6th of February, the Sami National Day

[Thor Henning]

Today is the Sami National Day. It is selebrated in Norway, Sweden, Finland an Russia. Congratulations to the Sami People!

The Sami people (also Sámi, Saami, Lapps, sometimes also Laplanders) are an indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. Their ancestral lands span across an area the size of Sweden in the Nordic countries. The Sami people are among the largest indigenous groups in Europe. Their languages are the Sami languages, which are classified as Finno-Ugric.

The cultural assimilation over many years of the Sami people in the four countries makes it difficult to estimate the numbers of Sami. However, the population is estimated at about 85,000. The Norwegian state recognizes any Norwegian as Sami if he or she has one great-grandparent whose home language was Sami, but there is not, and has not been, any registration of the home language spoken by Norwegian people. Roughly half of all Sami live in Norway, but many live in Sweden as well. Finland and Russia are also home to smaller groups located in the far north. The Sami in Russia were forced by the Soviet authorities to relocate to a collective called Lovozero/Lujávri, in the central part of the Kola Peninsula.

Traditionally, the Sami had a variety of livelihoods; fishing on the coast and in the inland, trapping animals for fur, sheep herding, etc. The best known livelihood is reindeer herding, but only a small percentage of the Sami have been mainly reindeer herders over the last centuries. Today, many Sami lead modern lives in the cities inside and outside the traditional Sami area, with modern jobs. Some 10% still practice reindeer herding, which for traditional and cultural reasons is reserved for Sami people in some parts of Nordic countries.

[Juanito]

They also rescue American tourists who get stuck in the snow.

[Thor Henning]

Originally Posted by Juanito

They also rescue American tourists who get stuck in the snow.

A great story! Thanks for posting!

[Anna]

Happy Sami day!

[user 6507]

Skal...vashe zdorovie...kippis!!!!!

[BonnyW]

My G'ma was 1/2 Sami....Swedish Laplander.

She was a beautiful woman, very short (5 feet tall) with dark red hair, brown eyes and very nice skin. I remember her stories...that people in Southern Sweden did not like her because she was Sami. Growing up with that stigma was difficult for her. She learned many languages, perhaps in in order to be accepted. She left Sweden when she was 18 and came here to work as a nanny.

She felt solidarity with Native Americans here.

Since now is a holiday for Sami, I am glad in that her people are celebrated and accepted. Too bad she missed this day

[STOGEY]

Nice thread,but I thought you were writing about Sami Davis Jr. day at first.

[Thor Henning]

Originally Posted by BonnyW

My G'ma was 1/2 Sami....Swedish Laplander.

She was a beautiful woman, very short (5 feet tall) with dark red hair, brown eyes and very nice skin. I remember her stories...that people in Southern Sweden did not like her because she was Sami. Growing up with that stigma was difficult for her. She learned many languages, perhaps in in order to be accepted. She left Sweden when she was 18 and came here to work as a nanny.

She felt solidarity with Native Americans here.

Since now is a holiday for Sami, I am glad in that her people are celebrated and accepted. Too bad she missed this day

Samis are a lot more accepted today, but, I'm sorry to say, there are still a few issues. But things are getting better.

And isn't their flag beautiful.