culture26

How we wish to be cited:
Norberg B. Costs of culture myths – aborigines and bastards in the welfare state [culture]. Rondel 2006; 26. URL: http://www.rondellen.net

Editorial orientation

Reindeer husbandry, both the non-nomadizing farming and the nomadizing herding, provide a token of tension between different groups of people in the north of Sweden (Norrland). Basically, it is a struggle for history, economical advantages, and land. In 1928, the Swedish authorities defined a Lap (Same) as an “owner of reindeer”. From 1945, the nomadizing reindeer herding was supported by increasing subventions, in 2005 about Euro 40 millions. Endogenous people without reindeer, often with deeper roots than present reindeer workers in history and land, were regarded as “non-aborigines”. The human rights of the “bastards without reindeer” were subject to progressive restrictions regarding forestry, farming, hunting, and fishing. The inequalities have produced tensions between groups and individuals. The Lap problem of Norrland provides a social model of creating group conflicts by inapt laws. It is reasonable to assume that a constructive solution of the conflicts would have bearings on the solution of analogous conflicts in other parts of the world. Figure legend: The novel “Popular music ” (2000) by Mikael Niemi reflects the constructive interaction between Swedes with roots in different languages, philosophies of life, professions, and environments in the shire of Pajala in the Torne valley at the north-east border of Sweden (1,2).

The north part of Sweden (Norrland) has been populated for about 10,000 years. During the last 1800 years, reindeer farming and reindeer herding have provided maintenance or, more often, sidelines in considerable parts of present Norrland. From about 1500 AD to 1900 AD, reindeer farming and reindeer herding were licensed private property, on principle available to most norrlanders.

Around 1900, the human right of farming or herding reindeer was turned into a collective monopoly, restricted to a few arbitrarily selected members from families, who were in the trade at the time (3,4).

Most evidence suggests that the keeping of tame reindeer started with a few female reindeer for the production of calves, milk, cheese, and charmed male reindeer. The grazing of the farm flock was in some cases extended to nomadizing, reindeer herding.

Reindeer farming and reindeer herding have existed side by side up to now. However, in the period 1945-2006, the Swedish Government favored reindeer herding with heavy subsidies (3-8).

In 2005, the subventions for reindeer herding were approximately Euro 30 millions, and another Euro 12 millions in support from the European Union (9). Thus, a reindeer with a meat value of Euro 200 will cost the taxpayers Euro 1000 during five years of growth.

Additional costs for ordinary citizens and for the society are due to car clashes with reindeer; reindeer is unique among tame cattle by being stalled routinely on the roads (cf 8-12).

It is reasonable to question the claim of the Sami Parliament (Sametinget, Same Moot) and of th the National Union of Swedish Sames (Svenska Samernas Riksförbund) to represent the Indigenous People of Norrland. There were always other groups with other toungues such as Swedes and Finns beside the reindeer farmers and nomads with different Lap dialects (cf 3,4,12).

The nomads were few, since non-subsidized reindeer herding could never support many people. Mixed marriages (miscegeneration) were rule rather than exception. The life of a Lap was – and is – mainly a sideline, combined with fishing, handicraft, tourism, farming, lumbering, mining (cf 8,12).

The reindeer husbandry was monopolized as late as 1928 to members of families who happened to have reindeer at the time (cf 8, p 36-37). From 1945, large-scale nomadizing meat production was supported by government subsidies (cf 7,8).

The claims of the Lap lobby have then gradually expanded and increased and comprise by now one third of the area of Sweden for about 600 tax-paying reindeer herders (4) and in total 2,500 workers in reindeer-associated enterprises (8).

The reindeer expansion since 1945 is without historical precedent. The environmental pollution and the occupational hazards of the reindeer workers have increased correspondingly. So have the objections from the indigenous “bastards”, many more in number than the registered Laps.

The bastards without reindeer are excluded from reindeer husbandry, from subsidies, from fishing and hunting rights. They have to endure trespassing and devastation on own fields, forests and waters.

