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The wild reindeer is called "kon`t" or "kot`" in difference from the tame reindeer called "puadz" or "puatz". A herd of tame and wild reindeer is called "chutze". Perhaps, "puadz" is derived from the word "pyrt" or "pehrt", which means "a fundamental log dwelling" in difference from vezha (koht) or a light tent (kavaks).

The majority of the Saami`s household equipments are directly connected with reindeer-breeding and got the names derived from the word "kon`t", which is derived from the wild reindeer and not from the tame ones. For example, the skin flayed from the parts of reindeer legs below the knees used for sewing shoes is called "kojb" / "kojbi"; the shoes from "kojb" with toes turned up are called "kan`gi", "kam" or "kamas"; the threads made from reindeer veins - "kon`tsun"; even the notion of arrangement or losing a life is expressed by the term formed in the process of the Saami`s main occupation - hunting wild reindeer - "kontint". It allows us to make the conclusion that the Saami`s material culture was formed depending on hunting wild reindeer and that period was rather long. The latter is proved by the Saami`s folklore where the image of the wild reindeer took an important place recently.

The most ancient method of hunting wild reindeer was digging out the holes serving as traps on the isthmuses between lakes and swamps, on plateaus, along the reindeer paths and other narrow, often used reindeer places. Spreading of these holes everywhere on the Kola Peninsula, as well as making of fences and enclosures for a small number of reindeer being in private use, say that hunting wild reindeer for a long time was the basis of economic welfare for the Kola Saami so they didn`t have to breed their own herd.

It is difficult to name the date of appearing the first herds of domesticated and trained riding reindeer. Collectors of tribute came to the Saami riding the reindeer in the 13th century. Perhaps, the first domestication appeared from the necessity in traveling fast in deep snow when hunting wild reindeer.

Depicting of numerous scenes of hunting wild reindeer and riding domestic ones standing on skies in Karelia petrogliphs, let us think that reindeer were used for quickening attacks while hunting. As far as "kerezhki"/ "kerris" is concerned, it could appear not from the image of a boat but from the image of broad skies with toes turned up, and later it was changed. According to the Saami`s words, during the annual Pancake week holiday in Lovozero, accompanied by the competition in riding the reindeer, some Saami racers did not sit but stood on "kerezhki"on one foot while the other was outside. They chased wild reindeer in winter. It is not excluded that in some cases they also the caught reindeer as means of transport.

When the Saami domesticated reindeer they started to lead a nomadic way of life following the herds which were the possession of everybody. There is a number of traditions of legendary character preserved in numerous folklore memorials which consider wild reindeer to be the possession of this or that settlement and to possess miraculous and magic power of nojd.

We can name exactly the time when large herds owned by single Saami appeared. In the second part of the 17th century some Saami owned hundreds, thousands and even more reindeer. The appearance of the private reindeer herds` possession and consequently turning of reindeer herds into the instrument of the poor`s exploitation by the kop`skie Saami happened later.

Together with the development of exchange relations with the Russians and Norwegians, reindeer-breeding started to provide for products, which became the stimulus for increasing of herds in terms of great demand.

The peculiarity of the Kola Saami`s reindeer-breeding was the so-called "free grazing", which lasted till the end of the 19th century till the Izhemtzi came. The meaning of this "free grazing" ("pust chuehdz" means "a free herd") is that a reindeer-breeder gathers the herd mainly in the autumn period, watches it in winter and participates in the calving period in spring.

The Saami say that after calving reindeer are free and live by themselves the whole summer. This system of grazing is based on reindeer`s habits to be in places mainly known to reindeer-breeders from year to year.

When the Izhemtzi came and with the rich appeared among the Saami, the majority of the Saami had to refuse from "free grazing" and to start organized grazing with reindeer-breeders being constantly present near the herd ("kit-chuehdz" means "a tame herd"). The changing for organized grazing was also caused by the fact that the Saami`s small herds joined the rich Izhemtzi`s large herds and it was difficult for the Saami to recapture the reindeer in autumn.

