Sami Culture, Arctic Circle

The Sámi people, who call the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia’s Kola Peninsula home, live in a region known as Sápmi, a vast and beautiful landscape that stretches across the Arctic Circle. They are one of Europe’s oldest indigenous groups, believed to have inhabited this northern region for at least 5,000 years. Traditionally semi-nomadic, their lives have centred around reindeer herding, hunting, and gathering. Reindeer herding is especially important, providing them with food, clothing, and materials for tools and shelter.

The Sámi speak several dialects belonging to the Uralic family, which includes Finnish, Estonian, and Hungarian. This makes Sámi quite different from the Indo-European languages spoken by most of Europe. There are nine living Sámi languages, each with its own unique grammar and vocabulary, and they’re different enough that speakers of one dialect might have a hard time understanding another. The language is tied to the land and nature, where words for snow or weather conditions can have several variations, illustrating the close relationship the Sámi have with their environment. However, the language is endangered, with only about 35% of the Sámi still speaking it. Strong efforts are underway to preserve it, especially through schools, community programs and cultural initiatives. 

A striking part of Sámi culture is their colourful traditional clothing. Originally made from reindeer leather and fur, these garments are now often made from wool, felt, and cotton. The clothing is designed to be practical but also expresses identity, with detailed patterns that reflect a person’s family, region, and social standing. The main piece is a loose tunic belted at the waist, often adorned with silver brooches, scarves, shawls, leather trousers, hats, and shoes crafted from reindeer leather. 

One very important part of Sámi life is music. Joik, as it’s known, is a traditional form of song, unlike anything most people are familiar with. It doesn’t use lyrics in the usual sense; instead, it relies entirely on vocal techniques, like pitch, rhythm, and tone, to convey meaning and emotion. Joik is deeply connected to the Sámi environment and is a powerful way to pass on oral traditions. Today, young Sámi artists are revitalising joik, bringing it to new audiences while keeping its cultural roots alive.

The Sámi also have a long history of animistic beliefs, seeing nature as full of spirits. Sacred sites, such as mountains, lakes, and forests, were considered living, breathing places, and the noaidi (shaman) acted as a mediator between the spiritual and the human world. Though much has changed over the years, traces of these beliefs still influence Sámi culture today.

Throughout history, the Sámi have faced many challenges, from assimilation to colonisation. But they continue to advocate for their rights and work to preserve their culture. The Sámi Parliaments in Norway, Sweden, and Finland are important voices in that effort. Despite the hurdles, the Sámi celebrate their heritage meaningfully, like Sámi National Day, marking the first Sámi Congress in 1917. During these important moments, the Sámi come together to share traditional music, dance, and feast.

Sápmi is a place of beauty and resilience, where the Sámi continue to live in harmony with nature while preserving their language, traditions, and identity. Deeply connected to the land, they remain proud stewards of their culture.