The moose hunting season concludes this weekend, marking the end of a period that commenced in September. While some hunting teams successfully met their quotas, others fell short, leading them to persist in their hunting efforts until the very last moment. This period of rest allows for the moose to focus on mating, gestation, and reproduction, ensuring a new generation for the following season’s hunt. Coinciding with this natural cycle is the highly anticipated seventh season of SVT’s ”The Great Moose Migration,” a nature documentary series that captivated audiences with 3.5 million viewing hours and 9 million online clicks last year. This remarkable popularity, dwarfing the nation’s 300,000 registered hunters, underscores the widespread fascination with moose, with a larger portion of the population preferring observation over hunting.
The moose holds a multifaceted significance in Swedish culture, often intertwined with complex personal experiences. For many, like the author, the moose represented an absence, a shadow cast over family life by a hunting-obsessed parent. The father’s constant pursuit of moose during hunting season, and even beyond, served as a legitimized escape from family obligations. The rituals of hunting – the thermoses filled with black coffee, the pre-dawn departures, and the heavy silhouettes against the morning sky – remained a mystery to the rest of the family, who were only privy to the results: weekly meals of moose stew from the communal hunt. Excluded from these expeditions, the children were denied the opportunity to truly know the moose, leaving them with a distant, almost mythical perception of the creature.
The moose also functions as a vibrant national symbol, attracting international attention and fueling a thriving commercial industry. Germans, captivated by the allure of the Swedish wilderness, acquire red cottages and even purchase moose droppings in jars. The iconic image of the moose adorns a plethora of merchandise, from folk-beer caps and warning signs (ironically prized by border trade collectors) to plates, shot glasses, underwear, and mousepads. The moose has become synonymous with Sweden, representing the country’s wild, untamed character to the outside world. But amidst this commodification and cultural appropriation, the question arises: what is the true nature of the moose’s appeal?
SVT’s ”The Great Moose Migration” offers some insights into this fascination. The program employs a slow-TV format, broadcasting live, 24/7 footage from strategically placed cameras along the Ångerman River. Here, viewers witness the annual spring migration, as some of the country’s 350,000 moose swim across the river. The show’s immense popularity, with viewership multiplying since its inception (experiencing a particular surge during the pandemic) and international broadcast rights secured, testifies to the allure of observing moose in their natural habitat. The moose embodies a sense of presence and tranquility, aligning with contemporary urban desires for reconnecting with nature. Its meditative posture, characterized by a placid expression, a horizontally poised upper body, and rhythmically moving knees, captivates audiences.
The documentary captures fleeting moments of interaction as the moose pauses, turns its head, blinks, twitches an ear, and then disappears from view, leaving behind a serene backdrop of melting ice, birdsong, the murmur of the river, and sun-kissed grass. These glimpses into the moose’s world offer a vicarious escape from the stresses of civilized life, reminding viewers of nature’s wonders, even when experienced through a mobile phone screen during a crowded commute. Even artist Carl Johan De Geer dedicates his work to these majestic creatures, painting them daily in his studio and recently publishing a book titled ”Älg” (Moose). De Geer’s artistic approach involves creating pastiches of his favorite artists, such as the Gothenburg colourists and August Strindberg, known for their emphasis on colour over form. Imbued with De Geer’s signature vibrant palette and naive style, these works feature the addition of a moose, transforming familiar artistic landscapes.
The inclusion of a moose in Strindberg’s dramatic ”The Moor” or Prince Eugen’s ”The Forest” adds a new dimension, a sense of peaceful contemplation amidst the existing emotionality. Similarly, De Geer’s interpretations of Munch’s ”The Scream,” featuring moose with varying expressions – inquisitive, anxious, or terrified – offer a unique commentary on the human condition. The author’s personal connection with the moose evolved unexpectedly in adulthood. After a lifetime of witnessing her father’s absence during hunting trips, she finally accompanied him, tasked with writing about the hunt. Positioned in a hunting blind, she anticipated witnessing a kill. However, the encounter unfolded differently. A female moose appeared, standing motionless just 20 meters away. The anticipated shot never came. The moose eventually retreated, prompting a surprising revelation from her father, who speculated about the presence of calves. This unexpected compassion from a seasoned hunter shed new light on his relationship with the moose, challenging preconceived notions. In conclusion, the moose continues to captivate our imaginations, serving as a symbol of the wild, a source of cultural fascination, and a subject of artistic exploration. While we may project our own interpretations onto this majestic creature, the moose remains indifferent to our projections, pursuing its own path in the untamed wilderness, as observed in ”The Great Moose Migration.” De Geer’s rapid, almost haphazard painting style captures the essence of the moose, evoking a sense of melancholy and the inherent mystery of life.
