People do it out of spite. We have similar problems with the white population hating the Sami similar to what USA has had with Indians. There were cases just outside of Umeå close to the winter rally where some raindeers were killed. [0]
The drivers feel that the Sami puts the reindeer on the road to be in the way and cash in on the money they get for the killed raindeers. (Secret tip: It's not enough to be worth it to watch your domestic animals die in your hands or be forced to finnish them off yourself because the owner are forced to take care of the dead animals.)
The indigenous Sami does have white skin, but they have a different ancestry compared to "regular"/other Scandinavians. They were for a long time legally forbidden from expressing their culture and religion, and are still harassed by individuals and groups.
No. Swedish Sami are almost all whitehaired Scandinavians. Famously depicted longnoses like Peter Stormare in the movies.
In 1800 Sweden and Norway made it impossible to follow herds around in Nomadic Style so they all escaped to Finland and Russia.
The "Sami" you see today are Swedes who adopted the lifestyle when certain restriction were lifted and Reindeer-herding become monopoly of Sami. Declaring Samines was just a formality.
All nordic "Sami" oppose DNA-testing, as they clearly are very different from real Sami living in Russia.
No, Sweden and Norway did not make it impossible to follow herds around. They had so little state presence up north, they hardly could even if they had wanted to! Once state power started to reach Northern Sapmi for real, one of the first things Sweden and Denmark/Norway managed to agreed on (despite regular wars!) was rights for reindeer herders to cross borders as they used to. This wasn't to be nice, but because reindeer herders were very profitable tax subjects with a lot of highly mobile capital (so mobile it could move on its own!), and neither Sweden or Norway wanted to scare them off to the other side.
What did happen is that Denmark-Norway and Sweden didn't want to involve Russia-Finland in this early brotherly deal (especially, Norway didn't want to let Russians fish in Norwegian fjords), and so Russia closed its borders, including to the nomads. A few got stuck on the Russian side, but most stayed in Sweden and Norway. This forced the reindeer herders to push further south (with government blessing, as mentioned they were highly profitable subjects) and into the lands of non-herding Sami causing a lot of problems, but that's another story. This is why Norway and Sweden have far more Sami than Russia and the former Russian duchy, Finland. Reindeer herders were also the main preservers of the Sami language, due in no small part to their wealth and pride in their distinctness - how exactly does the Sami language factor into your theory that today's Sami are just cosplaying Swedes?
(Also, if Sami are so opposed to DNA testing, why do I have half of Karasjok in my match list at ftdna?)
> how exactly does the Sami language factor into your theory that today's Sami are just cosplaying Swedes?
It should be noted that that's not a particularly meaningful observation. They speak a Turkic language in Turkey while obviously not being Turks, a legacy of conquest.
And they speak Modern Hebrew in Israel, which is a historical case of language cosplay! Nobody spoke Hebrew before, but they thought it would be cool to do it.
There is some misunderstanding about Reindeer's legal status and civil rights, especially in Finland. Learn from Grok:
Yes, anybody can own a reindeer in Finland, but there are important regulations to follow. Reindeer herding is a traditional livelihood, particularly for the Sámi people, and is heavily regulated, especially in the northern Reindeer Husbandry Area (covering about 36% of Finland). Here’s a breakdown:
Private Ownership: You can own a reindeer as a private individual, similar to owning other livestock. There are no explicit laws prohibiting non-Sámi or non-residents from owning reindeer, but practical and legal considerations apply.
Reindeer Husbandry Area: In this designated region (mostly Lapland), reindeer herding is managed by the Reindeer Herders’ Association. If you want to keep reindeer here, you must coordinate with local herding cooperatives, as grazing lands are shared. Unauthorized herding can disrupt communal practices.
Outside the Reindeer Husbandry Area: South of this area, you can keep reindeer on private land (e.g., as pets or for tourism), but you need permission from the local agricultural authority, as reindeer are considered livestock under Finnish law.
Practical Challenges: Reindeer require specific care (e.g., grazing land, protection from predators). Without experience or infrastructure, it’s challenging to keep them. Most owners are part of herding cooperatives due to the animals’ semi-wild nature and migratory needs.
Legal Requirements: You must register reindeer with authorities, mark their ears for identification, and comply with animal welfare laws. The Finnish Food Authority oversees livestock regulations.
Cultural Sensitivity: Reindeer herding is central to Sámi culture. Non-Sámi owning reindeer, especially for commercial purposes, can be sensitive if it competes with traditional herding.
If you’re considering owning a reindeer, you’d need to:
Check if you’re in the Reindeer Husbandry Area and contact the local cooperative.
Secure land and permits.
Ensure you can meet the animal’s needs.
For specific guidance, contact the Reindeer Herders’ Association (Paliskuntain yhdistys) or local agricultural authorities. If you want me to search for real-time information or analyze related content (e.g., from X or the web), let me know!
I accidentally bought frozen reindeer meat while living in Norway about 15 years ago, though I think I only paid about 300kr / 30€ for a 1-2kg pack. Tasted quite good in a lasagne!
Canned meats outside most generic beef and pork products in style of luncheon meat are surprisingly expensive. Probably just not enough scale, even if they store well.
That sounds far-fetched to me, but I could also see it as a form of dangerous poaching.