People of the North The Sami history and ancient religion are full of tales and mysteries
A
long time before any national borders existed, the Sami people of Arctic Europe lived in a wide area that stretches over the regions now known as the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Russian Kola Peninsula. This area is internationally best known as Lapland, but the Sami people of Norway call their area Sapmi.
LARGEST POPULATION
SAMI
Norway is the country with the largest population of Sami people, around 40,000. In the village of Karasjok in Northern Norway, the Sami people have their own parliament, 28
Culture
A Sami family poses by a lavvu 100 years ago.
working to represent the Sami popula- DUOJI tion, and to protect and promote their The clothing and traditional handiunique culture. The Sami flag has a craft of the Sami people (known as circle as symbol for the sun (red) and duodji) shows that their society has the moon (blue). These colours may always been very aesthetically orienalso be found in the ted. Regular artefacts have characteristic detaibeen decorated and richly led embroidery on ornamented. Duodji traithe traditional Sami ning used to be a natural clothing. part of the upbringing and Most of all the from ancient times was Sami people are known as a Sami speciknown for their free alty. semi-nomadic moun- The flag represents sami In the old days, the Sami people in the Nordic countries shamans (known as noaidtain lives, constantly and Russia. moving reindeer dit) had a lot of respect in flocks between the the area, also from other summer grazing land Norwegians. There are countless by the coast and the Lapland tundra stories of shaman achievements, both in the winter. There are about 100,000 in terms of clairvoyance and their reindeer in the Norwegian part of abilities to use witchcraft. Lapland. The very tasty reindeer meat is considered to be healthy. by John A . Angelsen