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Two women from different parts of the world share the stories of their lives

Two women from different parts of the world, united by a common passion, experience or expertise, share the stories of their lives.

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The Conversation: The joy of reindeer

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The joy of reindeer

21/12/2020 GMT

BBC World Service - The Conversation, The joy of reindeer

Anne Louise Gaup and Dr. Jackie Hrabok-Leppäjärvi on why they follow reindeer for a living

Sámi reindeer herder Anne Louise Gaup discusses life on the road following her migrating herd and Dr. Jackie Hrabok-Leppäjärvi tells us why reindeer are such unique animals.

What does a reindeer smell like? And how do they manage to survive in one of the harshest climates in the world, with temperatures that can drop to minus 30 degrees Celsius? Kim Chakanetsa talks all things reindeer with two women who follow these extraordinary animals for a living.
 
Anne Louise Næss Gaup is a reindeer herder from the indigenous Sámi community in Norway. She was brought up in a family of traditional herders and she spends most of her life on the road, looking after her migrating herd. She talks about her hard but rewarding work; why these animals are so important for her culture; and why it’s very inappropriate to ask her how many reindeer she owns. 
 
Dr. Jackie Hrabok-Leppäjärvi has a joint Professorship at the University of Alaska Fairbanks Northwest Campus and at the Sámi Education Institute in Kaamanen, Finland. She teaches reindeer husbandry and applied arts. She started studying reindeer and caribous when she was 18 and she never looked back. She now develops science-based and sustainable reindeer husbandry programmes, helping indigenous communities to protect the animals they base their livelihood on.

Producer: Alice Gioia 

Reindeer audio: Courtesy of Bengt Roger Kaaven, NRK SAPMI

Image: 
L: Dr. Jackie Hrabok-Leppäjärvi
R: Anne Louise Næss Gaup

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