Justin's Travels: Gathering the reindeer in Roros, Norway

by Justin Francis
Røros has several claims to fame. Its first is that it’s a World Heritage site, a former mining town that’s retained nearly all its lovely old wooden buildings. It’s like one of those movies where time stood still. The second is that they are proud to be one of the coldest towns in Norway. School kids play outdoors at lunchtime until it reaches -30 degrees.

I had been invited to speak about responsible tourism at an event hosted by the tourist board, and banged on about authenticity. At lunch I was sat next to a journalist who took a call then leaned over conspiratorially - ‘you need to leave now, I’ve just heard the Sami have decided today’s the day to round up their Reindeer, a once a year event, it’s not a tourist thing but you should see it’.

So, my wife and I set off in a 4WD with one of the junior tourist board people, whose lifetime ambition had been to see this. We drove down winding roads through a perfect white snowscape hoping to somehow locate the Sami. Every single thing was covered in perfect icing sugar-like snow. We rounded a corner and there it was. Thousands of Reindeer storming through the landscape in a vast herd pursued by Sami on skidoos; some in traditional skin coats, some in modern gear.

The reindeer were herded into a giant pen, where they started to circle, faster and faster kicking up snow and dust. Eventually all we could see was a swirling mass of horns and startled eyes. We were ignored by the Sami, who were focussed on their jobs, which is sometimes just how I like it – this wasn’t a show for tourists but something important and ancient to their culture.

I couldn’t help think that it was huge privilege to see it.


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