The art of preserving and honoring

The Sami cradles are a work of art and practionality. They are made light and beautiful for the carrier and the child as it is the home of the infant for a long time. The craddle can be used for several generations if taken care of and they are a treasure not only for the parents, but also for their grandchildren and generations to come. The different areas of Sápmi shows different types of craddles. The following one is from the Karesuando area, belonging to the Prost-family. There is honor and humbleness when it comes to restoring the craftmanship of the original maker and it is a process that should be handled with care and respect. When this object came into our home it was as if the presence of the maker, the family and inhabitants of the craddle came with it. The craddle had been worn down by time, the wood had cracked and the tanned leather had dried and was like thin paper that could be ripped apart any second.

The leather was stripped down and Fredrik Prost, a Sami wood and antler carver, restored the craddle board as I moved along to exchange the leather casing with new tanned reindeer leather while restoring the pieces that could be reused: the woolgarnments and straps. After a few weeks of work the craddle was as new and could return home to the owner to be used for his grandchildren and generations to come. In the picture slide you can also find a picture of when the same craddle was used by the owner’s (and also Fredrik Prost’s) mother and grandparents, approximately around 80 years ago. The craddle, and the spirit with it, departed from our home with a sad but satisfied smile from our side. We know that with care and a good home the craddle will live a long life still.