harsh and barren and awesome

I found this National Geographic story inspiring. These Scandanavians herd reindeer across the harsh barren lands of Norway, Finland and Sweden. Here's the story, a video and photo gallery.

Johan Kuhmunen, with his dog Cammu, lives in Sweden, but the summertime range for his family's herd crosses into Norway. The Sami tradition of learning from the elders is an important part of reindeer herding, and knowledge is passed down from generation to generation and not learned in books.

Cone-shaped tents called lávut provide temporary shelter for Sami herders while following the reindeer. Nils Peder Gaup, resting here on the tundra, feels most at home in the mountains. "The Sami spirit follows you," he says.

Ella-Li Spik of Jokkmokk, Sweden, is one of only a small percentage of Sami who grow up herding reindeer. She is part of a new generation with plans to attend college. "I want to explore the world," she says, "but I always want reindeer to be part of my life."