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Sami people
Sami flag. The cultural assimilation over many years of the Sami people in the four countries makes it difficult to estimate the numbers of Sami. However, the population has been estimated to be between 85,000 and 220,000 across the whole Nordic region, including urban areas such as Oslo, Norway considered traditionally outside Sápmi. The Norwegian state recognizes any Norwegian as Sami if he or she has one great-grandparent whose home language was Sami, but there is not, and has not been, any registration of the home language spoken by Norwegian people. Roughly half of all Sami live in Norway, but many live in Sweden as well. Finland and Russia are also home to smaller groups located in the far north. The Sami in Russia were forced by the Soviet authorities to relocate to a collective called Lovozero/Lujávri, in the central part of the Kola Peninsula. Traditionally, the Sami had a variety of livelihoods; fishing on the coast and in the inland, trapping animals for fur, sheep herding, etc. The best known livelihood is reindeer herding, but only a small percentage of the Sami have been mainly reindeer herders over the last centuries. Today, many Sami lead modern lives in the cities inside and outside the traditional Sápmi area, with modern jobs. Some 10% still practice reindeer herding, which for traditional and cultural reasons is reserved for Sami people in some parts of Nordic countries.
EtymologiesThe Sami are often known in other languages as "Lap", "Lapp", or "Laplanders", however these terms are considered derogatory to the Sami and often used by someone not connected to the culture. This name was originally used in Norway, Sweden and Finland, and from there the word was exported to all major European languages (English: Lapps, German, Dutch: Lappen, Russian, Ukrainian: Loparie, French: Lapons, Greek: ???????, Italian: Lapponi, Polish: Lapo?czycy, Spanish: Lapones, Portuguese: Lapőes). The widely accepted etymology is the Finnish word lape, which in this case means 'periphery'. Originally it meant any person living from the wilderness, not only the Sami people. In Scandinavian lapp also means a patch of cloth for mending, and one explanation of the name suggests that the Sami wear patched clothes out of poverty, or a derogatory word for their clothing called a gakti. It is unknown how the word Lapp came into the Norse language, but it seems to have been introduced by the Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus to distinguish between Fish-Fennians (coastal tribes) and Lap-Fennians (forest tribes). It was popularized and became the standard terminology by the work of Johannes Schefferus ?Acta Lapponica? (1673), but was also used earlier by Olaus Magnus in his "Description of the Northern peoples" (1555). There is another suggestion that it originally meant wilds. An alternative interpretation made by Damiăo de Góis in 1540 derives Lapland from ?the dumb and lazy land?, because the land where no vegetables grow is lazy and does not speak. 
Map of the Sami people Sami refer to themselves as Sámit (the Samis) or Sápmela? (of Sami kin), the word Sámi being inflected into various grammatical forms. It has been proposed that Sami, Suomi (Finnish for Finland), and Häme (Finnish for Tavastia) are of the same origin, the source of which might be related to the Baltic word *?eme meaning "land".[1] The Sami institutions – notably the parliaments, the radio and TV stations, theatres, etc. – all use the term Sami, also when addressing outsiders in Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish or English. In a Sami context, the terms Lapp and Finn – especially if used by people considered to be well informed – are easily considered derogatory in Norway and Sweden. Terminological issues in Finland are somewhat different. Finns living in Finnish Lapland generally call themselves lappilainen, whereas the similar word for the Sami people is lappalainen. It would be politically incorrect not to call Lapland Finns with that name and similarly incorrect to use the latter name about the Sami people. This might become troublesome for foreign visitors because of the similar lives Finns and Sami people today live in Lapland. ?Lappalainen? is also a common family name in Finland. Furthermore, using the term ?Finn? about Finns is completely acceptable in Lapland. History
