These Legs Are Made For Walking: How Finnish Reindeer Leg Skins Entered The International Shoe Business
What do reindeer herders in Finnish Lapland and a shoe factory in Mongolia have in common? Karoliina Majuri, a reindeer herder from Ranua, Finland, in 2022 seized a window of opportunity and entered the reindeer leg skin business in partnership with Reindeer Boot, a Mongolian shoe factory.
Hei! MARGISTAR meets Finland at First In-Person Meeting
In May 2023, MARGISTAR members travelled to Finland for their first in-person gathering (and, for some, their first polar summer) in the remote Lappish towns of Inari and Utsjoki. Read on for a short overview of this initial COST Action meeting, the experiences we had, and many of our members’ first introductions to indigenous Sámi culture, politics, and current marginalisation challenges.
Serra da Estrela Cheese: A Pilar of Culture, Heritage, and the Economy in Portugal’s Mountain Regions
The mountains of Europe bring rich and unique cultural heritages to their respective regions. Portugal is home to many mountain ranges and each is known for its own special contribution to Portuguese culture. Read on for a better understanding of one of the Central Portugal’s most renowned products: the Serra da Estrela cheese.
The Role of Creative Industries in the Empowerment of Marginalised Mountain Communities: A Case Study of Aldeias de Montanha, Portugal
Meet the Aldeias de Montanha, a group of villages located in the centre of Portugal between the Natural Park of Serra da Estrela and the protected landscape of Serra da Gardunha. Working to support these territories, the Aldeias de Montanha Project focuses on nature, heritage, culture, well-being, and quality of life and represents three key areas of interest: nature, people (tradition and culture), and gastronomy.
Exploring Carnivals and Their Social Impacts in Marginalised Mountainous Villages: Entrudo de Góis in the Aldeias do Xisto, Portugal
Nestled in the remote mountains of Central Portugal, lie three small villages: Pena, Aigra Nova, and Aigra Velha, better known as the Serra de Lousa, Góis Schist villages. Social isolation and depopulation are acutely visible in this area; each one of these mountainous and remote villages is home to only 1-8 elderly inhabitants. In rural areas, however, small-scale festivals can play a significant role as a tool for tourism development and local sustainable development.
Exploring Marginalised Portuguese Mountainous Regions: A Multidisciplinary Perspective
Despite being relatively small in size, Portugal has a large variety of landscapes. While Portuguese beaches and coastal cities tend to attract the most tourists, the country also boasts vast mountainous regions. Geographically, mountains occupy 18% of Portugal’s territory. These regions are home to mountains such as Serra de Estrela, Serra do Geres, Serra da Lousa, and Serra de Sao Mamede. One defining factor of these mountain regions is their classification of being marginalised.
