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Experience the
Sami culture in Norway

Deeply rooted in nature. In old, profound traditions.  

But also with a vibrant voice for the future. 

The Sami culture is as diverse as the nature surrounding it. 

After many years of harsh historical repression, the Sami have reclaimed their heritage! 

This indigenous group of people from the North has historically supported itself through hunting, fishing and foraging.

Traditionally the lives of Samis in coastal areas have been more settled with a focus on farming, fishing and hunting, whilst the Samis in the mountainous areas are known for reindeer herding and a nomadic lifestyle guided by the seasons.

A lot of Sami people still make a living from reindeer herding today.

“We are often on the move, allowing the reindeer to graze on grass on summer pastures and reindeer moss during the winter months.”

Nils-Henrik Sara

Sami Siida in Alta

Sami culture is also flourishing in modern art, crafts and clothing, all of which have been noticed internationally.

“Sami art conveys an intense level of reality and that's what captivates people.”

Dine Arnannguaq Fenger Lynge

Sami artist network, Dáiddadállu

Young people today proudly learn Sami traditions and you can watch Sami theatre at the powerhouse of Čoarvemátta in Kautokeino.

It houses the Sámi High School and Reindeer Herding School, and the Sámi National Theater, Beaivváš.

Bures boahtin Sápmái! Welcome to Sapmi!

Ancient sounds, traditional handicraft, and a long-standing reindeer culture. But also a modern, revitalised Sami identity, and a vibrant art and culture scene. Get to know the Sami – an indigenous people of the North.

Who are the Samis?

The total population of Sami in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia is estimated to approximately 80,000, and about half of them live in Norway. The vast majority of settlements are located in Northern Norway, primarily the county of Finnmark. There are, however, Sami communities as far south as Innlandet county in Eastern Norway, and you'll also find a lot of people with a Sami ancestry all over the country. 

Many think that Sami traditions only consist of colourful clothing and catching reindeer with lassos. But the Sami heritage is also visible and alive in everything from rap music and modern architecture to contemporary art and cutting edge design. The modern Sami can be an award-winning filmmaker or a reindeer herder on a snowmobile. But they might both feel the same deep relationship with nature.

If you visit Northern Norway, Trøndelag or Røros, you can experience the Sami way of life. Enjoy storytelling in a traditional lavvo (Sami tent), get a close encounter with reindeer – or go see a Sami art exhibition.

Reindeer herding

Reindeer hunting and herding have always been a central part of the Sami culture. It is practised primarily in Northern Norway, Trøndelag and a few other areas. Today, about 3,000 people are involved in Sami reindeer husbandry, with 2,200 of them in Finnmark alone. They own around 213.000 tame reindeer. 

Herders make a living by selling reindeer products. The meat is sold across Norway and also exported, and the skins are transformed into mittens, shoes, and other leather products. There is almost no part of the reindeer that isn’t used, even the horns are transformed into everything from useful tools to beautiful art.

Unsurprisingly enough, reindeer is also very central in the Sami cuisine. You simply cannot visit Finnmark or Røros without tasting reindeer meat, which is a regional speciality. Reindeer is served in many ways, but the most famous dish is probably bidus, a stew made from carrots, potatoes, and slow-cooked reindeer meat.

The Sami have several languages

Of the ten different Sami languages in the world, six can be found in Norway. The three that are actively in use are Northern Sami, Lule Sami, and Southern Sami. Pite Sami, Ume Sami and Skolt Sami are currently going through a revitalisation phase in Norway. None of the languages resemble each other, nor are they related to the Norwegian language – or any other Scandinavian language for that matter.

During large parts of the 1900s, the Sami in Norway were forbidden to speak their own language and had to learn Norwegian under strict assimilation policies. As a result, slightly less than half of the Sami in Norway speak a Sami language today. For this, the Sami people recieved an official apology from the Norwegian government in 1999.

The renaissance of joik

Joik – the folk music of the Sami – is one of Europe’s oldest song traditions. It has particular vocal characteristics and is performed as a dedication to a person, an animal, or a place. 

The survival of joik throughout the centuries, despite acculturation and assimilation pressure from the Norwegian government, is in itself a remarkable phenomenon. Joik was condemned as sinful, and in the 1950s, it was forbidden to use joik in schools in Sami areas. Fortunately, this has changed. Many young artists include joik as an element in contemporary music, and it has become increasingly popular to combine joik with various other styles such as jazz, metal, and rock.

Norwegian artists famous for their interpretations of joik include Mari Boine, Ann-Mari Andersen, Frode Fjellheim, Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen, Elle Márjá Eira, and Marja Mortensson and Isák. 

Inspired by Sami culture

A lot of modern architecture has been inspired by Sami culture and traditions.

In 1989, the Sami Parliament was opened after numerous protests in the 1970s and 1980s against the construction of a hydroelectric power plant in the Altaelva river in Northern Norway, known as the “Alta controversy”.

Since then, the Norwegian Sami have been able to elect representatives to a parliament that solely focus on Sami issues.

The eye-catching piece of architecture located in Karasjok in Finnmark (known as the Sami capital) is shaped like a lavvo – a Sami tent – which has always been a symbol of their nomadic culture.

Visitors are welcome to participate in guided tours of the parliament building, given in Sami, Norwegian, and English.

Explore Čoarvemátta in neighboring Kautokeino, designed by the renowned Norwegian architects, Snøhetta, in cooperation with 70°N arkitektur and the artist Joar Nango.

It houses the The Sámi National Theater, Beaivváš, and the Sámi High School and Reindeer Herding School.

The name Čoarvemátta comes from the Sámi words for horn and root. The innermost joint of a reindeer horn is the inspiration for the building's shape, while the exterior resembles a lavvo. 

Sami silver

Historically, the Sami acquired silver through trade between the northern countries, and a lot of the silver designs that are used today derive from the middle ages. 

There is a belief that silver and other types of metal can protect you from evil and bring you luck. Sami babies are given silver amulets to protect them.

Over time silver was also used as ceremonial symbols and wedding gifts. A lot of pieces have been well looked after and passed down for generations. 

Today it's very common for Sami people to wear silver accessories with traditional designs, and the gákti (traditional Sami clothing) is usually adorned with large silver brooches, clasps and belt buttons.

Visit the marvellous Juhls Silver Gallery in Kautokeino to see intricate designs up close. 

Beautiful clothing

The traditional clothing “gákti”, or kofte in Norwegian, is another living tradition. Today, it's mostly worn on special occasions, such as weddings, confirmations, and other cultural events. The colours, patterns and decorations on the gákti can signify a person’s ancestral origin and marital status.

"But some Samis are designing their own variations of clothing inspired by the gákti. They combine the traditional elements with their own imagination", according to Ann-Kristine Bongo from Sami Siida in Alta.

The traditional Sami colours are red, blue, green, and yellow.


Duodji – Sami craft

Duodji can be tools, clothing, and accessories that are both functional and useful with the incorporation of artistic elements. Although there have been slight changes in the traditional duodji, many traditions of craftsmanship – such as pearl embroidery, weaving shoelaces, wood carving, and knife-making – are well maintained. Today, traditional duodji are considered to be valuable pieces of art by collectors from all over the world.

To learn more about what’s going on in the Sami art scene today, the Sami centre for contemporary art in Karasjok is definitely worth a visit. The gallery aims to be a venue for exhibitions of Sami contemporary art, which ranges from new expressions to traditional duodji.


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