A Sami family in Norway around 1900 The Sami people have inhabited the northern regions of Fenno-Scandinavia and Russia for at least 2500 years. Since the Sami are the earliest of the contemporary ethnic groups represented in the area, they are consequently considered an indigenous population of the area.[2] The Origins of the Norwegian ?Sea Sami?The Black DeathUp until the introduction of the Black Death of 1349 in northern Norway, the Sami and Norwegians lived very separate economic niches. The Sami, living in the interiors of the mainland of Scandinavia and on the Lofoten and Vesterĺlen Islands, hunted reindeer or fished for their own livelihood. The Norwegians, living on the outer fjords were connected to the greater European trade routes, did marginal farming in the Nordland, Troms, and Finnmark counties, and fished for trade products from the south.[3] The two groups co-existed using two different food resources.[3] This social economic balance greatly changed with the introduction of the Black Death in December, 1349 in northern Norway. The Norwegians, closely connected to the greater European trade routes where the plague traveled through, were decimated at a far higher rate than in the south. Of all the states in the region, Norway suffered the most from this plague.[4] 60-76% of the north Norwegian farms were abandoned following the plague,[5] while land-rents - another possible measure of the population numbers, dropped down to the level between 28-9%.[6] Although the population of northern Norway is sparse compared to southern Europe, the spread of the disease was just as rapid.[7] The method of movement of the plague-infested flea (Venopsylla cheopsis) was through wooden barrels holding wheat, rye, or wool from the south, where the fleas could live - even reproduce, for several months at a time.[8] The Sami, having a non-wheat or rye diet, living on the interior islands and mainland on reindeer meat, wearing animal skins and furs, and were not as strongly connected to the European trade routes, fared far better from the plague than the Norwegians.[9] 
A Sea Sami man from Norway by Prince Roland Bonaparte in 1884. The Sami and the North Norwegian fishing industryThe fishing along the north Norwegian coast, especially in the Lofoten and Vesterallen islands, are quite productive with a variety of fish, and during medieval times it was a major source of income for both the fisherman and the Norwegian monarchy.[10] With such massive population drops caused by the Black Death, the tax revenues from this industry greatly diminished. Because of the huge economic profits that could had from these fisheries, the local authorities offered incentives to the Sami - faced with their own population pressures - to settle on the newly vacant farms.[11] This started the economic division between the ?Sea Sami? (sjosamene) who fished extensively off the coast, and the ?Mountain Sami? (fjellsamene, innlandssamene) who continued to hunt, and later herd reindeer. Even as late as the early 1700's, there were many Sami who were still settling on these farms left abandoned from the 1350's.[12][13] After many years of continuous migration, these 'Sea Sami' became far more numerous than the original reindeer mountain Sami, who today only make up ten percent of the total Sami population. Mountain SamiAs the Sea Sami settled along Norway's fjords and inland waterways pursuing a combination of farming, cattle raising, trapping and fishing, the smaller minority of the Mountain Sami continued to hunt wild reindeer. Around 1500, they started to tame these animals into herding groups, becoming the well-known reindeer nomads, often portrayed by outsiders as following the archetypical Sami lifestyle. However the Mountain Sami faced the fact that they had to pay taxes to three nation states: Norway, Sweden and Russia as they crossed the borders of each of the respective countires due to the their annual reindeer migrations, which caused much resentment over the years. 