The Izhemsk colonization contributed to the quick growth of reindeer-breeding on the Kola Peninsula but it is known that their herds were not more than 35%; at the same time the Saami`s herds were 46% of the whole population. The growth of reindeer population does not mean the rise of material welfare of the Saami. The herds increased first of all due to well-to-do families, as well as reduced hunting and fishing in some cases.

A normal reindeer herd is usually not more than 1000-1500 animals in summer period. It is not good to graze larger herds because reindeer being at the middle of the herd get worse fodder and trod out the pastures.

Reindeer-breeders have smaller herds (500-700 animals) in winter period because it is easier to watch and protect such a herd from predators.

Reindeer as such is a wilder animal loving freedom than usual domestic cattle. Reindeer-breeders should not only protect herds from beasts (mainly wolves) but also observe the right direction of moving. In summer reindeer rush against the wind in order to save themselves from a great deal of gnats and mosquitoes, so if a reindeer-breeder does not keep them back they cover long distances - up to 25 kilometers a day. At last every reindeer-breeder should have knowledge of cauterizing (tihteh), be able to geld (patzke) male reindeer, possess the minimum data on veterinarian questions and know the regime of taking care of a newborn calf in the calving period.

But whatever experienced and physically strong a reindeer-breeder is, he can hardly cope with a herd of 100-200 animals without a dog. It is a necessary helper of any reindeer-breeder and no operation is held without its help in the herd (excluding calving). The dog which drives the herd (poatz pienie) is highly appreciated by the Saami if it is young, very well-trained and does not have famous vices: earlier they gave the best bull for a good dog which drove reindeer, though its work-time does not last more than 3-4 years. The following features are required from a well-trained dog: obedience and acuteness, endurance and fast run, calmness being on lashing and relatively polite treatment of reindeer - that is barking and frightening them, and biting them in rare cases. Such a vice as eating up newborn calves is not allowed for a dog. The Saami`s dogs which drive reindeer (they are also hunting dogs) can be related to the race of Eskimo dogs or primeval Pomeranian-dogs. D. N. Anuchin, having examined in detail the remains of the stone-age dog found on the coast of the Ladoga Lake, made a conclusion that it was a primeval spitz-dog, the descendants of which nowadays graze the Saami`s herds, bark at squirrels and wood-grouses. The Saami`s dogs are small, have a sharp muzzle, upstanding small ears and thick fury hair; the dogs belong to different races. Their service is based, as it was already mentioned, on using of reindeer`s herd instincts. After the reindeer-breeder`s signal accompanied by this or that conventional exclamation, for example "vus" (capture, bite) and a gesture in the right direction, the dog rushes to the reindeer gone from the herd and attacks them furiously. The reindeer frightened of the dog turn back and rush towards the herd.

Alongside with saving of young animals, protection of herds from predators and reasonable exploitation, the most important or conclusive meaning for the increasing of reindeer population is the organization of the right nutrition of reindeer. The main reindeer fodder is reindeer moss.

The Saami reindeer-breeders have annual occupation depending on four seasons and physiological characteristics of reindeer.

It is summer. Soon after the calving period reindeer are driven to the best pastures with the best reindeer moss and a lot of grass. Reindeer eat reindeer moss in small amounts in this period; they prefer grass, young leaves of the trees and especially cloudberry blossom. According to reindeer-breeders` words this blossom is the favorite reindeer food. Reindeer don`t leave swamps until the end of cloudberry blooming. Besides, reindeer like to dig out some root (mytzken`), salty and sour grass, seaweeds, to eat eggs and even partridge`s nestlings. Reindeer are fed before the gnat period during which they suffer from midges and lose weight quickly. Gnats appear in the second part of June and already bother reindeer much in the beginning of July.

Before, when the herds were small reindeer-breeders helped the animals by making smoky bonfires or shed-huts (lemy), where they drove the reindeer and made bonfires in front of the entrance.

The quantity of insects becomes less starting from the second part of July and they almost disappear after early frosts - in the second part of August. As gnats get away reindeer-breeders feed reindeer up again driving them to the best reindeer moss pastures, to tundra.

