Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Karasjok
POP 2800
It'salovelyforesteddrivebetweenKarasjokandKautokeino,following,forthemostspec-
tacular stretch, the River Jiešjokka.
Kautokeino may have more Sami residents, but Karasjok (Kárásjohka in Sami) is Sami
Norway's indisputable capital. It's home to the Sami Parliament and library, NRK Sami
Radio, a wonderful Sami museum and an impressive Sami theme park. Only 18km from
the border with Finland, the town pulls in coaches, caravans and cars by the hundred, all
heading for Nordkapp.
Sights & Activities
Sápmi Park
THEME PARK
(
www.sapmi.no
;
Porsangerveien; adult/child Nkr160/70; 9am-4pm or 7pm Jun-
Aug, 10am-2pm Mon-Fri rest of year)
Sami culture is big business here, and it was only
amatteroftimebeforeitwasconsolidatedintoa
theme park .
There'sawistful,high-tech
multimedia introduction to the Sami in the 'Magic Theatre', plus Sami winter and summer
camps and other dwellings to explore in the grounds. There's also, of course, a gift shop
andcafe-and
Boble Glasshytte
,Finnmark'sonlyglassblowingworkshopandgalleryand
the park's most recent accretion. The whole is actually very good and presents the Sami as
the normal fellow human beings they are rather than as exotic anachronisms. If you want
more substance, the smaller Sami museums in Karasjok and Kautokeino are less flash and
more academic.
Sami National Museum
FOLK MUSEUM
(Sámiid Vuorká Dávvirat; Museumsgata 17; adult/child Nkr75/free; 9am-3pm or
6pm)
The Sami National Museum is also called the Sami Collection. Smaller and more
serious,it'sbeenratherupstagedbythegenialrazzmatazz downtheroad.DevotedtoSami
historyandculture,ithasdisplaysofcolourful,traditional Samiclothing,abewilderingar-
rayoftoolsandartefacts andworksbycontemporary Samiartists. Outdoors,youcanroam
among a cluster of traditional Sami constructions and follow a short trail, signed in Eng-
lish,thatleadspastandexplainsancientSamireindeertrappingpitsandhuntingtechnique.
In summer, guiding is included within the ticket price.
