The Sámi are the Indigenous people of Sápmi, a cultural region extending across northern Norway, Sweden and Finland and into the Kola Peninsula in Russia.
Sámi culture is living, diverse and contemporary. It cannot be reduced to reindeer herding, traditional clothing or any single way of life.
For travellers visiting the far north, understanding a little about Sápmi and the people who live there can add important context to the landscapes and communities they encounter.
Sápmi is the traditional homeland of the Sámi people and existed long before the modern national borders which now divide the region.
It stretches across parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, although Sámi people today also live far beyond their traditional homeland.
Sápmi is therefore not a country or a single administrative area. It is a cultural and geographical region spanning several modern states.
Travellers on our Northern Lights holidays in Finland, Northern Lights holidays in Sweden and Northern Lights holidays in Norway may visit areas within Sápmi.
There is no single Sámi language.
According to the Sámi Parliament of Finland, nine Sámi languages are spoken today across different parts of Sápmi.
Northern Sámi is the most widely spoken, while other Sámi languages are associated with particular regions and communities. In Finland, Northern Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi are spoken, and all three are endangered languages.
Language is an important part of Sámi culture and the transmission of knowledge between generations, and considerable work continues within Sámi communities to maintain and revitalise Sámi languages.
Sámi culture encompasses language, cultural heritage, art, traditional knowledge, relationships with nature, livelihoods and contemporary ways of life.
Different Sámi communities have their own languages, traditions and histories, while individual Sámi people live and work in every kind of modern setting.
This distinction matters particularly in tourism. Images of reindeer, traditional dress or a lavvu can easily create the impression that Sámi culture belongs to the past. It does not.
The Sámi Parliament of Finland specifically asks visitors and tourism businesses to avoid stereotypes and to allow Sámi people to represent their own culture in their own words.
When travelling in Sápmi, it is important to remember that the landscape you are exploring is not simply an Arctic wilderness. It is also home to this rich culture with an incredibly interesting history.
Land that may appear empty to a visitor can have cultural significance, be used for traditional livelihoods or form part of the everyday lives of local communities.
The Sámi Parliament of Finland advises visitors to respect local communities, the seasonal use of the landscape and the needs of traditional livelihoods.
Where tourism specifically presents Sámi culture, responsible experiences should have a genuine connection with the Sámi community concerned and allow Sámi people to represent their own culture.
Traditional livelihoods are not tourist attractions to enter or observe without invitation; meaningful encounters should take place as an invited and guided guest.
Reindeer herding is an important traditional Sámi livelihood in parts of Sápmi, but not all Sámi people are reindeer herders and Sámi culture should not be defined by reindeer herding alone.
Traditional Sámi livelihoods also include fishing, hunting, gathering and handicrafts, together with modern ways of practising these activities.
These livelihoods are connected with land, language, knowledge and community and remain part of living Sámi culture today.
Reindeer herding practices and rights also differ between Finland, Sweden and Norway, so broad statements about “how the Sámi herd reindeer” can be misleading.
If you are interested in the animals themselves, you can read more about the different reindeer experiences in Lapland available on our holidays.
One of the best principles for learning about Indigenous cultures is simple: start with Indigenous sources.
For accurate information about Sámi history, languages, culture, rights and contemporary life, we recommend resources produced by Sámi organisations themselves:
These are also useful places to continue reading beyond the brief introduction we can provide here.
Sámi people live across several countries. Sápmi extends across northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland and into Russia’s Kola Peninsula, while many Sámi people today live outside the traditional Sámi homeland.
There are several Sámi languages rather than one single language. Nine Sámi languages are spoken today, including Northern Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi.
No. Reindeer herding is an important traditional livelihood within some Sámi communities, but not all Sámi people are involved in it. Other traditional livelihoods include fishing, hunting, gathering and creating handicrafts, alongside modern forms of these activities and many other contemporary professions.
No. The terms describe different things. Lapland is used geographically and administratively in different ways across the Nordic countries, while Sápmi is the traditional cultural region of the Sámi people and crosses modern national borders.
Choose information and experiences where Sámi people are able to represent their own culture, and favour Sámi-led sources, businesses and services where possible. Visitors should also respect local communities, traditional livelihoods and the fact that Sápmi is a living cultural landscape rather than simply a tourism destination.
Image credit: Tea Karvinen and Visit Finland
