Northern Lights Trips: Explore the History of the Sami People

Northern Lights trips to Sweden take visitors to the far north of the country, into the cultural region of Sapmi, where many of the Sami people live. Indigenous to northern Scandinavia, the Sami live alongside Swedes, Norwegians, Finns and Russians but continue to speak their own language and practice some cultural traditions, such as reindeer herding. Their lifestyles vary across Sapmi — and beyond — but interested visitors can gain a window into part of their lives and learn a little about Sami cultural history.

Reindeer Herding

Evidence of reindeer use by people living the Sapmi area dates back at least two thousand years. Reindeer offer valuable resources to people living in circumpolar regions: including meat, hides, antlers (used for tools, such as harpoons, and decorative items), milk and transportation. There are currently 43 Sami villages that organise reindeer herding in accordance with Swedish law, with a similar legal organisation in Norway and less strict laws in Finland. Thousands of Sami rely on reindeer for their livelihoods, and visitors can encounter some of the reindeer and talk to Sami people about their culture.

Cuisine

Sami hospitality will see visitors well fed on Northern Lights trips! The traditional cuisine of the Sami people has depended on locally available resources, but it typically centres on ingredients such as fish, game, reindeer and berries, with the latter proving vital during the sparse winter months in the far north. Dishes include smoked meat, fried meat, smoked or cooked fish, soups — with potatoes and other vegetables in addition to the meats — and breads, with desserts including cloudberries and stewed mountain sorrel leaves.

Handicrafts and Art

While visiting Sapmi on Northern Lights trips, tour groups will also have the opportunity to see — and buy — some Sami handicrafts and art works. Many Sami crafts are dual-purpose – being both practical and beautiful. The primary purpose of their coats, for example, is to stay warm in the cold climate, but they are also stunning examples of textile and embroidery work. The noadi (drum) is both a musical instrument and a visual display of the worlds of people and gods. Buying from Sami artists helps to support the Sami communities and their traditions.

Language

The language of the Sami people belongs to the same Uralic language family as Finnish, although they are quite different. It is more accurate to say that there are multiple Sami languages, as there are ten or more dialects across Sapmi, loosely divided into Western Sami and Eastern Sami and further sub-divided within those two groupings. Not all dialects are mutually intelligible. The Sami people that visitors meet on Northern Lights trips will be able to share some of their traditional language. Nine Sami languages are considered "living", with others critically endangered. Previous suppression of Sami language use by Scandinavian governments has led to the languages’ diminished use, but communities are now working to keep their languages alive and teach them to new generations.

Kevin Collins is director of Aurora Nights, a company offering a select range of once in a lifetime holidays to see the Northern Lights. For the best Northern Lights trips Iceland and Swedish Lapland offer an excellent chance to encounter the aurora borealis. Aurora Nights is part of Weekend a la Carte, a family-run company with vast in-depth knowledge based on their extensive travels to the region of the Aurora Borealis and passionate about giving superb client service.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.