Thematic Network on BEBO – for the Future of Reindeer Husbandry

The name BEBO means ‘For the Future of Reindeer Husbandry‘ (in North Sámi Language - Boazoealahusa boahtevuoda ovddas). BEBO was founded in Inari, Finland on the 30th of June in 2007, in connection with the ‘Arctic Reindeer Herding Education Seminar’ organized by the Sámi Education Institute.

Goals

BEBO is an international joint organization of educational networks in the fields of reindeer husbandry and other traditional livelihoods of Arctic indigenous peoples.  It operates as a development forum between educational institutes, enterprises and organizations. The founding organization is the Sámi Education Institute located in the Municipality of Inari, Finland. The BEBO will now function as the basis of the UArctic Thematic Network carrying the same name: BEBO – For the Future of Reindeer Husbandry. The work, the rules and the objectives of BEBO are in line with the UArctic Thematic Network BEBO.

Goals of the thematic network are:

  • to serve as a collaborative educational network for reindeer husbandry and other indigenous peoples’ traditional livelihoods in the Arctic regions
  • to preserve and develop indigenous peoples’ languages and cultures
  • exchange of students and teachers
  • to organize projects in the field of reindeer husbandry, traditional handicraft, tourism and cultural sensitive nursing
  • to develop new technologies of teaching of the native language, including distance learning and nomadic schools
  • to co-operate in the field of the media and cinema of the indigenous peoples
  • to organize actively various events, seminars, conferences and workshops for indigenous peoples

Activities

The main emphasis of the work of the BEBO focuses on enhancing the skills (including traditional skills) and building capacity in form of organizing practically oriented workshops for the target groups. The workshops include participants from different parts of the Arctic and experts from the education field, experts from indigenous livelihoods and languages, researchers and experts of administration.

  • Reindeer herding and reindeer subsidiary livelihood co-operation
    • Reindeer plant slaughtering and reindeer meat processing, hygiene legislation and plant self-monitoring plan, reindeer herding entrepreneurship - training
    • Further processing of reindeer skin using the traditional Sámi method, entrepreneurship in the handicraft business - training
    • New technologies in reindeer herding, testing and training in use and development of positioning devices
  • Indigenous Tourism Cooperation
    • Development of Culture and Nature Based Tourism of the Indigenous Peoples of the North - projects
    • Conferences and workshops on tourism
  • Indigenous Language Cooperation
    • Language Rehabilitation Training and Activities
    • Nomadic School
    • Virtual training
  • Indigenous Media Cooperation
    • Tundra Film Camp - Training
    • Participation in indigenous film festivals
  • Indigenous Cultural Cooperation
    • Participation in indigenous music festivals
    • Arctic Indigenous skills competition

All of the above activities are permanent in the work of the thematic network.

  • International Arctic Indigenous Bachelor - Cooperation