Traditional raised Sami storehouse, displayed at Skansen, Stockholm Post-1800'sFor long periods of time, the Sami lifestyle thrived because of its adaptation to the Arctic environment. Indeed, throughout the 18th century, as Norwegians of Northern Norway suffered from low fish prices and consequent depopulation, the Sami cultural element was strengthened, since the Sami were mostly independent of supplies from Southern Norway. However, in the 19th century, Norwegian authorities put the Sami culture under pressure in order to make the Norwegian language and culture universal. A strong economic development of the north also took place, giving Norwegian culture and language status. On the Swedish and Finnish side, the authorities were much less militant in their efforts; however, strong economic development in the north led to a weakening of status and economy for the Sami. The strongest pressure took place from around 1900 to 1940, when Norway invested considerable money and effort to wipe out Sami culture. Notably, anyone who wanted to buy or lease state lands for agriculture in Finnmark, had to prove knowledge of the Norwegian language. This also ultimately caused the dislocation in the 1920s, which increased the gap between local Sami groups, something still present today, and sometimes bears the character of an internal Sami ethnic conflict. Another factor was the heavy war destruction in northern Finland and northern Norway in 1944-45, destroying all existing houses or kota, and visible traces of Sami culture. After World War II, the pressure was relaxed somewhat. The controversy around the construction of the hydro-electric power station in Alta in 1979 brought Sami rights onto the political agenda. In August 1986, the national anthem (Sámi soga lávlla) and flag (Sami flag) of the Sami people were created. In 1989, the first Sami parliament in Norway was elected. In 2005, the Finnmark Act was passed in the Norwegian parliament. This law gives the Sami parliament and the Finnmark Provincial council a joint responsibility of administering the land areas previously considered state property. These areas, 96% of the provincial area, that have always been used primarily by the Sami, now belong officially to the people of the province, Sami or Norwegian, and not to the Norwegian state. CultureIn wonderful savageness live the nation of the Fennians, and in beastly poverty. DuodjiDuodji, 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. 
Marry Ailonieida Somby, a Sami author from Deatnu Clothing
Media and literature
Sami vocalist and musician from Gällivare, Sofia Jannok, performing at the Centre Culturel Suédois in Paris, France. MusicA characteristic feature of Sami musical tradition is the singing of joik. Joiks are traditionally sung a cappella, usually sung slowly and deep in the throat with apparent emotional content of sorrow or anger. Joiks can be dedicated to animals and birds in nature, to special people or special occasions, and they can be joyous, sad or melancholic. Christian missionaries and priests regarded these as ?songs of the Devil?. In recent years, musical instruments frequently accompany joiks. Education
Festivals and markets
Reindeer husbandry
At the Kola Sami museum in Lovozero, Russia. Today, in Norway, 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, of reindeer herding. Presently, about 2,800 people are engaged in reindeer herding in Norway.[14] Sami policyNorwayThe Sami have been recognized as an indigenous people in Norway (1990 according to ILO convention 169 as described below), and hence according to international law the Sami people in Norway are entitled special protection and rights. The legal foundation of the Sami policy is:[15]
The constitutional amendment states: ?It is the responsibility of the authorities of the State to create conditions enabling the Sami people to preserve and develop its language, culture and way of life.? This provides a legal and political protection of the Sami language, culture and society. In addition the ?amendment implies a legal, political and moral obligation for Norwegian authorities to create an environment conducive to the Samis themselves influencing on the development of the Sami community.? (ibid.). The Sami Act provides special rights for the Sami people (ibid.):
In addition, the Sami have special right to reindeer husbandry. The Norwegian Sami parliament also elects 50% of the members to the board of the Finnmark Estate that controls 95% of the land in the county of Finnmark. Norway has also accepted international conventions, declarations and agreements applicable to the Sami as a minority and indigenous people including:[16]
