Sami Reindeer Community

We happen to be visiting Norway during the celebration of Sámi National Day on February 6th.

The Sami are the indigenous people of Northern Europe. They are counted among the Arctic indigenous people. The Sami people of Norway have a unique culture and traditions and speak ancient languages.

The Sami are descendants of nomadic peoples who have lived in northern Europe for thousands of years. Historically, Sami people were nomadic. Until quite recently, reindeer herding was the basis of the Sami economy and way of life. They would migrate with reindeer herds, living in tents or huts. There are about 80,000 Sami people in the world today, and they are spread around Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. About half of the Sami people live in Norway, and the Sami people have traditionally been reindeer herders.

We traveled 90 minutes by bus to one of the local Sami communities to feed reindeer and learn about their culture.Read more