Most of what has been written about us South Saami throughout history has been written by others. Now, we tell our own story here at Saemien Sijte.

In the main exhibition, we trace the traces of Saami presence through archaeological findings and historical sources. Additionally, our history is preserved through traditions, joik, and oral storytelling. The South Saami culture is vibrant today, having adapted and changed over many centuries.

The exhibition begins the story when the ice melted 14,000 years ago. This shows that our shared cultural heritage, such as rock art, is also part of Saami prehistory. In a timeline starting 12,000 years before the Common Era, we tell how Saami identity, language, and culture gradually emerge. The timeline highlights important archaeological findings and events right up to the present day.

In our new exhibition, we finally get to showcase our cultural heritage preserved in the artifact collection. These are items from the museum's original collection, items returned through the 'Bååstede' project, and gifts given to the museum in recent times.

We also use digital means in our communication. The exhibition is structured to reach different target groups based on various levels of knowledge. It's possible to delve into different themes. All texts and audio files are available in three languages: South Saami, Norwegian, and English. South Saami is the primary language. It has been important to us that visitors can both see and hear the South Saami language in the exhibition.

In the exhibition, you can also experience South Saami vuelie, joik. We have created a dedicated listening station where visitors can hear joik from old archive recordings.

A common thread in the exhibition is the Saami creation myth written down by the South Saami priest and author Anders Fjellner (1795-1876). Fjellner is best known for giving the Saami a national epic. Through the creation myth, we are reminded to take care of nature, also for future generations.