NordicOn 16 November 2005 in Helsinki, a group of experts, led by former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway Professor Carsten Smith, submitted a proposal for a Nordic Sami Convention to the annual joint meeting of the Ministers responsible for Sami affairs in Finland, Norway and Sweden and the Presidents of the three Sami Parliaments from the respective countries. This convention recognizes the Sami as one indigenous people residing across national borders in all three countries. A set of minimum standards is proposed for the rights of developing the Sami language, culture, livelihoods and society. The convention has not yet been ratified in the Nordic countries.[18] SápmiSápmi is the name of the cultural region traditionally inhabited by the Sami people. Non-Sami and many regional maps have often called this same region Lapland as there is considerable regional overlap between the two terms. However Lapland can be either misleading, offensive, or both, depending on the context and where this word is used to the Sami. Among the Sami people however, Sápmi is strictly used and acceptable. Sápmi is located in Northern Europe which includes the northern parts of Fennoscandia and spans four countries of: Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. AreaThere is no official geographic definition for the boundaries of Sápmi. However, the following counties and provinces are usually included:
The municipalities of Gällivare, Jokkmokk and Arjeplog in Swedish Lappland were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996 as a ?Laponian Area?. The Sami Domicile Area in Finland consists of the municipalities of Enontekiö, Utsjoki and Inari as well as a part of the municipality of Sodankylä. Important Sami townsThe following towns and villages have a significant Sami population or host Sami institutions (Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish or Russian name in parenthesis):
DemographicsIn the geographical area composing Lapland the Sami are a small minority. According to the Swedish Sami parliament the total Sami population is about 70,000. The Sami may be divided into smaller groups either based on the area where they are from, the Sami language (dialect) they speak, their occupation, or the country of residence. Division by geographySápmi is traditionally divided into:
It should also be noted that many Sami now live outside Sápmi, in large cities such as Oslo in Norway. Division by language
Geographic distribution of the Sami languages: 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. Darkened area represents municipalities that recognize Sami as an official language. A division based on language is (the numbers are the estimated number of speakers of each language):
Division by countryAccording to the Swedish Sami parliament, the Sami population of Norway is 40,000. If all people who speak Sami or have a parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent who speaks or spoke Sami are included, the number reaches 70,000. As of 2005, 12,538 people were registered to vote in the election for the Sami parliament in Norway.[22] The bulk of the Sami live in Finnmark and Northern Troms, but there are also Sami populations in Southern Troms, Nordland and Trřndelag. Due to recent migration it has also been claimed that Oslo is the municipality with the largest Sami population. The Sami are in a majority only in the municipalities of Guovdageaidnu-Kautokeino, Karasjohka-Karasjok, Porsanger, Deatnu-Tana and Unjargga-Nesseby in Finnmark, and Gáivuotna (Kĺfjord) in Northern Troms. This area is also know as the Sami core area. Sami and Norwegian are equal as administrative languages in this area. According to the Swedish Sami parliament, the Sami population of Sweden is about 20,000. According to the Finnish Population Registry Center and the Finnish Sami parliament, the Sami population living in Finland was 7,371 in 2003.[23] As of 31 December 2006, only 1776 of them had registered to speak some Sami language as the mother tongue.[24] According to the 2002 census, the Sami population of Russia was 1,991. Since 1926 the number of Sami in Russia has gradually increased:
Sami Immigration outside of SapmiThere are an estimated 30,000 people living in North America who are either Sami, or descendants of Sami.[25] Most have settled in areas that are known to have Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish immigrants. Some of these concentrated areas are Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, California, Washington, Utah and Alaska; and throughout Canada, including the Canadian territory of the Northwest Territories. Descendants of these Sami immigrants typically know little of their heritage because their ancestors willfully hid their culture to avoid discrimination by the dominating Scandinavian or Nordic culture. This downplaying of their culture was done in order for them to blend into their respective Nordic cultures. OrganizationSápmi demonstrates a distinct semi-national identity that transcends the borders between Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. However, there is no movement for complete autonomy. Sami ParliamentsThe Sami Parliaments (Sámediggi in Northern Sami, Sämitigge in Inari Sami, in Skolt Sami) founded in Finland (1973), Norway (1989) and