Sami National Day

The Origins of Sami National Day

The Sami National Day falls on February 6 as this date was when the first Sami congress was held in 1917 in Trondheim, Norway. The resolution for celebrating on 6 February was passed in 1992 at the 15th Sami congress in Helsinki. Since 1993, Norway, Sweden and Finland have recognized February 6 as Sami National Day

The Scandinavian countries where Sami peoples live have been making efforts to promote Sami culture, to make up for past suppression. Russia does not recognize them as a minority group, and so does not recognize the Sami congress.

The purpose of the Sami congress is to discuss and protect Sami interests. Its goal is not autonomy.

The Sami PeopleThe Sami are natives of the arctic.

They have inhabited the northern arctic and sub-arctic regions of Fenno-Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland) and Russia for at least 5000 years.

The estimated total Sami population is about 70,000.

One problem when attempting to count the population of the Sámi is that there are few common criteria of what "being a Sámi" constitutes. In addition, there are several Sámi languages and additional dialects, and there are several areas in Sapmi where few of the Sami speak their native language due to the forced cultural assimilation, but still consider themselves Sami

The region inhabited by the Sami people is called Sapmi.

It contains land in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia.

The Name “Sami”“Sami” is the name the Sami people give themselves, and the name now used.

The first known historical mention of the Sami, naming them Fenni, was by Tacitus, about 98 CE. Variants of Finn or Fenni were in wide use in ancient times

Finn was the the name originally used by Norse speakers (and their proto-Norse speaking ancestors) to refer to the Sami, as attested in the Icelandic Eddas and Norse sagas.

At one point the Samis were also called Lapps, but the term is considered derogatory by the Sami peoples.

LanguagesThere is no single Sami language. Instead there are 9 distinct regions each with its own language. These regions are:

. 1. Southern Sami, 2. Ume Sami, 3. Pite Sami, 4. Lule Sami, 5. Northern Sami, 6. Skolt Sami, 7. Inari Sami, 8. Kildin Sami, 9. Ter Sami.

All Sami languages are endangered.

SongYoiking is one of the longest living music traditions in Europe, and is the folk music of the Sami people. Its sound is comparable to the traditional chanting of some Native American cultures

The only traditional Sami instruments that were sometimes used to accompany yoik are the "fadno" flute (made from reed-like Angelica archangelica stems) and hand drums (frame drums and bowl drums).

Yoiks are song-chants and are traditionally sung a cappella, usually sung slowly and deep in the throat.

Yoiks can be dedicated to animals and birds in nature, special people or special occasions

Sámi Soga Lávlla

The Sami National Anthem

Sami Shamanism

The term “Sami religion” generally refers to the pre-Christianity practice of Sami shamanism.

These practices included sacrifices to gods and animal spirits and the use of a shaman to connect with the spirit world.

Sami religion varied from regionally, but had a common emphasis on animal spirits and ancestor worship.

Animal spirits, called Haldi, watched over nature. The bear was an especially powerful spirit, and much ceremony went with a bear hunt in order to divert the wrath of the bear’s spirit, which was thought to be reborn after the hunt.

The NoaidiThe Noaidi, or shaman, is a mediator between humans and the gods.

He asks the gods what sacrifices must be made for the aid of the gods (in luck, weather, health, or other things).

The purpose of a sacrifice was to maintain the balance between the mortal and immortal worlds.

During shamanistic rites, yoiks would be sung by the shaman as he beats a drum.

Sami shamanistic drums contain symbols of animals, deities, and activities.

Because they resisted the crown, Sami noaidis were often persecuted for witchcraft and punished as examples to quell resistance.

The Gods

The Sami Deities hold separate dominions over natural forces, mankind, and activities such as hunting.

Little is known about the workings of the Sami pantheon due to lack of written records.

This is Hovrengalles, God of Thunder

Various rituals accompanied pleas to the gods/spirits for help.

