Before political borders were set up, the Sami people freely followed the migratory patterns of their reindeer in the areas currently occupied by Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. The borders between Norway, Sweden and Finland were set between 1751 and 1809. These countries, however, did not impose strict regulations on the movement of the Sami people until 1917 when the Russian border was established and open travel became illegal. The Sami people were separated from their families and forced to live in smaller groups. Before, the Sami herders had as many as 500-1000 animals, the governments then stepped in set up strict regulations. Many were forced to abandon herding and go to settlement camps.
Source: http://www.polarnet.ca/tuktu/Reports/nwayrpt.html#3.1
No comments:
Post a Comment