Thus, the majority of the inhabitants of the claimed reindeer areas (one third of the area of Sweden) are oppressed class by class, from the upper classes to the lowest classes (cf 8a-f), by the special privileges of the present reindeer workers. In contrast, the reindeer workers and their families have all the advantages of a Swedish citizenship or more (8a).

It should be emphasised that the economical co-operation in charge of the reindeer monopoly, the sameby, is more like a joint-stock company than a democratic assembly; the number of votes is due to the number of reindeer owned, not to the number of voters.

The same critique applies to the lobby organization, the National Union of Swedish Sames. The Same Parliament provides a hybrid between a democratic assembly and a public authority.

The voters to the Same Parliament have to prove their ancestry of reindeer husbandry. Critical voters are prone to be excluded. Nevertheless, descendants of former reindeer workers without own reindeer (Hunting and Fishing Sami, reference 8, p 36-37) have now managed to be elected the largest party of the Same Parliament with 9 out of 31 seats; the dominating Sameland Party with 8 seats reins forth, supported by minor parties (6).

By now, many norrlanders suspect that Lap politics has become a tool of the Swedish Government to whip them off their grounds towards new jobs, if any, in the middle and south parts of Sweden . The bastards, though in vast majority, have no efficient lobby organization like the “Laps” - the Sami Parliament, the National Union of Swedish Sames, Same Broadcasting, Same press, and a number of molders of public opinion, hired “researchers” included. One by one, the system critics are subdued. As taxpayers, the bastards have to sponsor their own exodus.

Modern large-scale reindeer industry does not require a large staff. The reindeer workers and the surplus herders have successfully been integrated into the Swedish society with full civil rights; they vote, think, write in Swedish language with Swedish education and ethnicity. They have a right to have all sorts of jobs (8a-f). At least one of the present bishops in Sweden is a Lap descendant. He learned about his ancestry from a fourth cousin, a coronary surgeon.

Political conflicts over bread, breed and creed are now present in Sweden , in Middle East, in Darfor, in Somalia . The material causes of conflicts are generally obscured by ethnic (racial) and religious arguments. Nevertheless, the religions may also provide channels of communication.

It is elucidating to compare the claims of the Swedish reindeer workers with the Zionist claim for an own country (cf 13,14). The Jews were the nomads of Canaan , though not only of that land, at the time of the patriarchs. They returned from Egypt to Canaan at the time of Joshua, about 3400 years ago.

Although we have traces of man feeding on reindeer for more than 9000 years ago in Norrland, we know nothing about the language and ethnicity of the people. The historical reindeer husbandry in

Sweden

is about 500 years of age.

The Jews settled in Canaan at the time of Joshua and the judges, mainly as farmers, some with herding as a sideline, just as the reindeer workers have settled in Norrland during the last 500 years.

After the great kings David and Solomon, the Jews were scattered all over the world by political and economical forces, just as the reindeer workers of Sweden – together with other Swedes - have been scattered over the world during the two last centuries.

Despite individual agonies, there are some features in favour of migration and merging with other folk, the cosmopolite style of life. The Jews have enriched other peoples and cultures with Bible and Koran. As a modern Nazi politician put it: “The Jews who are not Jews are Christians or Muslims”.

Yes, there are differences between Jewry, Christianity, and Islam. But Christianity cannot be imagined without Jewry and the Old Testament - “for rescue is from the Jews” (John 4:22). Mohammad interpreted the Bible in Arabic language for Arabic listeners. Parts of his interpretation are now known as the Koran.

Both the New Testament of the Christians and the Koran of the Muslims contain passages with strong criticisms of Jews. The critique reflects the human weaknesses of individual Jews. The Jews are still the selected people with the old promises and the old responsibilities (Rom 9:4).

