Experience
Sami culture in Norway

Who are the Sami?

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

Many think that Sami traditions consist of nothing more than colourful clothing and catching reindeer with lassos. But the truth is that Sami culture and traditions can be found in everything from rap music and modern architecture to contemporary art and cutting edge design. Modern Sami are be everything from an award-winning filmmaker to a reindeer herder on a snowmobile. Both may 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, take in a Sami art exhibition, and much more.

Reindeer herding

Reindeer hunting and herding have always played a key role in Sami culture. Primarily practiced in Northern Norway, Trøndelag, and a few other areas, about 3,000 people are involved in Sami reindeer husbandry today, 2,200 of whom are in Finnmark. Altogether, herders own around 213,000 tame reindeer. 

Herders make a living by selling reindeer products. The meat is sold across Norway and exported abroad, and the hides are used to make mittens, shoes, and other 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, reindeer has a proud place in 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 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 from speaking their own language and were forced to learn Norwegian under strict assimilation policies. As a result, slightly less than half of Sami in Norway speak a Sami language today. The Sami people received an official apology from the Norwegian government in 1999 for these policies.

The renaissance of joik

Joik – the folk music of the Sami – is one of Europe’s oldest song traditions. It has unique 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 since 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. Listen wherever you get your music!

Sami silver

Historically, the Sami acquired silver through trade between the northern countries. Many 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 in ceremonial symbols and wedding gifts. Many pieces have been well looked after and passed down for generations.

Today, it's common for Sami people to wear silver accessories with traditional designs. 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 Sami also design their own variations of clothing inspired by the gákti, combining traditional elements with their own imagination," says Ann-Kristine Bongo from Sami Siida in Alta.

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

Duodji – Sami craftsmanship

Duodji includes tools, clothing, and accessories that are both functional and incorporate artistic elements. Although there have been slight changes in the traditional duodji, many traditional forms 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.

If you want 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 formats to traditional duodji.