Sami people

Sami people live in Sweden, Norway, Finland and Russia.

Traditionally the Sami people have been herding reindeers. Even today many Sami work with reindeer herding in the mountains but an increasing number have regular jobs.

The Sami people

The kind of Sami outfit the American Girl doll is wearing is not every day Sami clothes. It's a traditional dress Sami people use to wear at celebrations.


The Sami people have been living in Scandinavia since the ice-age time but then they were hunting instead of herding reindeers.

 Language

The Sami people have their own language. It's nothing like the Swedish language.

The Sami language has 24 words for snow and ice.

They are three different Sami language: east Sami, central Sami and Southern Sami. Within the Sami language there are several dialects.

It's sad though that the Sami language and culture disappear more and more.

Jojk

Sami jojk is a kind of song which is special for Sami people. This jojk by Jon-Henrik Fjällgren is very beautiful.

Sami name

The children were often named after an older relative who were good at their profession.

If a child got sick they believed that they had given the child the wrong name. Because of that they gave the child a new name in hope that the child would be healthy again.

Sami belief

Sami had their own beliefs where they divided the world ​​into three parts.

The earth, the heaven and the underground. All three of them had their own gods.

Living

 
Traditionally the Sami people lived in a "kåta" a kind of tent. But today almost everyone lives in ordinary houses.