Sámi culture in Finland
Who are the Sámi?
As with many indigenous communities, tradition and folklore is at the center of Sámi life with reindeer, the Northern Lights and certain forms of shamanism still incredibly important to the 9,300-strong population of Sámi living in Finland today. However, the old ways are dwindling with fewer than 10 percent of Finnish Sámi relying on reindeer herding as their sole means of making ends meet.
Our Finland Vacations
Finland Northern Lights vacation, Wilderness Auroras
Winter activities & Aurora hunting in Finland
Finland wildlife short break
Bear, wolverine and elk widlife short break in Finland
Husky safari in Finland
Sled with huskies through spectacular Finnish scenery
Cross-country skiing vacation in Finland, Russian border
Guided hut-to-hut cross-country skiing vacation in Finland
Finland winter activity vacation & Northern Lights
Discover this Finnish winter activity wilderness week
Northern Lights activity break in Finland, Arctic Hills
Experience the wilderness by car, snowmobile, skies, huskies
Winter cottage vacation in Finnish Lapland
Winter Cottage vacations, Finnish Lapland.
Northern lights family vacation, tailor made
A mix of Lapland family activities and a relaxing Spa hotel
Lapland vacation, husky safari & log cottage
Luxurious log suite,northern lights & overnight husky safari
Finland hiking vacation
A hut-to-hut hiking journey along Finland's eastern border
Winter adventure in Finland
A week of winter activities in Finnish Lapland
Self drive family vacation in Finland
A self-drive vacation for families Finland
Christmas in Finland, log cabin stay
Log cabin week in Lapland over Christmas
Scandinavia small group tour
Soak up a little Scandinavian minimalism
Finland snowshoeing vacation
Explore this stunning setting of Oulanka National Park
Winter tailor-made vacation in Finland
Adventure in Finnish Lapland, huskies, northern lights & more
Northern Lights vacation in Finnish Lapland, Harriniva
Hunt for the Northern Lights in Finnish Lapland
Lapland New Year vacation, Northern Lights
New Year celebrations, Tromsø & the Northern Lights Route
Family winter adventure in Finland
Great range of activities in Lapland's winter wilderness.
Family winter activity vacation in Finland
A combination of activities, cottages & snowy landscapes
Luxury wilderness Northern Lights vacation, Finland
Nangu Northern Lights Activity Vacation
Snowshoeing vacation in Finland
A great snowshoe tour in the new Hossa National Park.
Winter vacation in Finnish Lapland, tailor made
An extensive choice of activities to suit your travel date.
Northern Lights short break in Nellim, Finland
Short Northern Lights break in Finland.
Wild Taiga self drive vacation in Finland, Finnish National Parks
Self guided driving tour in Finland's Wild Taiga wilderness
Finnish family winter adventure vacation
See the Northern Lights in Finland
Cross-country skiing vacation in Finland
Fun, relaxing cross-country skiing for beginners and pros.
Wild Taiga wildlife vacation in Finland
Special Taiga mammals of Finland
Northern Lights vacation, Finnish Lapland
Unique aurora tour with huskys, snowshoeing and snowmobiling
Finland wildlife vacation, whales and bears
Beluga white whales in Russia and brown bears in Finland.
In fact, since the early 1970s, Sámi languages, three of which stem from Finland, have been protected by the Finnish Sámi Parliament (Saamelaiskäräjät). However, it's not all rosy around the Arctic Circle, with countries like Sweden only officially recognising the rights of Sámi if they're deemed to be working within the reindeer herding industry – something which applies to less than 10 percent of the population. It’s these sorts of outdated perceptions that hinder the preservation of Sámi culture. If you’re looking for a clearer picture, visit Lapland for yourself, speak to the guides, the herders and learn more about the issues they’re facing.
Find out more in Finland
Visiting museums and exhibitions in Finland, such as the Siida Centre in Inari, Lapland, is one way that you can get a much fuller representation of what it means to be modern day Sámi as well as following the cultural threads which lead back to the ancient traditions and customs of the past.Small scale and harmony with nature are bywords for traditional Sámi culture and only by supporting sustainable and respectful Sámi tourism projects can you truly expect to find out more and help to preserve Sámi lifestyles, on their level, rather than from a voyeuristic point of view. Guiding tours is one such way that Sámi are beginning to make a living from tourism. Many have lived in Lapland all their lives and have such an intrinsic link with the natural world that you simply can't help but be drawn to their knowledge and enchanting fireside tales.
Our top Finland Vacation
Finland Northern Lights vacation, Wilderness Auroras
Winter activities & Aurora hunting in Finland
2021: 14 Mar, 21 Mar, 28 Mar, 28 Nov, 5 Dec, 12 Dec
2022: 2 Jan, 9 Jan, 16 Jan, 23 Jan, 6 Feb, 27 Feb, 13 Mar, 20 Mar, 27 Mar
Traditional Sámi culture
The natural world means everything to Sámi people with traditional handicrafts, based around the eight Sámi seasons, often still created in the home. These skills and an acute knowledge of natural resources and colours are then passed down from one generation to the next. Travelers are invited to contribute to the local economy by purchasing Sámi made items from authorised exhibition centers and museum shops. Keep an eye out for the Duodji label which indicates a sign of good quality made by a Sámi person using traditional methods and materials.The Northern Lights will, of course, have been a source of many a yoik carried through a cold winter's night. The Sámi word for these is guovssahas, literally translated as 'the light you can hear'. Sámi legend has it that the Aurora Borealis is the souls of the departed and the shaman’s drums would depict the colourful flames from the sky within their designs. Waving and whistling, and generally disrespecting the lights, is forbidden.
Helping to keep the lights alive
Make sure that when you visit Lapland your interaction with Sámi people is genuine. Although there might be situations where you’ll see people dressed in traditional Sámi costume, for example, try to ascertain if the Sámi themselves are benefitting from these encounters, and that their culture is not being exploited for the sake of tourism. It can be deeply insulting to Sámi, and to travelers, if an event is misrepresentative of the culture and put on purely for profit. On the flip side, observing a genuine cultural display which projects both tradition and historical practices can be incredibly moving and can also allow more remote Sámi communities to carry on as they always have, away from the voyeuristic glare of selfie snapping tourists.Join a small group with a local Sámi guide who can tell you more about Lapland’s wilderness areas as well as imparting more information about cultural heritage and the relationship with the natural world. Another authentic way to learn about Sámi culture is to take a tailor made, self drive vacation where you’ll get to spend time with reindeer herders. There’s no one better to show you the snow covered landscapes by reindeer drawn sleigh as well as explaining the basics of reindeer husbandry and what it means to live in the wilds of Lapland. These situations aren’t contrived purely for entertainment purposes; they’re actually very personal and allow travelers and local people to interact and learn from each other and, in so doing, help to preserve Sámi culture for many more moons to come.