Harvesting from nature

Nature’s resources have always been important for rural settlements. In the high mountains and forest areas, generations have found what they needed in terms of materials and food. Right outside the door, you could find materials for most things you needed to make, both for house building and for craft products. For those who know nature’s conditions, the landscape offers a wide selection of resources. This tradition is still as strong today.

Gathering sedge grass (sennagress) has a long tradition in the rural areas. Sedge grass was harvested in the summer and early autumn. One gathered enough grass for the whole winter. The sedge grass stock had to be enough for use in both kommager (typical Sami shoes) and mattresses for the entire household. It was also used in the boots when the men went on the Lofoten fishing trip.

The sedge grass was harvested from nearby places, including in Hoanttas, Guorttesguorra or in Forramarka. The use of sedge grass was very widespread in the field settlements since kommager were the most common footwear among people up to the beginning of the 1950s. Children usually wore kommager as everyday footwear after the war (WWII).