The Conceptualisation of Árbediehtu in a Reindeer Herding Context

Authors

• Kajsa Kuoljok /Umeå universitet/Ajtte, Svenskt Fjäll- & Samemuseum https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8623-5198

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23991/ef.164153

Keywords:

árbediehtu, Sámi, traditional knowledge, reindeer husbandry, generational transmission

Abstract

This article explores the concept of árbediehtu, commonly translated as inherited knowledge, with a focus on how it is interpreted, expressed and transmitted within the practice of reindeer herding. The article also addresses factors that have an impact on árbediehtu such as competing land uses, changes in society, and modern technology that affects the transmission of árbediehtu. Before addressing the role of árbediehtu in contemporary herding practices, the study analyses how the concept is defined and given meaning within Sámi academic discourse.
Drawing on a research project examining traditional knowledge in relation to land use and planning in four reindeer herding communities in Northern Sweden, the article offers a Sámi-centred perspective on the concept of árbediehtu today. Central to the discussion is how árbediehtu emerges through the voices and lived experiences of herders, revealing its grounding in both practical work and deep understandings of human–animal and human–human relationships. The concept encompasses not only everyday embodied knowledge but also ethical guidelines, behavioural norms, and principles for the sustainable management of natural resources.