Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education The History of Sámi Reindeer Husbandry in Greenland and the Transfer of Traditional Knowledge from Sámi Herders to Greenlandic Apprentices Lena Susanne Kvernmo Gaup Master thesis in Master of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies June 2019 The History of Sámi Reindeer Husbandry in Greenland and the Transfer of Traditional Knowledge from Sámi Herders to Greenlandic Apprentices A Master thesis submitted by Lena Susanne Kvernmo Gaup Master of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education UiT -The Arctic University of Norway June 2019 Supervised by Professor Else Grete Broderstad Centre for Sami Studies UiT- The Arctic University of Norway Cover page: Pississaarfik mountain in the Nuuk fjord, Greenland, and reindeer herd at Isortoq, Southern Greenland. Pictures taken by Lena Susanne Kvernmo Gaup To my late mother, Tove Kvernmo Gaup for always believing in me Prologue Finishing this thesis has been a long process since I started this journey as a 23-year- old student. I got interested in my research topic, Sámi reindeer husbandry in Greenland, while I was an exchange bachelor student at Ilisimatusarfik, The University of Greenland, in 2000– 2002. I chose to write my bachelor thesis about this topic, and did some fieldwork in Greenland and at home in Guovdageaidnu over the Easter holiday in 2002. When I started my master studies, I wanted to do more research on this topic, because there was so much left to research. It is a fairly unknown topic, both in Sápmi and in Greenland. The summer and fall of 2004, I did the first part of my master fieldwork different places in Sápmi, and in Greenland. During this time, my supervisor was Professor Ivar Bjørklund, who encouraged me to collect as much data and to interview as much people as possible, for my research. I am very grateful for this encouragement. In 2004, many people who had been in Greenland engaged in the reindeer husbandry were still alive, but many of them were old. I was able to collect very precious data, and I continued with interviews in early 2005 before taking a break from my studies. I resumed my studies again in January 2006, then I returned to Greenland to collect the data I missed during my first fieldwork period in 2004: a very important interview and a visit to the abandoned reindeer station at Itinnera, among other things. Since early 2007, I went on a long break from my studies, starting my current, permanent position. My thesis was left untouched for a long time. In the fall 2017, I felt the urge to finish the research journey I started long ago and I started working on it again. I returned to my full time job in March 2018, and since then, I have been working on my thesis, just in short, but intensive periods, while on holiday or leave of absence from my job. Unfortunately, since time has passed since I started my research journey, seven of my informants are no longer amongst us, but five of them still are. I always wanted to finish this thesis, and to utilize the knowledge my informants shared with me. Now I am finally completing this long journey. The point of departure for my research topic was my interest in the moving of reindeer from Sápmi to Greenland. However, while interviewing the people involved in reindeer husbandry, and reviewing the research data, I realized the enormous human effort put into the project i and the courage of that the Sámi and Greenlanders involved in the project displayed. Many people have been involved in it, and they accomplished a lot. I wish to share the story of the people involved in this quite unknown part of our common Sámi- Greenlandic history. Moreover, later I want to contribute with a book about this history, written in Sámi and Greenlandic, with the stories from my informants. ii Acknowledgements There are many people and institutions I would like to thank with all my heart, without your help, I could not have finished this thesis. First, I would like to thank my informants. I am eternally grateful that you shared your knowledge and stories with me: Anders Triumf, Anders Skum, Johan A. & Maria Anna V. Eira, Johan Klemet Hætta, Aslak Siri, Iisakki Välitalo, Pavia Berthelsen, Josva Josefsen, Ole Kristiansen, Jens Rosing and Stefan Magnusson. Without your contributions, I could not have done this research and written this thesis. I am especially grateful to my supervisor, Else Grete Broderstad, who has guided me through the last part of this challenging process with encouragement, consistency, and patience. I could truly not have done this without your help. Thank you for making me believe I could do it! A special and heartfelt thank you goes to Svein Disch Mathiesen. Thank you so much for your help all these years, and