Kulning

Kulning or lokk is a Scandinavian form of herding calls predominantly performed by Norwegian and Swedish people often used to call livestock (cows, goats, etc.) down from high mountain pastures where they have been grazing during the day. It is possible that the sound also serves to scare away predators (wolves, bears, etc.), but this is not the main purpose of the call.

In Norway it is called laling, lalning and kauking, kaukning when calling between person-to-person, or lokk, kulokk when calling between person-to-animals, and is usually performed countrywide (especially in South Norway). In Sweden it is called llalning, lålning or kyrlokk, and is mainly performed in the provinces of Dalarna and Hälsingland and in the former Norwegian provinces of Jämtland and Härjedalen.

The song form is often used by women, as they were the ones tending the herds and flocks in the high mountain pastures, but there are recordings of these calls sung by men.