Thus, the Koran acknowledges the Jewish right to the country, where some of the Jews have remained for more than 3000 years (Sura 5:20-21), the Jewish right to return to that country (Sura 17:104), and the Jewish right to pray in the temple of Jerusalem (15). Blind belief bewitches; central traditions may create channels of communication.

In correspondence with the central traditions, the Law of Return in Israel considers both ethnicity (at least one Jew grandparent) and religion (conversion to Jewry enough) in applicants for citizenship. However, other persons are not per definition excluded from the possibility to gain citizenship in Israel .

Likewise in correspondence with the central traditions, the pope was recently able to start a discussion with the Muslim world about religion dialogues instead of religion wars (16).

Generally, ethnicity (race) and religion provide weeds in the political flower bed. However, political prudence may suggest that some areas are reserved for mainly one religion, such as the state of Israel , the Vatican state, and in the future probably the Mecca state and the Medina state.

The religious charge associated with the above-mentioned places is difficult to handle for secular systems. Especially, the Jew contribution to world culture during 4000 years is consistent with the Zionist claim of the state of Israel , Jerusalem included; at least, the land is an intellectual propriety of Jewry.

The prerequisite of nomadism is an excess of land (12); the flock will have to flee to new pastures when old pastures become graze-worn. Since nomads are more motile and better armed than settlers, they have the resources to occupy other lands. This observation may be tested against history.

Abram the Hebrew could call out 318 trained men, who were born in his household, when he had to rescue his nephew Lot from invaders (Gen 14:14). The nuclear family, which moved to Egypt 2-5 generations later, comprised 66 persons (Gen 46:26). Thus, over-grazing and famines distinguish nomad life (cf 12).

It is reasonable to assume that famines drove the nomad emperors Attila (434-53), Denghis Khan 1187-1227), and Timur Lenk (1338-1405) to conquer large parts of the Euroasian continent. Analogous reasons may lie behind the ravages of Napoleon Bonaparte, Adolph Hitler and Joseph Stalin. In contrast, the European Union was founded to prevent the outbreak of new wars. The tools were democracy, human rights, and market economy (cf 17).

Present Same politics of

Sweden

gives special privileges to reindeer workers due to their ancestry (cf 7,8,12). At the same time, skeptics are accused of racism (7,8). In contrast, historical sources (3,4) and modern genetics (18) suggest that the population of norrlanders is well mixed. Apart from such considerations, the aborigines and the bastards are of equal value and virtue in a democratic welfare state, which acknowledges human rights.

The public subventions to the nomadizing reindeer industry of Sweden are in conflict with the basic human rights and the market economy acknowledget by the European Union. It is desirable that

The reforms suggested above would reduce the tensions between population groups i Norrland and promote forestry, mining, transportation, and communication. The Lap problem of Norrland is the classical tension between nomads and settlers (19).

The present situation in Norrland is not good and has a potential for becoming worse. The main cost of cultural myths, overexploited, is a widespread loss of trust in authorities, in law and order, in democracy and human rights.

Truth is an essential tool in the analysis of a historical and economical tangle; truth sets free. But there is also a need for dialogue, mutual understanding, and reconciliation.

A commission for truth and reconciliation in Norrland is needed. Such an initiative of The Church (all sects within the Christian religion) and of the European Union would be welcome. The Church comprises the main part of norrlanders. The European Union has a more solid association with democracy and human rights than UN with its many dictator members and its misdirected ILO 169.

The reindeer herding in Sweden provides a model for conflict analysis and conflict solution on a global level. The primitive tribes, our ancestors, belong to the past. Contemporary peoples and future folk strive towards welfare states with democracy and human rights. The notorious UN convention ILO 169 tends to bind poor people (“aborigines”) in a setting of the Stone Age of the past as a hostage of history. In contrast, it is suggested that “aborigines” and “non-aborigines” – if it is possible to imagine bastards without roots in Genesis and beyond – are regarded as human beings of equal values and virtues with equal needs of democracy and human rights.