nature notes 14

I was once privileged to be invited into the home of a Swedish Sami reindeer herder and although there for a very short time it left a lasting impression upon me. The Sami live close to Nature and through necessity know it ways and respect them. This quote is a timely reminder that we are not separate from nature and that we need to remember and learn from the old ways, the old paths. Jon Henrik Fjallgren is a young, yet traditional reindeer herder that has also a successful singing career, inspired by the joiks that come from deep within the land. His latest joik, Old Paths, can be listened to here. The image, now almost fifty years old, is of my visit to Kafjord which lies deep within the Arctic Circle.

“Our roots and our strength are grounded in the nature we once lived from, inherited from Mother Earth – something that has often been forgotten.” Old Paths, Jon Henrik Fjallgren, 2026