In autumn reindeer prefer to graze on low "varaki" or plateaus covered with mild-sized forest. They look not only for juicy reindeer moss but also for mushrooms, which are more favorite food for reindeer than cloudberry blossom. If there are a lot of mushrooms reindeer are fed quickly and it is easy for reindeer-breeders to graze them. But if there is fewer mushrooms reindeer try to run forward looking for this favorite food, and it is very difficult for reindeer-breeders to keep the herd at one place.

It is autumn. Starting from the end of September and the whole October the coupling period (rokkymbale) goes on. This period starts with the attempts of "hirvasy" to group female reindeer (vazhenki) and realize conjugal rights on them.

In the end of October, when the coupling period is over, the gathering of reindeer into one herd begins. Having gathered the herd, it is driven to the forest area for winter grazing and divided into 2-3 smaller herds thus preparing for winter. Reindeer-breeders isolate old, crippled and ill animals here for slaughtering.

It is winter. The main task of reindeer-breeders in winter period is to protect reindeer from predators and keep the herd together in nasty weather. Reindeer-breeders have a lot to do when wolves appear. Predators watch the herd carefully, hiding from reindeer-breeders during the day. They attack the herd at night when people go to "kuvaksa". Sometimes two wolves kill 5-6 reindeer for 15-20 minutes. The problem is that the wolf, which attacked the herd once, stays nearby for a long time and kills more and more reindeer when reindeer-breeders are weak and inattentive. Struggling with wolves has always been considered the matter of the whole community.

It is spring. Starting from the second part of April reindeer-breeders begin to prepare thoroughly for the most important period in the life of any reindeer-breeder - calving. Calving starts from the 10-15th of May and ends in the beginning of June. The main task of the Saami is to save young reindeer so that to increase the whole population. While preparing for calving "vazhenki" part from male reindeer and "hirvasy", and are driven to calving places which should be protected from cold winds, situated away from stones, rivers and waterfalls, should have enough fodder for "vazhenki". Usually these are dry, flat places without trees or with low bushes.

The average annual number of newborn reindeer must be 35-36 % relating to the size of the herd before calving.

Alongside with watching the calving, reindeer-breeders count newborn "vazhenki" and male reindeer. Every newborn calf is cauterized by cutting signs on ears, but sometimes cauterizing is made when a calf is two months old.

Economic value of reindeer is spread on all the branches of the Saami`s activity and reindeer-breeding should be fully considered the basis of the Saami`s economic life.

Reindeer play an important role in the Saami`s household and economic life, are reflected in ideological views, ceremonials and cults. Some ceremonial traditions known from literature and ancient legends let us suppose that reindeer used to be totem animals. This supposition is based on anthropomorphous character of some notions concerning reindeer`s qualities. If a reindeer is sometimes called "a kind old man", "a strong fine fellow" or a female reindeer - "a beautiful girl", then a man is often called: "good, leading", "a strong bull" or "as slim and quick as a vazhenka". Sacrificial eating of reindeer and considering some parts of reindeer to be taboo ones make us suppose a totem relation between the Saami`s ancient ancestors and reindeer. These traditions have now developed into the rules concerning inequality of sexes and the leading role of a housekeeper.

The leading economic importance of a reindeer is reflected in the Saami`s songs, fairy tales and tokens. All the Saami`s folklore is full of stories connected with reindeer and reindeer-breeding. There are a lot of songs of the following kind: "Gathering of reindeer in autumn", "Catching of chepyrki", "Coupling period", "Riding the reindeer in tundra in autumn", "Moving on raida in tundra from a summer place to a winter one", "Crying of an old woman-nojda over the lost reindeer", "Running of reindeer from the gnats".

In difference from fishery, almost not reflected in folklore songs, reindeer and reindeer-breeding are most frequently repeated plots and images in songs. Even going to visit the neighbours a Saami sang about his reindeer; in a matchmaking song a Saami describes the groom`s draught and the qualities of the male reindeer; in a bridal ceremony the groom`s representative and his friends are compared with a leading male reindeer, "pilej" (the second after the leading) etc.

There are tokens connected with reindeer and reindeer breeding. For example: if the first "vazhenka" gives birth to its first calf with difficulty then the whole herd will also do it, and vice versa: if reindeer in the herd run quickly then the weather will be bad or wolves will come.