Sámi, People of the North

The indigenous inhabitants of Lapland, Sámi, live mainly in the regions of Fell Lapland and Northern Lapland. They were the first inhabitants of Lapland and started herding reindeer long before the Finnish borders were established. Sámi are the only indigenous people in the European Union area. The ancestral lands span over northern parts of Norway, Sweden, and Finland in addition to Russian Kola Peninsula.

The Sámi people have a distinctive culture known for their colourful attire and skillful handwork.There are around 9.000 left of the Sámi people in Finland of which many actually live in southern parts of the country.

The Sami have a few variations of the language. North Sami is spoken by approximately 2 000 people, while the Inari and Koltta dialects are only known by around 300 speakers each. These days, Sami is taught in the universities of Helsinki, Oulu and Rovaniemi, and the number of students is on a slow but steady rise. The preservation of the endangered language(s) and culture is governed by an autonomous parliament in Inari.

 

If you wish to learn more about the Sámi, the links below might be useful.

 

Distinctive