In Sweden's Wild West, Reindeer Herding Lives On
High up in the mountains of western Sweden, reindeer herding has long been an integral part of the Sami people's way of life. Yet, for centuries, their traditions have faced repression and abuse, only to be commercialized as a tourist attraction – leaving many feeling disillusioned with Santa-clad versions of themselves.
The rugged beauty of this landscape is home to 800 reindeer that belong to the entire community of Grövelsjön, a village in Dalarna province close to Norway's border. Each animal has an ear mark identifying its rightful owner and they are looked after by Peter and his wife Helena who use modern tools like drones and thermal imaging to care for them.
Peter recalls his father taking a reindeer on the train to Stockholm while still using traditional methods such as skis. The Sami culture has always been one of resilience and adaptation, with many of its practices dying out over time.
Reindeer herding is not only an economic business but also a source of identity for the community. As Peter explains, "We even have a pet reindeer." His family's year revolves around the needs of the herd, which includes keeping them safe from predators such as bears and eagles.
One day, I join Peter on his snowmobile to see the herd being led out into the valley below where dogs will help find any sick or injured animals. Once their task is complete, we take a trip down into a wooded valley to visit some old wooden cabins which used to belong to a single woman who was unable to get a divorce from her husband.
Inside one of these cabins, I see an old cooking range and beautiful handmade knives and cups that are still valued by Peter's family. As the sun sets, Helena brews coffee in a makeshift tea set – made from lichen - while we sit around on snow benches sipping our hot drinks, watching reindeer roam freely.
The beauty of this remote landscape lies not just in its stunning scenery but also in the sense of community and tradition that underpins it. As I settle into my Sami tipi at night surrounded by a log burner and starry sky, I feel grateful to have experienced such an authentic glimpse into modern-day reindeer herding with the Sami people in Sweden's wild west.
High up in the mountains of western Sweden, reindeer herding has long been an integral part of the Sami people's way of life. Yet, for centuries, their traditions have faced repression and abuse, only to be commercialized as a tourist attraction – leaving many feeling disillusioned with Santa-clad versions of themselves.
The rugged beauty of this landscape is home to 800 reindeer that belong to the entire community of Grövelsjön, a village in Dalarna province close to Norway's border. Each animal has an ear mark identifying its rightful owner and they are looked after by Peter and his wife Helena who use modern tools like drones and thermal imaging to care for them.
Peter recalls his father taking a reindeer on the train to Stockholm while still using traditional methods such as skis. The Sami culture has always been one of resilience and adaptation, with many of its practices dying out over time.
Reindeer herding is not only an economic business but also a source of identity for the community. As Peter explains, "We even have a pet reindeer." His family's year revolves around the needs of the herd, which includes keeping them safe from predators such as bears and eagles.
One day, I join Peter on his snowmobile to see the herd being led out into the valley below where dogs will help find any sick or injured animals. Once their task is complete, we take a trip down into a wooded valley to visit some old wooden cabins which used to belong to a single woman who was unable to get a divorce from her husband.
Inside one of these cabins, I see an old cooking range and beautiful handmade knives and cups that are still valued by Peter's family. As the sun sets, Helena brews coffee in a makeshift tea set – made from lichen - while we sit around on snow benches sipping our hot drinks, watching reindeer roam freely.
The beauty of this remote landscape lies not just in its stunning scenery but also in the sense of community and tradition that underpins it. As I settle into my Sami tipi at night surrounded by a log burner and starry sky, I feel grateful to have experienced such an authentic glimpse into modern-day reindeer herding with the Sami people in Sweden's wild west.
Can you imagine having 800 reindeer as neighbors? 
I mean, they'd probably be more chill than my aunt at a family gathering 
. But for real though, it's awesome that the Sami community is preserving their traditions and way of life in such a beautiful location. And Peter's use of modern tools like drones and thermal imaging is like something out of a sci-fi movie 
! I'm just hoping they don't start using robots to herd the reindeer or it'll be like a real-life "Zoolander" scene 
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Distracted Boyfriend: Reindeer Herder 
the sami culture is like so fascinating to me! i love how they've always been resilient and adapted to their environment, and it's amazing that they're still preserving their traditions despite all the changes around them. peter and his wife helena seem like amazing people too, using modern tools to care for the reindeer while still respecting their heritage.
i can imagine how surreal it must be to see old cooking ranges and handmade knives just chillin' inside a cabin. anyway, i think this is such an inspiring story - it's like, even in the wild west of sweden, there's still so much beauty and community happening.
. All they care about is takin' selfies and pretendin' to be part of the community. Meanwhile, real Samis like Peter and Helena are keepin' it real with their traditional ways. I mean, drones and thermal imaging? Yeah, that's not commercialization 
. It's time to take off the Santa hat and get real about how we treat indigenous cultures online 
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. I mean, can you imagine having to deal with so much oppression and commercialization while still trying to preserve your way of life? It's like they're saying, "We may not be able to control the world outside our mountains, but we'll always keep our culture alive in our hearts 
."
. From using traditional methods to care for his reindeer on skis to modernizing with drones and thermal imaging – it's like he's bridging the gap between old and new in a way that's so relatable 
. And seeing those reindeer roaming free in their natural habitat? It's just pure magic 
.
. I mean, Peter's family having a "pet" reindeer, Helena brewing coffee in a makeshift tea set made from lichen... these are the moments that make life truly special 
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. It's a reminder that there's still so much beauty and authenticity out there waiting to be discovered 
.
Peter & Helena are literally doing everything they can to preserve their traditions & way of life while still using modern technology to care for the herd. And seeing those adorable reindeer roaming free is just too cute 
! It's so inspiring to see a community come together like this and it's making me think about how we can all support & appreciate each other's cultural heritage more 
. The use of modern tools by Peter and his wife Helena is a great example of how technology can complement ancient methods, ensuring the well-being of both humans and animals 
. It's heartening to see the community still value their handmade crafts and traditional way of life 
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. Its not all about the touristy side, they actually have a deep connection to the land and each other, which is what makes it so special 
. I love how Peter and Helena use modern tech to care for the reindeer while still respecting their ancestors' ways - its all about balance 
. The sense of community and tradition here is just infectious 
.
think this is all super staged lol like they're trying to sell us on this whole "reindeer herding" thing and what really goes on is just a bunch of fancy marketing 
but you know what's real, the reindeer are super smart and can navigate these crazy terrain with ease 
and those wooden cabins look super old, like from another era or something 
just wondering if there's more to this village than meets the eye 
? The fact that they're using modern tech like drones and thermal imaging to care for the animals is a great example of how tradition meets innovation 
, which is so whack. But now they're killin' it w/ drone tech & thermal imaging to care for those adorable animals 
, how he's keepin' his traditions alive 2nd gen 
. Reindeer herdin's not just about gettin' a paycheck, its like, identity 4 the community, you feel? 
. And those old cabins w/ handmade knick-knacks? 
.
this article just made me wanna plan a trip to sweden ASAP 
i mean, who wouldn't want to experience the rugged beauty of the mountains and the warmth of the sami community? 
anyway, i love that peter and helena are using modern tools to care for the reindeer - drone tech is everything! 
. its nice to see that theyre not just stuck in the past but adapting to progress while still keeping their roots intact.
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. The sense of community here feels so strong, it's like they're all in this together 
.
. What's next? Renting out a snowmobile to watch 'em "roam freely" while paying an arm and a leg? 