Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
INNER FINNMARK
Nestled against the Finnish border, Norway's 'big sky country' is a place of lush greenery
and epicentre of the Sápmi, the 'land of the Sami'. Kautokeino, a one-street town if ever
there was one, is the traditional heart of the region, although Karasjok is altogether livelier
and has more Sami institutions.
SAMI CULTURE & TRADITIONS
Sami life was for centuries based on hunting and fishing, then sometime during the
16th century reindeer were domesticated and the hunting economy transformed into a
nomadic herding economy. While reindeer still figure prominently in Sami life, only
about 15% of Sami people are still directly involved in reindeer herding. These days, a
mere handful of traditionalists continue to lead a truly nomadic lifestyle. The majority
these days fish or are engaged in tourist-related activities.
A major identifying element of Sami culture is the
joik
(or
yoik
), a rhythmic poem
composed for a specific person to describe their innate nature and considered to be
owned by the person it describes (
Click here
). Other traditional elements include the
use of folk medicine, artistic pursuits such as woodcarving and silversmithing, and
striving for ecological harmony.
The Sami national dress is the only genuine folk dress that's still in casual use in
Norway, and you might see it on the streets of Kautokeino and Karasjok. Each district
has its own distinct features, but all include a highly decorated and embroidered com-
bination of red-and-blue felt shirts or frocks, trousers or skirts, and boots and hats. On
special occasions, the women's dress is topped off with a crown of pearls and a gar-
land of silk hair ribbons.
To learn more, look out for
The Sami People
published by Davvi Girji (1990) or
The Sami: Indigenous People of the Arctic
by Odd Mathis Hælta, both available in
English translation.
The Magic of Sami Yoik
by Dejoda is one of several CDs devoted
to this special genre, while the tracks on
Eight Seasons
by Mari Boine, a Karasjok
singer, offer a greater variety of Sami music.
