“They Followed the Power of the Plant”: Historical Sami Harvest and Traditional Ecological Knowledge (Tek) of Angelica archangelica in Northern Fennoscandia

Abstract

Native Sami people in northern Fennoscandia have used a wide range of native plant species for food and medicines throughout history. Plants and plant use are deeply embedded in the Sami traditions and subsistence in northern ecosystems. The overall aim of this study was to gain understanding of the Sami people's interaction with the herb Angelica archangelica in historical times and investigate if this use went beyond a pure opportunistic harvest of wild plants to include management of plants. To analyze this question, we combined studies of ethnographic information, an experimental field study, and discussions with a Sami woman with extended knowledge of Sami plant use. We suggest that the Sami people had a profound understanding of the complexity of the plant life-cycle. They dispersed seeds to favored areas and used harvest techniques intended not to deplete plant populations. The harvest experiment shows that it is possible to prolong the plant's life span by repeatedly harvesting infertile plants. A cross-disciplinary approach is needed to expand understanding of past plant use. Our results place overall Sami subsistence practices in a new light, as being cared for, managed, and sustainable.

Adopting a Root: Documenting Ecological and Cultural Signatures of Plant Translocations in Northwestern North America

“…From Australia to the Amazon to Sweden, there is evidence of Indigenous Peoples undertaking these practices (Pasco 2018; Posey 1985; Rautio et al. 2016). But we are likely only beginning to understand the extent and implications of this long‐standing practice, particularly for Indigenous Peoples who have not previously been recognized as cultivators.…”

Sweetness beyond Desserts: The Cultural, Symbolic, and Botanical History of Angelica (Angelica archangelica) in the Nordic Region

“…Although rarely used in modern-day cooking, angelica culinary uses keep being innovated. A Sámi informant of Rautio et al (2016) developed new uses as an ingredient in "non-Sámi" recipes besides using angelica in a traditional manner. Through the New Nordic Cuisine movement, angelica reaches restaurant tables as an ingredient of old recipes, such as candied angelica, but in non-traditional recipes.…”

Herding Ecologies and Ongoing Plant Domestication Processes in the Americas

“…Possibly, among the diverse possibilities that human–reindeer–plant interactions can take, there are species in the flora reported by Anderson et al (2014) in Siberia, or those known for Canada (e.g., Uprety et al, 2012 ), that are distinctively managed by pastoralists. In Fennoscandia, for example, Rautio et al (2016) recorded how Sami people have historically managed Angelica archangelica , one of the most important plants used and managed not only as food and medicine, but also and interestingly, as preservative for reindeer milk ( Table 2 ). Besides plants of dietary use, others of ethnoveterinary qualities may be discovered.…”