Fróðskaparrit - 01.01.1991, Qupperneq 139

Faroese Spade-Cultivation, Reinavelta,
Its Practice, Function, and History
Sofus Christiansen
Abstract
An analysis of the cultivation practice of
reinavelta has been reported, based on direct
observations and documentary filming.
Ecologically, reinavelta has been shown to be
very well adapted to the humid and relatively
cold climate. It has also been proved, that
although the Faroese spade-form, the haki,
may look relatively simple, it is in fact ex-
tremely well suited to reinaveita. The ’adap-
tational quality’ of an implement can only
be judged in relation to its function. Haki is
an integral part of reinavelta. The scarce
material would indicate a relatively late de-
velopment of the reinavelta-pracúce. It is
possibly an analogous form of the ’ridged
field’ cultivation practice, specially deve-
loped and adapted on the Faroe Islands.
Background
Since 1972 the traditional Faroese spade-
cultivation, reinavelta, has no longer been
used as a farming practice. When, in 1985,
the Carlsberg Foundation funded an attempt
to document on film the practice of reinavel-
ta, it was actually on the verge of falling into
oblivion.
According to plan, the film was to be
taken in Húsavík, the village where reinavel-
ta was last seen in use. That proved, however,
to be too late as nobody there could perform
reinavelta, based on personal knowledge, ac-
quired at the time, when it was still common-
ly practised (in the 1920s or early 1930s). Fur-
thermore, the special field-form, teigar, were
in Húsavík, as in most villages, about to dis-
appear). The characteristic long, prismatic
field strips of teigar no longer covered the
whole infield, the bøur, as they used to do
during the last century.
Fortunately, the research team succesfully
located an excellent site for the film, where
the teigar were still intact. This was at the vil-
lage Gásadalur, on the island of Vágar.
Gásadalur is still one of the most isolated
Faroese villages, the only remaining that has
no connection by road to any neighbouring
village. This might explain why the land-
scape has survived so well.
Fortunately, at Gásadalur, skilled people
still knowing reinavelta were found. They
were willing to demonstrate the practice even
though it necessitated much memorizing and
effort. Filming revealed a lot of fascinating
detail, which otherwise probably would have
been left unobserved. This current article is
Fróðskaparrit 38.-39. bók (1989-90): 143-153