Reindeer Migration
February 10, 2025
Each year, reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) undertake one of the great migrations of the north, moving across the vast landscapes of Norway’s Finnmark and Troms regions. They follow ancient routes, seeking fresh grazing grounds as the seasons shift. In summer, they climb to the cooler mountain plateaus, where the vegetation is rich and insects are fewer. As winter approaches, they descend to coastal lowlands and inland forests, where food is easier to find beneath the snow.
In 2010, Dutch artist Scarlett Hooft Graafland travelled to the mountain area of Jotunheimen, central Norway, to stay for a couple of weeks with a Sámi shepherd family, with whom she was able to experience the migration of their reindeer herd. During her stay, she became fascinated by the way these animals move in groups through the deserted icy mountains with the guidance of the Sami people, whose way of life follows the rhythm of the herd.
Hooft Graafland is known for staging surreal landscapes in nature which reflect issues faced by local communities. In “Journey” and “Tracks”, we see a reflection of the interconnectedness of ways of life between both the Sami and the reindeer, for whose rights they often advocate in Norway’s public life.
Echoing Hooft Graafland’s “Tracks”, another artist who uses a needle and thread to explore themes linked to reindeer migration is Britta Marakatt-Labba. Born in 1951 to a Swedish Sami family, her embroideries are miniature worlds. They contain scenes from everyday life, political reflections and stories about Sami culture and history. The magnificent nature and the white snow of the sparkling winter landscape are constantly present.
In the silkscreen ‘The Environment Can Not Wait’, in the background we see a mining mountain, its silhouette shaped by layers of discarded debris, stacked like steps toward the sky. As mineral exploration pushes ever further, the Sami land is left stripped and barren. As ancient glaciers recede, their melting waters swell rivers and unleash destructive floods.
For generations, Sami herders have guided reindeer along these routes, relying on them for food, clothing, and tools. The reindeer are deeply valued in Sami culture, providing essentials for daily life. In turn, the Sami help them find paths amidst challenges such as those brought by climate change, which alters rain patterns and, sometimes, encases their potential food in ice.
This migration has been beautifully documented in the BBC Documentary All Aboard! The Great Reindeer Migration. With beautiful sceneries, it covers the 600 miles which the Sara family travels for over a week, crossing the Arctic Wilderness, to reach the coastal island of Kvaloya Fala in time for the calves to be born.