Mano, Aske or Manna - The god of the Moon. Atja - The god of thunder, also called Bajanolmmai, Dierpmis, Hovrengalles, Tordöm or Horagalles, which means "Thor- man". Beaivi, Biejje or Biejvieh - The great Goddess of the Sun, mother of humankind. Bieggagallis - The god of the storms, father of human kind, consort of Beaivi. Bieggolman or Biegkeålmaj - God of the summer winds. Biegkegaellies - God of the winter winds. Biejjenniejte - Goddess of healing and medicine; her name means "Daughter of the Sun" or "Maiden of the Sun", and she was especially helpful against sicknesses caused by her mother, the sun. Jabbmeaaakka - Goddess of death and queen of the underworld and the kingdom of death. Ipmeláhcchi/Ipmil/Jipmel/Ipmilbalolaš (trans. Heaven Father) - "God" ; possibly this was a late lative name of the Christian God, but it could also have been a name to include all good deities Juoksahkka - The protecter and guardian of children; "The woman with an arrow". Lieaibolmmai - God of the hunt, the god of adult men. Maadteraahka - Mother of the tribe, Goddess of women and children, she who gives humans their body; women belonged to her, and boys belonged to her until they were declared men. Maadteraahka is popular among modern sami feminists. Maadteraajja - The father of the tribe, husband of Maadteraahka; while his wife gives humans their body, he gives them their soul; and thus, they are born. Mubpienålmaj - "The evil one"; possibly the Christian god of evil, but also a name that included all the evil deities. Oksaahka - The former of the fetus; she shaped the fietus in the mother's womb and gave humans their gender. She was the sister of Juoksahka. Raedie, Väraldarade or Waralden Olmai - The main god, the great creator of the world; he was, however, passive, some say even sleeping, and not very included in active religion. Raedieahkka - Wife of Raedie. Rana Niejta - Daughter of Raedie. "Rana" was a popular name of Sami girls. Raediengiedte - Son of Raedie. Ruohtta/Rohttu - The god of sicknesses and therefore also a death-god. He was depicted riding on a horse. Saaraahka - The Goddess of fertility, menstruation, love, sexuality, pregnancy and childbirth. Saaraahka was the most important female god; she is sometimes sister of Juoksahka and Oksaahka, sometimes they are a trinity of the same Goddess. Stallon/Stalu/Stalo - The feared giant of the woods. Tjaetsieålmaj - The men of water.

Siedi And SeitaSiedis were sites of worship and sacrifice to the gods. They were considered to be gateways to the spirit world. They are unusual land formations.

Sacrifices might include animals, such as reindeer, or objects, such as coins or antlers.

A seita was a clan or family god, represented by a setup of stones, wood or other objects placed in a prominent place or in a rich meadow. Seitas protected their worshippers, and in return the worshippers offered sacrifices and strewed fir twigs in winter and green leaves in summer at the base of the seita.

The Rise of Christianity

Most Sami today belong to the state-run Lutheran churches of Norway, Sweden and Finland. Some Sami in Russia belong to the Russian Orthodox Church, and similarly, some Skolt Sami resettled in Finland are also part of an Eastern Orthodox congregation, with an additional small population in Norway.

Christianity was introduced by Roman Catholic missionaries as early as the 13th century. Increased pressure came after the Protestant Reformation, and rune drums were burned or sent to museums abroad. In this period, many Sami practiced their traditional religion at home, while going to church on Sunday. Since the Sami were considered to possess "witchcraft" powers, they were often accused of sorcery during the 17th century and were the subjects of witchcraft trials and burnings

Reindeer

The Reindeer Sami (about 10% of the Sami population) Were a nomadic group which hearded reindeer for a living.(sea Sami mainly fished and other inland groups did not herd reindeer)

Although not all Sami hearded reindeer it is seen as a fundamental part of Sami culture.

Reindeer provided food, clothing, transport, and materials for tools.

During the years of forced assimilation, the areas in which reindeer herding was an important livelihood were among the few where the Sami culture and language survived.

Gakti

Traditional Sami clothing.

The colors, patterns and the jewelry of the clothing can signify if a person is single or married and where the person is from.

Traditionally the gákti was made from reindeer leather, but now it's more common to use wool, cotton or silk

Food!

Duodji

Duodji, the Sami handicraft, originates from the time when the Samis were self-supporting nomads, believing therefore that an object should first and

foremost serve a purpose rather than being primarily decorative.

Modern Day Sami

The modern Sami population is a mostly urbanised demographic, but a substantial number live in villages in the high arctic.

.Today, in Norway and Sweden, reindeer husbandry is legally protected as an exclusive Sami livelihood, such that only persons of Sami descent with a linkage to a reindeer herding family can own, and hence make a living off, reindeer.

.There are an estimated 30,000 people living in North America who are either Sami, or descendants of Sami.

The Sami livelihood is often threatened by deforestation and other environmentally-impacting human activities.

Efforts in Scandinavia to promote and revitalize Sami culture and language have helped to preserve the Sami traditions.