Kulning, Ancient Herdingcall: Jonna Jinton

The singing technique called “kulning” is an ancient Swedish herdingcall, that was used by women long time ago to call home the cattle (the cows and the goats) back home to the farm in the evenings. It was also used as a form of communication, since the high pitch sounds can be heard through very far distances.

The vocal technique likely dates back to at least the medieval era. In the spring, farmers sent their livestock to a small fablod, or remote, temporary settlement in the mountains, so cows and goats could graze freely. The herds grazed during the daytime, wandering far from the cottages, and thus needed to be called in each night. Women developed kulning to amplify the power of their voices across the mountainous landscape, resulting in an eerie cry loud enough to lure livestock from their grazing grounds.

Cows, however, weren’t the only ones on the receiving end of kulning. The call could ward off predators in the woods, and served as a form of communication between women who were otherwise isolated from one another. If a cow went missing, for instance, a woman on one farm might cry out using a particular melody to pass the message to those within earshot. Once the cow had been located, her far-off neighbor would convey the news back to her in song.
_{^{via Jonna Jinton}}

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