inspiring conversations and discussions. In addition, for helping me see things clearly and guiding my way in the end of this process. I also want to express my gratitude to Ivar Bjørklund, who was my supervisor during the initial part of my research, in the period 2004- 2007. Thank you for guiding and helping me through this extensive research. I am also thankful to the University of Tromsø and the Centre for Sami Studies, for the Indigenous Studies program, and your flexibility. I also want to thank you for the travel grant for Sámi students, for my main fieldwork period, and the additional strategy funds for my second fieldwork period. I would also like to thank the project “RIEVDAN Rapid change – challenges and/or opportunities for Sustainable reindeer husbandry WP3: Traditional knowledge of food culture – navigation towards sustainability – two ways of knowing?” at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences and ICR. I want to thank Christine Cuyler and Hans-Erik Rasmussen for help during fieldwork. I am so grateful to my nearest family, for all your support, help and understanding during this work. My sincere thank you goes to my partner, Frederik Lennert, for standing together with me through good and bad times. Moreover, thank you for your help with the technical parts of my thesis. Thank you to my sweet children, Nivi Siggá and Elias Ánte for bearing with your mum being away writing, and for just lightening up my world. My dear father, Ánte Mihkkal Gaup, I am so thankful that I iii can always count on you, and thank you for being a walking encyclopedia in Sámi traditional knowledge and culture. Thank for helping me through this process! My dearest late mother, Tove, there are no words to describe my gratitude to you. Thank you, sincerely. I did finally finish my thesis. I wish to thank my sisters and brothers, Lars Áilo, Sara Marielle, Inger Biret, Risten Anine and Ánte Mikka, for your love and support. To my dearest friends and study friends; Anna Degteva, thank you for all help, fruitful discussion and thinking, Elle Márjá Jensen, thank you for all help, academic discussion, language help and accommodation. Erika Sarivaara, thank you for helping me during my first difficult writing process, and all your support. Sijá Somby, Inger Anne Pulk, Camilla Brattland, thank you for encouragements with my thesis, and good friendship. Májjá Smuk Solbakk and Siri Janne Koht, thank you for good times during our studies, and afterwards. To my other class mates; Mirona Ciocirlie, Pablo Rangel, Shirani Morales Garro, Zsofia Lang, Aziz Berdahem; thank you for good discussions and memories from the MIS group 2003-2005. To my new MIS study friends, thank you for sharing good times at the reading room, lately. A special thank you to Kristin Solberg and Saara Sipola for good ‘writing times’. Thanks to all my relatives for being part of my life. A special thanks to my aunts, Marie, Ellen and Sara Marit, and my grandmother Gudrun. Thanks to my childhood friends for being supportive of me; Anne Lene, Susen, Elle Merete, Sunna, Anne Gro and Karen Inga. Thank you to Knud Levi Jensen Røddesnes, Pauline K. Knudsen and Laila Hætta for help during fieldwork. Moreover, thank you to all my other friends! I thank the National archive in Greenland and Groenlandica for help, and NRK Sápmi for giving me access to raw-film material. I would like to thank Professor Oluf Kolsrud and hustrus Borghild Kolsurds legat for funding, and Rolf Egil Haugerud for inviting me to speak about my topic at the NOR Conference 2010. One last thank you goes to my work place, Sámi University of Applied Sciences. iv Abstract Danish authorities introduced reindeer husbandry to Greenland in 1952 when three hundred domesticated reindeer where purchased from a reindeer pastoral district or siida in Kárášjohka and transported to Greenland by boat to the Nuuk fjord. By introducing semi-domesticated reindeer to Greenland, the Danish state intended to establish an abundant new industry and occupation for people, as well as wanting a steady meat supply for Greenland. Behind the decision was the notion of introducing a more ‘civilized’ industry to Greenland, as part of the Danish state’s colonial past. The plan was that the herd would first be owned by the Danish state but would eventually be privatized and run by native Greenlanders. Sámi herders where employed for their expertise on reindeer husbandry to work with the herd, and employed as trainers for the Greenlandic apprentices because of their traditional knowledge and herding techniques in Sámi reindeer husbandry. The Sámi herders were an active part of Greenlandic reindeer husbandry between 1952-1978. Between 1952–1973 the reindeer husbandry at Itinnera in the Nuuk fjord was managed by the Danish authorities.