Lögberg-Heimskringla - 01.01.2018, Page 12

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12 • Lögberg-Heimskringla • January 1 2018
Stefan Jonasson
Although not native to Iceland, reindeer
have been part of the habitat since
the 18th century, when they were first
imported to their new island home. Inhabitants
of the wilderness of eastern Iceland, the only
part of the country where they are found, the
total population fluctuates between 2,500 and
4,000. Given their shyness, catching a glimpse
of them is a rare but delightful sight, although
some times of the year they do wander
nearer to the lowland roadways – sometimes
perilously close.
There is an impressive exhibition devoted
to Iceland’s reindeer at the East Iceland
Heritage Museum in Egilsstaðir, the largest
town in eastern Iceland and an important
commercial and administrative centre.
“Reindeer are light-footed and silent,
like the wild nature of the wilderness itself,”
wrote Helgi Valtýsson. “They have sprung
from the earth there, and they will return to
it. They have become an integral part of the
wilderness, which they imbue with character
in bodily form and a strange and delightfully
beautiful life. They are the mercurial spirit of
the wilderness, an embellishment to its beauty
and a wondrous ornament!”*
Reindeer were introduced to Iceland by the
government of the day in an effort to improve
living conditions for the people of the country
in those areas that did not otherwise lend
themselves to the more conventional forms of
animal husbandry. The idea was first proposed
by Páll Vídalín in 1699. It was thought that
their meat and hides would increase the
resources available to feed and clothe the
human population.
The first reindeer were brought to the
country from northern Norway between 1771
and 1787. Some 114 animals were released
in three different regions of the country.
Curiously, the first 14 animals were released
at Vestmannaeyjar and Fljótshlíð in 1771, but
those herds only survived for a dozen years.
Thirty reindeer were released on Reykjanes
in 1777 and the descendants of that group
survived until the first half of 20th century, but
eventually died out owing to the inhospitable
conditions of the terrain and overhunting by
the denser human population. The same fate
met the descendants of 35 reindeer that were
released in the north in 1784, the last remnants
of which were seen in the 1930s. The reindeer
that can still be seen in the more favourable
conditions of eastern Iceland’s highlands are
descended from 35 animals released into the
wild at Vopnafjörður in 1787.
Although some farmers have raised one or
two reindeer in captivity, generally when they
have been orphaned or injured, they are not
suitable to such domestication. By law, nobody
can claim ownership of a reindeer and hunting
the animals is subject to strict regulation. Fees
from hunting licences go directly to support
the work of the East Iceland Natural History
Institute, which monitors the welfare of the
reindeer population. There has been a summer
census of reindeer conducted since 1940
and their numbers and breeding are watched
closely. Since 1991, the population has been
counted twice yearly. The management strategy
aims to ensure sustainability by optimizing the
size of the herd while minimizing the danger
of overgrazing.
The original imagination that reindeer
would boost Iceland’s domestic economy
never materialized and the authorities came
to the conclusion that both nature and culture
were impediments to reindeer husbandry.
Nevertheless, the reindeer has proven to be a
beloved addition to the wilderness of eastern
Iceland, so that it’s now impossible to imagine
the countryside without these magnificent
creatures roaming across its landscape.
Minjasafn Austurlands, the East Iceland
Heritage Museum, is in the heart of reindeer
country. Located in Egilsstaðir, it was
established in 1943 to preserve the unique
history and culture of eastern Iceland by
collecting artifacts that reflect the way of life
in that part of the country. The museum houses
two permanent exhibitions and also hosts many
temporary exhibitions throughout the year.
In addition to the exhibition on reindeer, the
other permanent exhibition details household
life in the region during the latter part of
the 19th century and first half of the 20th
century. Safnahús, the building that houses the
museum, is also home to the district archives
and library.
* This poetic passage by Helgi Valtýsson,
written in 1945, was translated by Anna Yates.
ICELAND’S ANTLERED IMMIGRANTS
Pure. Natural. Unspoiled.
This is Iceland.
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PHOTO: STEFAN JONASSON
Icelandic reindeer on display at the East Iceland Heritage
Museum in Egilsstaðir