Laplanders Research Paper

Tradition of the Saamis-Laplanders of the Nordic

Country of Origin:

Saamis-Laplanders are a unique group of indigenous people. While they are classified as one group, their origin is not limited to one specific region or country. Since they are considered nomadic people its difficult to associate the origin to just one location. The historic research community cannot agree on one location either, and the origins of the Sami, are said to include the Alps or early Siberia.
Geographic Location: This indigenous group calls Norway, Sweden, Finland, and parts of northwestern Russia home. While the Sami are credited with being the longest living group of people on the Scandinavia peninsula, the majority of today’s population resides in
As of today it is estimated that the population is around 60,000. With the majority of the Sami people living in Norway, followed by Sweden, then Finland, and a small percentage that makes up the remainder living in Russia. About half of the Sami today still practice their traditional heritage of herding reindeer. Others have tried to migrate to a more modern lifestyle by making a living as either farmers, fishermen, or in bigger towns as miners and loggers. The Sami people attempting to live a more modern way of life and have the financial means to do it, buy and dress in the European styles of today. Saving their traditional form of dress for festivals and celebrations. With the exception of a small percentage that has accumulated wealth over the years, most Sami families make a humble living, and rarely live beyond their means.
Religion:
Sami people living in the more northern regions of the land practice the religion of Læstadian. Sami villages that practice religion have constructed Lapp-chapels in which Lapp-sermons are held. Not all Sami people continue to practice or believe in the once popular shamanistic religion. Those that do continue to practice look to the uninhibited power of nature and all it encompasses as way of living their
The Conference of Nordic Lapp Council, which took place in 1959 Stockholm, Sweden, is a monumental mark in Saamis-Laplander political history. At this conference, people of Sami descent were first recognized on record as being a separate group of people. From this arose the establishment of Lapp rights. Other key factors from this conference included: regulations for reindeer husbandry, farming issues, distribution of shares in mining profits, compensation for injured reindeer herds, tourism issues, research assistance by the state, training in modern herding techniques, and most importantly the creation of a fund to help the indigenous group