Laplanders (1952)

a fall journey to the reindeer herds is about to begin the Laplanders gather the last of the supplies they will need for the long trip ahead Inga helps even though she is planning to leave the hardships of nomads life or she has a job in the city the hand goat soon be at work on the keys of a typewriter but Peter colic the father is a reindeer laplander in the summer and early fall he fishes for part of his family's food it is easy work compared to tending reindeer but Peter loves the restless life for the herds young Lapland is fish too even though they are reindeer men like their elves like father the boys for part of the time for food and part of the time for fun just the same they are proud as they walk home their willow Forks heavy with char and salmon trout for the fish will add to the family store of food during the long far northern winter ahead but winter has already come to the tops of the mountains a chilly wind tear the branches of the birch one day the small community packs up for the drive to the forest wintering grounds Peter Calacanis family are the first to start at the head is Peter with a leader reindeer a cold wind winds across the highland plain peter's wife Elsa follows with little Missy her son tucked away on the side of the reindeer the mountain tops near the seashore are already hidden by a raging swirling snowstorm Peters daughter Annie leads the goats her own pet goat is close by her side in her warm soft boots Annie finds walking across the wide more fairly easy she carries her little puppy chocho in a warm bundle on her back at the slow miles drop behind at last the calyx come to the Highland birch forest and know that there is only a short way left to go the trek is nearly over soon Annie and the goats will be at their winter home and the work of preparing for winter will begin [Music] the heavily loaded pack reindeer will get a chance to rest from carrying the food and clothing of the family the journey has been hard but the work will be harder still at winter camp everybody is tired Annie and the goats are tired Peter and Elsa and the rain they are tired but they are close to home and there is the hurt now it is time for slaughtering the full-grown reindeer bulls Flatlanders call the reindeer bulls Tsar's reindeer Bulls grow bacon fierce and proud and this is the season when they are fattest and biggest the calloc family has collected its herd now they must search through it for the best animals for butchering and the best for milking this is harvest time for the reindeer laplander one of the girls looks for a badger a reindeer cow there is one the last zoo starts the herd milling and the family fortune passes in front of old grandfather and grandmother cow it some men have said that grandfather colic is like a Highland birch where he stands so straight and tall he has much to be proud of his son is handy with the reindeer his name is honored his herd is large and sleek and healthy is rich and the things that count grandmother Keller is watching the reindeer cows and her daughter milking one of them sweet cheese made of reindeer milk tasting of almond and smooth as butter well add much to the winter diet grandmother smiles at little Missy trying to help and keeps an eye on the soft eyes reindeer cows [Applause] but there's much work to do everybody helps as much as he can for the time has come soft I'm is here reindeer after reindeer is killed the antlers that were once proudly lifted are left to bleats in the Sun later they will be made into tools for the use of the family every day more meat is collected on the drying stand out of the front tied shoes are made even the reindeer stomach is important to the Laplanders after it is watertight and sturdy and will be used to hold goat's milk for the baby another part of the reindeer becomes a dows milk bottle for the children to play with everywhere are useful objects made from the reindeer the drive meat which is sometimes smoked or salted can be stored until the following summer for long Earth necessary the racks are heavy with slabs of meat the fell almost 2 inches thick on some joints in the middle of this abundance calyx stands as a king in his own realm he ties tendons to a split willow and hangs them to dry in the Sun down sack Alec later rolls at ten on her cheek and uses them to make thread for water tight seams her oldest son sits next to the fire and works at preparing the lake hides to be made into shoes while her husband gathers wood the work is hard there's much to be done but even though the work is hard P Terk Alec has a lot to be thankful for he works long and hard but he works for himself with no man to tell him what to do his son is strong enabled the winter will bring no hunger to the calyx the shelves are full it is a warm house everything is safe and happy and as Peter rocks the cradle' he hums an old Laplanders song my little son today you had your first last zoo in your hand grow up be strong my little son the winter covers the fields and the ice is thick on the mountaintops all seems frozen and stilled forever but time is passing and by and by spring will come again spring will come again [Music]