On occasions it has approached silently, snuck slowly towards him and concealed itself behind an ice floe. Tommy has made his presence felt, staring at the polar bear and demonstrating dominance. Sometimes the polar bear has withdrawn and other times Tommy has let the bear have the seal. There is no point in holding on to prey the polar bear has decided to take for itself. After living for many ye
ars in the kingdom of the polar bear he has learnt to live with the animals. "A hunter in the wilds of Svalbard" has become a book that spectacularly complements the diverse Norwegian polar literature". Preface to book – Lars Haltbrekken
For several years, hunter Tommy Sandal has lived alone in the wilderness of Svalbard. With a hunting cabin at Austfjordnes as his starting point and his dogs as his assistants, he follows the changing seasons and nature's own rhythm. He uses hunting methods handed down through generations and makes use of the resources that are available throughout the year, whether he's hunting reindeer, fox or seal. Tommy Sandal is a traditional hunter, but with present and future perspectives on his hunting activities. Journalist Julie C. Knarvik and photographer Sverre Chr. Jarild have followed Tommy Sandal for two years. In this book they have documented his life in words and pictures. The preface to the book has been written by Lars Haltbrekken, head of Friends of the Earth Norway. Julie C. Knarvik
(born 1973) is a journalist and author. She has previously published Somnia – a book about dreams (2002). Sverre Chr. Jarild
(born 1970) is a freelance photographer and works with reporting and documentaries for magazines and newspapers.
