Experiencing Indigenous Culture on Northern Lights Trips

Northern lights trips to Abisko in northern Sweden are not only spectacular because the village is one of earth’s most ideal locations to view the aurora borealis, but also because of the unique opportunity for visitors to immerse themselves in the culture and heritage of the Saami people. These indigenous peoples are the native sect of the northernmost parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Koala Peninsula of Russia. They have long been discriminated against by the larger state forces of Scandinavia, primarily with regards to territorial possession and national identity. Nevertheless, despite such past coercion, the culture of the Saami people remains distinct and strong. At the centre of their heritage is music and literature. Exposure to the ways of such an original community is truly a highlight of all northern lights trips to the village of Abisko.

Saami Music & Literature

The oral storytelling tradition has always had a central role in Saami culture, and music is also part of this tradition. "Yoiking" -a special form of singing- is a way of recalling events and people, or describing nature and telling its stories. These traditions are still live today, and they can be experienced on many northern lights trips to local north Scandinavian villages.

Yoiking used to be something that missionaries in particular associated with paganism and sin. They regarded it as invoking spirits and the devil through their yoiks. Consequently, it was actively suppressed, especially during the 18th and 19th centuries as areas of Scandinavia became more and more Christianized. Even today in Guovdageaidnu, Saami children are forbidden from yoiking during school hours. By the mid-20th century, the art of yoiking was close to disappearing. During the 1960s and 1970s yoiking, and Saami folk values in general, underwent a renaissance. Young natives were foremost among those who began to probe into their cultural heritage, doing research on it and encouraging other kin to preserve the indigenous expressions that were in the process of being wiped out. Such a resurgence has made northern lights trips all the more popular and exceptional in recent times.

In recent decades, the original inhabitants of northern Scandinavia have also become profound writers. In 1910 Johan Turi's book Muittalus sámiid birra (Tale of the Sami) appeared. As the first author to write a book in the aboriginal dialect, he presented the kin’s history, including descriptions of the daily lives of reindeer-breeding around the turn of the century. The book also records his peo¬ple's legends and folk beliefs. Soon after, many others fol¬lowed Turi's example. During the past 30 years, a relatively large quantity of native literature has been published. Among modern writers can be mentioned Paulus Utsi, Erik Nilsson-Mankok, Per Idivuoma, and Annok Sarri-Nordrå.

Visitors on northern lights trips to the village of Abisko will be able to live amongst and experience this unique culture in a moving, firsthand way.

Kevin Collins is the director of Aurora Nights, a company offering a select range of once in a lifetime northern lights trips in Swedish Lapland and Iceland, with accommodation including the fabulous Ice Hotel. Aurora Nights is part of Weekend a la Carte, a passionate, family-run company with vast in-depth knowledge based on their extensive travels to the region of the Aurora Borealis.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.