Life rules in Lapland

Live in wildlife for me naturally. I was born and grew up in a small village in South Lapland. The ancestors of my father lived here more than 200 years.

I learned to handle a hunting knife and breed a fire earlier than reading and writing.

When I was a kid, There were almost no children around, and most of the time I played alone in the forest: I skiing, played with snow, built snow locks and put lit candles in them. Mom said that I was never bored, because I have a rich imagination.

I do not remember how old I believed in Santa Claus. But in Lapland, it is not a question of age. Everyone believes in it.

Hunting, Fishing, Mushrooms and Berries, Life in the wild – the main classes.

Finns, Scandinavian, Russian and perhaps Canadians Know the sense in collecting mushrooms and berries. What is special in just collecting mushrooms and berries? Yes it’s a natural super!

My favorite traditional Lapland dish – baked venison with potato mashed potatoes and lingonberries (Käristys). Or elk. Elk I like even more than puree or lingonberry. And I love fish – smoked perch or any white.

Name of our village Posio In the language of Saamov means a sacred place in the traditional housing -. Local residents have samian roots, as, however, at all in Lapland. But I and other members of my family are not Saama and do not speak their language. Only those who speak in language can be considered Saamami. Saama live north of 400-500 km.

Lapland is a huge territory. Many land, few people. Forests, lakes continue and continue. Great Nature. Once people moved here on deer.

Now everything is not so simple with deer. Previously, it was more reliable to contain deer than to count on hunting and fishing, especially in the extreme north, where nature is very harsh. Deer were used completely: bones, meat, skins. It was easier to exchange something from this on sugar or millet.

Today, only a few live at the expense of deer. For most it is a hobby or maybe, lifestyle. In Finland 9000 Saamov, but most live in Helsinki. No one now spreads deer massively.

Deer is the illusion rather, even if they are everywhere. People do not like it, because the deer is trap lawns, can settle in your yard or break something. And you can’t do anything about it.

I like to get out of nature on a snowmobile. Find a beautiful place to make fire and warm tea cup.

Many ask if I’m not afraid of one in wild nature. No, but you need to have skills and trust yourself. And never be overly self-confident and not consider yourself the owner of nature. Because you do not want to die there.

Was I lost in a deserted tundra? No, but in case my snowmobile breaks, I take a ski. Also, I always have an ax and everything in order to divorce fire.

As for solitude. Sometimes I feel that it would be nice to show someone all this fiction, but for this I take pictures. And so I better go to the tundra alone than with someone who will become boring in an hour.

-38 cº, bright moonlight night and starry sky, three or four hours skiing, absolutely alone – my usual working conditions.

North sun is not like in the southern parts of the world. It is amazing, the light at different times is different – from the polar night to the polar day, when the sun does not go beyond the horizon 24 hours a day.

People who have never seen Northern Lights, can not understand how it "works". It looks like a quenching curtains. And sometimes just a slow green or purple line on the horizon. And it happens that the whole firework colors appear across the sky.

No, I do not think that I have already seen everything. Natural diversity is infinite, despite the fact that I have already shot a lot of stars, shine, forests and swamps.

I did not really love reading books in childhood, but I remember one. This is a story about animals that run from the forest, fleeing from a person who is trying to destroy their home. Deep and sad story.