Sweden (1993) are the representative bodies for peoples of Sami heritage. There is no single, unified Sami Parliament. Rather, each of the aforementioned three countries has set up their own separate legislatures for Sami people, even though the three Sami Parliaments often work together on cross-border issues. In all three countries, they act as an institution of cultural autonomy for the indigenous Sami people. The parliaments have very weak political influence, far from autonomy. They are formally public authorities, ruled by the Scandinavian governments, but have democratically elected parliamentarians. Their mission is to work for the Sami culture. The candidates' election promises often get in conflict with the institutions' submission under their governments. But as authorities, they have some influence over the government. Russia is not actively taking part of this recognition of the minority of Samis. Swedish organizationsThe main organisations for Sami representation in Sweden are the "siidas". They cover northern and central Sweden. Border conflictsThere is a border, and some state that the rights (for reindeer herding and in some parts even for fishing and hunting) would include a larger part than of Sápmi. However, today's "border" originates from the 14th to 16th centuries when land-owning conflicts occurred. The establishment of more stable dwelling places and larger towns originates from the 16th century, and was performed for strategic defence and economic reasons, both by peoples from Sami groups themselves and more southern immigrants. Owning land within the borders or being a member of a siidas (="corporation villages") gives rights. A different law enacted in Sweden in the mid-1990s gave the right to anyone to fish and hunt in the region, something that was met with large skepticism and anger amongst the siidas. Court proceedings have been common throughout history, and the aim from the Samic viewpoint is to reclaim territories used earlier in history. Due to a major defeat in 1996, one siidas has introduced a sponsorship "Reindeer Godfather" concept to raise funds for further battles in courts. These "internal conflicts" are usually conflicts between non-Sami land owners and Reindeer owners. The question whether the Fjeld's territory is owned by the governments or the Sami population is not answered. Sami national symbolsAlthough the Sami have considered themselves to be one people through history, the idea of Sápmi, a Sami nation, first gained acceptance among the Sami in the 1970s, and even later among the majority population. During the 1980s and 1990s a flag was created, a national song was written, and the date of national day was settled. Sami flag
Sami flag The motif (shown right) was derived from the shaman's drum and the poem "Paiven parneh" ("Sons of the Sun") by the south Sami Anders Fjellner describing the Sami as sons and daughters of the sun. The flag has the Sami colours, red, green, yellow and blue, and the circle represents the sun (red) and the moon (blue). Sami National DayThe Sami National Day falls on 6 February as this date was when the first Sami congress was held in 1917 in Trondheim, Norway. This congress was the first time that Norwegian and Swedish Sami came together across their national borders to work together to find solutions for common problems. 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 6 February as Sami National Day. National songSámi soga lávlla ("Song of the Sami People", lit. "Song of the Sami Family") was originally a poem written by Isak Saba that was published in the newspaper Sagai Muittalćgje for the first time on 1 April 1906. In August 1986 it became the national anthem of the Sami. Arne Sřrli set the poem to music, which was then approved at the 15th Sami Conference in Helsinki in 1992. Sámi soga lávlla has been translated into all of the Sami languages. ReligionShamanism persisted among the Sami up until the 18th century, but no longer exists in its traditional form. Most Sami today belong to the Lutheran churches of Norway, Sweden and Finland. Some Sami in Russia belong to the Orthodox church, as do some in North Eastern Finland, with an additional small population in Norway.Traditional Sami religionSami religion shared some elements with the Norse mythology, possibly from early contacts with trading Vikings (or viceversa). Through a mainly French initiative, from J.P. Gaimard, Lars Levi Lćstadius began researching the Sami mythology. His work resulted in four bands or fragments, since by his own admission they contained only a small percentage of what had existed. The fragments were termed Theory of Gods, Theory of Sacrifice, Theory of Prophecy, or short reports about rumorous Sami magic and Sami sagas. Generally, he filtered out the Norse influence and derived common elements between the South, North, and Eastern Sami groups. The mythology has common elements with other Circumpolar religions as well ? such as those in Siberia and North America. 
