By Kathy Hughes
Contributing Writer
Lately, due to a series of messy colds, I have been able to indulge in an orgy of films on Netflix and YouTube — I had such a great time! Of all my interests and pleasures, anthropology usually takes a back seat, but this was a true binge, which, as it turns out, was very expensive.
One series I viewed was “Chef’s Table.” This is no cooking show, but at least a couple seasons worth of visits to “the 50 best restaurants in the world,” with the emphasis on each chef’s journey to become a Michelin star. As is frequently lamented by many of them, fine dining is usually expected to be French or Italian cuisine. Although French and Italian chefs are included, this series is distinctive in that many, many regional chefs are included. Each has a fantastic story not only of personal struggles, but creative ones as well. These men, and a few women, challenged the odds by incorporating regional and ethnic foods into their menus, and earning world recognition.
The cuisines visited include Mexico, Brazil, Slovenia and Asia. I was particularly taken by a Norwegian chef, whose restaurant is in the remotest part of Norway, and serves the expected fish concoctions, but also items such as lichens and spruce needle ice cream. Several stories are like this — small, often obscure restaurants who are rocketed to stardom by a chance visit of a food journalist.
But there is more to my story, as I watched a British documentary by a journalist who visits Finland, in a community near the Arctic Circle which features reindeer herding. She begins in a hushed voice, “we are in a forest clearing near the Arctic Circle. It is dark, and minus 20 degrees” [paraphrased]. She goes on to describe the “big silence” and a night sky full of brilliant stars so bright that with the snow, the forest is dimly lit.
The Arctic environment and the people who live there with their precious reindeer are the stars of this drama built around an upcoming reindeer race. The people are fascinating, including an episode of “oiking.” While not explained in the film, oiking is a form of á capella singing, or chanting, that is believed to be of truly ancient origins. These are songs of exuberant praise, honoring a person, a place or the environment, such as the wind.
The people inhabiting this remote area of Finland are known as Sami, and are an indigenous people related to others in arctic Norway, Sweden and Russia. Their language is not related to other European, namely, Indo-European languages, but belongs to a grouping referred to as Finno-Ugric. As with other indigenous people of the world – Australia, Ireland, the Americas, and Africa — the Samis were subjected to harsh repression by the incursion of other societies. Their language was banned, and sacred places and objects were destroyed. This effort at cultural obliteration almost succeeded. Now, the Samis are on the rebound. (It should be noted that they consider the designation “Lapp” or “Laplander” pejorative.)
Back to the documentary, “Burn, Slush,” I was so taken in that when it ended I said, “I’ve got to go there.” After watching the video several times over to be sure, I booked a flight to Finland and made a reservation at Lake Inari. If I don’t do it now, I might never have an opportunity.
So there you go — watching too many videos can cost you, or lead you to an adventure.
