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In the far north of Europe, ancient sounds, unique craftwork traditions and a particular language live side by side with modern technology.
Saami, also known as Sami, Sámi, Saame, Samic and Saamic, is spoken by the Sami people indigenous to the very north of Europe, in Sápmi, which stretches across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Northern Finland and the Kola Peninsula (Russia).
The Saami languages, which are mutually unintelligible, are sometimes considered dialects of one language, and the Sami people live in four countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, with North Saami spoken by about two-thirds of all Sami.
The Saami people are known to be survivors and strong due to the area’s naturally harsh climatic conditions. In Norway, the Sami language is the official language for two counties, i.e. Finnmark and Troms and is spoken in at least six other counties. Although spoken for centuries, Northern Saami did not have any documented dictionaries or grammar until the mid 18th century.
Fun Fact: All Saami people are bilingual and can fluently converse in Saami and the official language of the country they live in.
There are nearly 100,000 ethnic Sami people in Europe.
Variations:
6 of the Sami languages have standard written forms. (Northern Sami, Lule Sami, Southern Sami, Inari Saami, Skolt Sami and Kildin Sami)
Did you know?
Around 2,600 Sami people in Norway make their living from herding reindeer, and the majority of the region of Northern Norway is actually used for raising reindeer.
The Saami Culture:
The Saami culture is known for its colourful costumes, amazing craftsmanship, delicious traditional food and living in harmony with nature albeit harsh.
The Saami Costume:
Also known as ‘Kolt’ in Swedish, the traditional Saami costume is something to look at. In the early days, all clothes were made at home using fur-bearing animals and natural resources and the same was the case with shoes. The kolts today are still made from broadcloth and frieze but have now incorporated fashionable use of different materials such as silk, velvet, etc.
Once used as everyday clothing, the kolt is now limited to weddings, ceremonies and special occasions.
Yoiking:
You can say that yoiking is a form of music. The yoik is unique to the Saami people where the songs are used to remember things in detailed descriptions and aim to capture the subject in detail.
The top three advantages of learning the language include
Our Sami online courses are designed to teach you in the most effective way from the very basic greetings and numbers to general social conversations.
With each course, you get lifetime access where you can learn at your own pace and at your own convenience.
Course Features
Get started with our Saami Level 1 Online Course today!
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