife and it is the warmest thing they could wear the Swedish government is strict with their lap children as they intend to keep their record of being the only country in the world where there is positively no illiteracy special schools take care of their education while our own kids played choo-choo trains lap children play reindeer round them and this is the inside of the schoolhouse nicely you may be sure that the trend of romance for the young girls do not always find it a locate anyone to show their affections that shows me they the time comes when the herd begins to move and once more in sunny pastures the minute the snow has been eaten and new places have to be found the laps pack up and follow the reined arrogant