2017 Expedition-Jokkmokk-Part Four- Ice Raven

Jokkmokk Winter Market 2017

The Return

Part Four

By now you may be wondering what we bought at the market.

Some of it might seem quite mundane I suppose, Some stabilised wood for knife handles, naturally tanned reindeer leather, artificial sinew in gauges I cannot get in the UK, brass rings, belt studs and tin thread.

The important thing is that all of these things will become other things in the future. I also came away from the market with a head full of ideas.

Having good materials to work with is a great inspiration to any crafts person and I am no different there.

The Red Cross charity shop in Jokkmokk was a great find.

These four boxes and the shoebands cost me less than fifteen pounds for the lot by my reckoning.

One of the first things that caught my eye and my first actual purchase were both leather work.

The Salmon, Eel and Reindeer skin bag was made by Isse Israelsson and I found it in one of the local craft shops before the market opened.

The needlework bag is less remarkable but suited my needs perfectly and was my first spend on the market itself.

One of the traders had a cardboard rummage box by his side, full I suspect, of things he may have found in charity shops and thrift sales but in amongst it all I found this delicate little Kuksa and a lonely shoeband that Debs liked the pattern on.

I suspect she might weave me a pair.

A simple bent wood box for Debs to use as a textile work box.

You can never have too many boxes...

Showing both sides here by the magic of PhotoShop.

A very nice Matchcase made by Anders Sunna

Another piece by the same artist/craftman Anders Sunna, This time a Needlecase.

Debs uses the one I bought in 2013 all the time but any textile worker needs more than one needlecase, especially when they are so beautiful.


	A lovely belt buckle by Per-Stefan Idivuoma, A fine young man with a bright future ahead of him if the work he is producing now is anything to go by.

And my personal favourite, this Skop, by Johan Borgstróm, caught the corner of my eye as I was buying something else. Tucked in a corner I almost missed it.

As soon as I picked it up I knew it was right.

When I turned it over and looked at the work on the back as well I was blown away.

Sadly I cannot find a link for him online.

This makes a fine pair with the Kuksa I bought here last time (Made by Roger Grūnlund, again I can’t find a link.)

The Kuksa gets used often for drinking when I’m out and the Skop will now be my eating bowl.

So, our little collection of Saami treasures now looks something like this. Every piece has a memory attached and every piece is a joy to use.

I’m not sure if I’ll ever get back to Jokkmokk, I’d like to but the wilder Arctic is calling and time appears to be growing short.

My greatest treasure is and always will be Debs. The fact that she could be with me on this trip meant more to me than I can possibly say. People that know us well will understand exactly what I mean.

She has been an inspiration to me for many years making me a far better person than I would be on my own. She supported me in the early years of my business, always having faith that things would work out in the end. She has stood by my side in very difficult times, put up with my wildest schemes and always kept my feet firmly on the ground when they needed to be.

I consider my self to be a very fortunate man.

The Ice Raven Project promotes sustainable and low impact bushcraft and wilderness skills in Arctic and winter conditions. This includes the use of tents, tarps and snow shelters where possible. Fires are only used where safe and where use and collection of firewood will not damage the natural environment. We often travel to locations by public transport and then use snowshoes, sleds, toboggans and pulks to transport our equipment into the wilderness.