The Sami people are the indigenous people of Northern Parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. In Dumpokjauratj, around 20kms from Arjeplog, Sweden, you will find the oldest known settlement – nearly 10,000 years old. The Sami people have followed the reindeer to different seasonal grazing areas for thousands of years. The land they inhabited, Sapmi, covers Northern Parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. In many areas of the high North, their traditions and culture are still very much alive.
Across all of these areas, the Sami have a total of 9 different but closely related languages – interestingly the communities from Northern Norway can communicate with friends in Sweden however can’t converse with friends in the far North. This is because the dialects in each area are so different.
Sami culture is now meeting a modern way of living and the old, traditional way of life is no more – indeed, many people in the communities live really modern lives. This doesn’t however mean that the old traditions are being lost – especially with the increase of tourism to the Arctic and the interest in joik music (the traditional musical form of expression) and craftsmanship. Sami crafts include knives, belts, clothing and tools from reindeer antlers.
The Sami have their own parliament, flag and language. In Swedish Lapland there are 32 communities – all different cooperative societies, they practice reindeer husbandry within a set area.