Tore Johnsen, Sami Christian priest and leader of the Sami Church Council, and an important figure at the 2004 "Samiske kirkedager" 
A sermon at the 2004 "Samiske kirkedager" Missionary effortsThe term Sami religion usually refers to the traditional religion, practiced until approximately the 18th century. Christianity was spread 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 turning up in church on Sunday. Since the Sami were considered to possess witchcraft powers, they were often accused of sorcery during the 17th century. In Norway, a major effort to convert the Sami was made around 1720, when the "Apostle of the Sami" ? Thomas von Westen ? burned drums and converted people by force. In the far east of the Sami area, the Russian Monk Trifon converted the Sami in the 16th century. Today, the St. George's chapel in Neiden, Norway (1565) testifies to this effort. LaestadiusThe Swedish Sami vicar Lars Levi Lćstadius initiated a puritan Lutheran movement among the Sami around 1840. This movement is still very dominant in Sami speaking areas. Sami on the Kola peninsula and in North-Eastern Finland, as well as a handful in Norway are members of the Russian Orthodox Church. Neo-shamanismToday, one occasionally comes across Sami shamans offering their services, through newspaper advertisements, at new age-arrangements or for tourist groups. These shamans are not a part of an unbroken Sami religious tradition, but are rather an expression for a wish to return to traditional values. They may be compared with neo-paganism and modern druids. An altogether more traditional religious idea is represented by the numerous "wise men" and "wise women" found throughout the Sami area. They often attempt to heal the sick by rituals combining pre-Christian elements and readings from the Bible. LanguageThere is no single Sami language, but a group of ten distinct Sami languages. Six of these languages have their own written standards. The Sami languages are relatively closely related, but not mutually intelligible; for instance, speakers of Southern Sami cannot understand Northern Sami. Especially earlier these distinct languages were referred to as "dialects", but today this is considered misleading due to the deep differences between the varieties. Most Sami languages are spoken in several countries, because linguistic borders do not correspond to national borders. The Sami languages belong to the Finno-Ugric branch of the Uralic language family, and are thus related to Finnish, Estonian, and Hungarian. Due to prolonged contact with neighboring Scandinavians, however, there are a large number of Germanic loanwords in Sami. The majority of the Sami now speak the majority languages of the countries they live in, i.e. Swedish, Russian, Finnish and Norwegian. Efforts are being made to further the use of Sami language among Sami and persons of Sami origin. Genetics and the history of genetic studies on the Sami
Sami mother with her children Modern research in genetics seems to agree that Sami people have a slightly higher incidence than other European populatons of markers on their mitochondrial (maternal line) DNA indicating descent from hunter-gatherer peoples that followed the receding glaciers at the end of the latest ice age. While the Y-chromosome (paternal line) markers indicate some ancestry among the Finno-Ugric populations of central Asian origin. Genetic studies also indicate shared ancestry with neighboring Nordic populations. [26]Archeological evidence for the area suggests that several different cultural groups made their way to the core area of Sapmi from 8000-6000 B.C.,[27] presumably including some of the ancestors of present-day Sami. History of scientific research carried out on the SamiThe genetic makeup of Sami people has been extensively studied for as long as such research has been in existence, although until recent times the purpose of this research has mostly been ethnocentric at best, at worst racist and defamatory. During the 1920s and 30s, many Sami were photographed naked and anatomically measured by scientists, with the help of the local police - sometimes literally at gun point, to collect data that would justify their own racial theories.[28] There is thus a wide degree of very understandable distrust in the Sami communities towards genetic research.[29] Notable people of Sami descent
See also
References
External linksGeneral
Genetics
als:Saami be-x-old:????? bg:????? ca:Sami cv:??????? cs:Sámové da:Samer pdc:Lapps de:Samen (Volk) et:Saamid es:Lapón eo:Sameoj eu:Samitar fo:Sámar fr:Saami fy:Lappen ko:??? hr:Saami is:Samar it:Sami he:????? la:Sami lb:Sami (Vollek) lt:Samiai li:Saami hu:Számik nl:Saami ja:???? no:Samer nn:Samar pl:Samowie pt:Sami ru:????? se:Sámit simple:Sami people sl:Sami sr:??????? sh:Saami fi:Saamelaiset sv:Samer uk:????? zh:??? Source: Wikipedia | The above article is available under the GNU FDL. | Edit this article
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