Sámi: The People
 |  | History  The oldest written history of the Sámi is the Roman historian Taticus' descriptions of the "fenni" in 98.A.D. | |
 | Language The Sámi people have ten distinct languages and the oral history of the Sámi is very rich. Today Sámi is considered an official language in regions of Finalnd, Sweden and Norway. | ||
 | Duodji Duodji, or Sámi handicraft, were originally intended only for domestic use, but today the gorgeous duodji provides at least a supplementary livelihood for many Sámi as an arts | ||
 | Spirituality There is much to Sámi spirituality from an ancient animistic world-view with shamans, 'runebomme' drums and yoiking, the traditional chant to Christianity. | ||
 | Food Fish, bread, berries, reindeer meat and much more – traditional food is still an important part of the Sámi diet today. | ||
 | Livelihood Sámi work in all parts of today's modern society but the Sámi culture is rooted in fishing, reindeer herding, agriculture, trade and handicrafts. | ||
We the Sámi are one people, whose fellowship must not be divided by national boundaries | |||
The Sámi are one people in four countries!
The Sámi people have lived in a region they call Sápmi ever since the ice retreated from the last ice age some 11,000 years ago.
Today they are an ethnic minority in Norway, Sweden and Finland. There is also a small community of Sámi on Russia's Kola Peninsula.
Today Sápmi extends across borders throughout Fennoscandia in northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and onto the Kola peninsula in Russia.
Having their own language, culture, means of livelihood and identity, the Sámi are considered the last indigenous people in Europe.
The Sámi traditionally fished, hunted and gathered their food and resources living of the land.
However, the Samia are best known as reindeer herders and reindeer herding is indeed an important part of Sámi culture and identity.
Whereas the hunting of wild reindeer was always an important stable in the lives of the Sámi it was maybe as late as the 15th century when there was a gradual transition to the present practice of herding (semi-)domesticated reindeer. Having large reindeer herds was at large a response to the taxation of the Sámi people by the colonizing powers. Today, it is only a minority of Sámi - around 10 % in both Norway and Sweden - that actually work as reindeer herders. In Sweden for example , of the 20,000 registered Sámi about 2,500 Sámi are involved in what is today called reindeer husbandry.
What is a Sámi?
A Sámi is a person who...
...Has Sami as first language or has close relatives whose first language is Sámi
...Considers oneself a Sámi living according to the rules of the Sámi community
...Has a father or a mother that fulfills the above conditions
Source: Act No.56 The Sámi Parliament Act
Note: As a Sámi you can vote in elections for the Sámi Parlament.
How many Sámi are there?
Between 60,000 and 100,000!
Norway: 40 - 45,000
Sweden: ~ 17,000
Finland: ~ 6,000
Russia: ~ 2,000
There has been no recent official count of Sámi and for much of the 20th century Sámi people would hide their Sámi identity because of racism.
Yoik
Yoiking is the original form of Sámi music. It consists of rhythmic sung poems or poetic songs. The most popular form of yoik is that which 'is a person.' It is believed that a good yoiker can make a yoik that is the person or a place and not just one that describes. The yoik belongs to the person that it is. Yoiking was made illegal by King Christian the 4th of Denmark in the 15th century and remained so until the mid-1970's. Listen to some incredible yoiking and learn more
Kolt
The traditional Sami outer garment is called the kolt, or gákti. Most traditional kolts are made of leather, broadcloth or frieze in various shades of blue or black decorated with the Sámi colors of red, yellow, blue and green. Kolts in many colors are mostly worn on festive occasions! Learn more
Reindeer
Much of the traditional Sámi culture is built up around the ancient tradition of reindeer herding and the reindeer, one of the animals best adapted to living in the Arctic and high boreal forest environment. Learn more
Human Rights and the Sámi!
Like most indigenous groups, the Sámi have struggled to overcome a legacy of racial discrimination and cultural erasure. The Sámi people are unique in that their culture straddles four countries and yet they have developed a 'pan-Sámi' identity that transcend not just the four borders but is also united despite traditional local language and cultural divisions among the Sámi. They have emerged from history an intact people, with their own sense of identity, their own political structure, and a leadership role among indigenous nations worldwide not least in their strong involvement in fight for human rights for indigenous peoples.
The most important instruments of international law concerning indigenous peoples and their rights are the ILO Convention of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples in Independent Countries (No. 169), the UN Covenant on Political and Civil Rights, the European Convention on Human Rights, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. Declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.
What are indigenous - or Native - peoples? The common denominator for such people is that they have always lived in the same place, before the country was invaded or colonised. They have their own culture, language and customs that differ from those of the rest of society.
