Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Sami Religion
Historically,Samireligioustraditionswerecharacterised mainlybyarelationshiptonature
and its inherent godlike archetypes. In sites of special power, particularly prominent rock
formations, people made offerings to their gods and ancestors to ensure success in hunting
or other endeavours. Intervention and healing were affected by shamanic specialists, who
used drums and small figures to launch themselves onto out-of-body journeys to the ends
of the earth in search of answers. As with nearly all indigenous peoples in the northern
hemisphere, the bear, as the most powerful creature in nature, was considered a sacred an-
imal.
Historically, another crucial element in the religious tradition was the singing of the
joik
(also spelt
yoik;
literally 'song of the plains'). So powerful was this personal mantra that
early Christian missionaries considered it a threat and banned it as sinful. Although most
modern Sami profess Christianity, elements of the old religion are making a comeback.
NILS MIKKEL SOMBY: SAMI REINDEER
HERDER
Nils Mikkel Somby has spent his life in the rolling hill country above the Iešjokha
River west of Karasjok. He continues to herd his family's 3000 reindeer and migrates
with them to Nordkapp every April, returning around October.
It must be a tough life being a Sami.
My mother was out herding reindeer on her
own in winter when she was 10 and my father, who is 74, is still out herding every
day.
There must have been many changes in the Sami way of life.
In the old times,
life for the Sami was very difficult. We had to do everything on skis or on foot and
we had to be camped out in the mountains during the winter. Now we have cabins
with heating. But if one thing has made Sami life easier, it is the snowmobile - we
can use it to check on the reindeer, to bring supplies, and then return to our huts. So
in that way, life is much better for us. But now there are too many rules, how many
reindeer we can have and so on.
The winters must be very long.
Life in winter is hard because of the cold and be-
cause it's always dark and you can only track the reindeer by looking for their foot-
prints in the snow. But this is also my favourite time of the year. Can you see how
beautiful it is here, with sun shining and no other people in sight?
