Johan Mathis Buljo
- Come with me to the kingdom of the reindeer!
Johan Mathis Buljo has been trekking across the Finnmark Plateau since he was a young boy. The reindeer herder started DAVÁS to share breathtaking nature experiences and knowledge of Sami culture with increasingly interested guests.
"You have to learn to love bad weather, Johan. Even when the weather is bad, you have to be able to smile!”
It was Midsummer time, when seven or eight-year-old Johan Mathis Buljo set out with a group of men to repair a reindeer fence. The journey was long, but the sun provided ample warmth, and young Johan left home in a T-shirt.
- Then the weather took a sudden turn. In a matter of moments, the warm sun gave way to snow and bitter winds. We actually had to break in and seek refuge in a nearby cabin. That was when Uncle Johan said, "You have to learn to love bad weather”.
Davás will provide experiences and knowledge
The adult Johan has learned to love all kinds of weather, but also to pack smart, for what appears to be a nice summer day can turn into winter in a few hours. He became known to the Norwegian TV audience in 2018 when he shook Eivind Hellstrøm by answering "we'll boil it" to questions about everything from reindeer shank to tenderloin in the TV show "Truls à la Hellstrøm." Going back even further, to 2004, avid "71° Nord" fans will remember him as the winner of the first winter season.
- For me, Davás is a natural and necessary extension of reindeer herding. Davás is, of course, first and foremost about providing our guests with unique experiences. However, underneath it all is a goal of increasing knowledge about the conditions of reindeer herding, as well as the living conditions of the reindeer themselves, both now and in the future, says Johan.
- The reindeer are the same as they have always been. They wander across the same enormous areas that they always have, from summer grazing to winter grazing and back again. Of course, improvements have been made in parts of the reindeer herding business: we have snowmobiles, four-wheelers, drones, and modern slaughterhouses, but the reindeer - which ultimately has to pay for it all - are the same as they have been in the centuries we have had reindeer herding, says Johan.
- Through Davás, we can spread this knowledge. We are fortunately experiencing an increasing interest and positivity around both Sami culture, history and reindeer herding, but we still have a long way to go. When large interventions in nature are discussed - everything from wind farms to cabin development - many still believe that the reindeer can simply move or make do with less space, but that's not the case.
Everything happens on the reindeer's terms
Reindeer is in the forefront when Johan communicates. Nothing is more important than them.
- At Davás, we prioritise the well-being of the reindeer above all else. This means that our tours are always conducted on the reindeer's terms. That's how it has to be. While we have carefully crafted itineraries and plans in place for each tour, there may be instances where the reindeer's movements require us to adjust our approach. For example, if the grazing becomes poor or food becomes scarce, the reindeer may move to a new area or spread out. In these situations, we cannot pursue the animals with motorised vehicles and chase them. Davás will never be a kind of animal park with guaranteed reindeer sightings. There are places that have gathered groups of reindeer in enclosures for the purpose of showcasing them to visitors. That’s not Davás.
Days on Tour
Johan grew up in what he describes as cramped conditions, in a large family with a relatively small herd of reindeer as a source of income. The path to a life as a reindeer herder was interrupted by several years as a commander in the army, first in Finnmark and later in Oslo.
- But while I was in the army, I also worked as a reindeer herder for six summer seasons. A herder simply has herder duties: finding the animals, making sure they stay together with the herd and roam in the areas they're supposed to.
For days on end, he roamed through rough terrain, sometimes with a dog, but often alone. One of his sisters gave him the nickname "Mountain Goat”.
- Growing up, I was surrounded by nature. My childhood was characterised by a great deal of freedom and adventure. During the summer months, groups of us young ones would set out on impromptu excursions, sometimes choosing routes that were longer than anticipated, which led to limited food supplies. However, we always had access to crowberries —or superberries, as we called them— to keep us from going hungry.
The experiences transformed into knowledge. And his uncle Johan contributed to making his nephew into a well-rounded survivor in the harsh Finnmark wilderness.
- He could suddenly just show up and say “we’re going on a trip”. And those trips were always great experiences. These excursions could last for several days and my uncle imparted a vast amount of wisdom to me, ranging from how to gut a fish to finding cardinal directions in a white-out landscape. It was my uncle who taught me the significance of the southern prevailing winds on the tundra, leading me to search for dry material on the north side of rocks when I needed to make a fire, and the importance of brushing snow off before entering a hut or tent to avoid bringing in excess water.
Leadership in Practice: Reindeer Herding
As a former military commander, Johan gained extensive experience in leadership, but he also believes that the natural leadership present in the reindeer herding community has much to offer to most work environments.
- Reindeer herding is heavily influenced by intention-based leadership. When the animals are out grazing and the tasks involve herding them from one area to the next, there is no doubt about the goal. This type of leadership involves clearly defining the goal so that everyone knows what they're working towards and is able to make decisions that align with the common objective, without the need for excessive micromanagement. However, the need for leadership may vary depending on the situation, and in some instances a clear leader who can make quick decisions may be necessary, such as when the animals are gathered in the reindeer fence. Some will be slaughtered, while others will go out to the wilderness again to graze. At that time, it is the district leader who makes the decisions without much involvement from the other reindeer owners, explains Johan.
- I believe these aspects are relevant to society as a whole and that participants on our trips will find value in gaining an understanding of them, whether they are employees or leaders in their respective work environments. Cooperation and strong, positive relationships are essential for the Sami people, just as they are for any other workplace. However, in our demanding and sometimes extreme working conditions, this becomes even more clear. I am confident that, in addition to offering fantastic nature experiences, we provide our guests with thought-provoking insights that will continue to be beneficial long after they have left Finnmark.