In recent decades the soundscape of the tundra has been changing quickly. The usual sounds and silences are interrupted by the noise of an occasional all-terrain vehicle, snowmobile, electric generator, or ringing mobile phone. The young generation adapts quickly to the world of the new noises that come from the settlement and takes some of these back to their parents’ tents and pastures. This requires a new set of skills that are acquired while driving but also during the countless moments of repair. How to fix a snowmobile is vital knowledge as breaking down at a distance of dozens of kilometres from the nearest camp may have fatal consequences. Some people say that the time when only reindeer were used for travel was much safer.
One needs to know how to dismantle the carburettor to remove ice that often clogs the system in the middle of nowhere.
.
Many prefer a Russian Buran rather than a foreign snowmobile because they are cheaper and it is easier to get spare parts. At the same time, the more prestigious "Japanese" are much faster and do not break down that often.
Every young herder tries to get his hands on a personal snowmobile, be it second-hand and in need of repair. When talking about their engines, many young men switch to Russian which is the language of the new technology.
In recent years, motor sledges have replaced reindeer harnesses for long-distance winter travel. However, hundreds of extra kilometres to distant petrol stations are driven to keep the snowmobiles going.
The world of technique... Difficult to compare it with the other, more traditional pictures of the tundra, at least esthetically and for me, but it is part of the life of a reindeer herder... Good to have included it!