Far beyond Finland’s last traffic light lies Sápmi, the homeland of the Sámi people. It’s a place where the wind carries stories, reindeer still roam seasonal paths, and ancient traditions are lived, not just remembered. The Sámi are Europe’s only officially recognised Indigenous people. They have lived in the far north for thousands of years, shaping and being shaped by the Arctic.
Today, Sámi culture is dynamic, creative, and deeply rooted in land and language. From joik music echoing through snow-covered forests to the revival of endangered Sámi languages, this is not a frozen past, it’s a living presence. If you’re curious about Sámi Finland, this guide offers a respectful, experience-led introduction.
Key Takeaways
- The Sámi are the Indigenous people of northern Finland and the broader Sápmi region, which spans four countries.
- Reindeer herding, duodji (traditional crafts), and joik (traditional singing) are essential cultural expressions.
- Sámi culture today blends heritage with modern activism, music, fashion, and art.
- Visitors to northern Finland can engage with Sámi traditions through ethical, Sámi-led tourism.
- The Sámi Parliament supports cultural autonomy and language rights.
Who Are the Sámi?
The Sámi are Indigenous to the Arctic areas of Finland, Sweden, Norway, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia, a cultural region known as Sápmi. In Finland, around 9,000 Sámi live mostly in the far north, in places like Inari, Utsjoki, and Enontekiö.
There are three Sámi languages still spoken in Finland: North Sámi, Inari Sámi, and Skolt Sámi. Each is distinct and actively being revitalised through education, art, and community effort. Sámi identity includes not only language and geography, but also family, tradition, and a strong spiritual relationship with nature.
Credit: Visit Finland
Sámi History in Finland
Long before Finland existed as a country, the Sámi were living semi-nomadically across the north, guided by the seasons and in tune with the land. That balance was challenged in the 19th and 20th centuries by colonisation and state assimilation policies. Sámi children were placed in boarding schools where their language and culture were suppressed, and Sámi land was claimed by the state without consent.
Despite this, Sámi people held onto their traditions. By the 1970s, the Sámi Parliament was established in Finland to represent cultural and linguistic rights. Today, Sámi advocacy focuses on education, land use, and protecting cultural knowledge. Not only in museums, but in daily life.
Credit: Fenno-Ungria
Life on the Land
The heart of Sámi life is not found in cities but in landscapes, forests, fells, rivers, and tundra. Reindeer herding remains one of the most iconic and enduring elements of Sámi culture. For many families, reindeer are not just animals, but part of a living tradition that connects generations.
Other practices like fishing, berry gathering, and hunting reflect sustainable Arctic living and are still a part of daily life in northern Finland. They are traditions that form a lifestyle grounded in rhythm, respect, and resilience.
Credit: Slow Tours Europe
Culture in Motion
Traditional Sámi clothing (gákti), duodji crafts, joik singing, and oral storytelling are cultural cornerstones but Sámi identity is also modern and evolving. Today, you’ll find Sámi artists, fashion designers, musicians, and filmmakers creating powerful work rooted in cultural heritage.
You might hear joik performed on a global stage, see gákti reinterpreted as high fashion, or meet Sámi rappers who switch between Inari Sámi and English in a single verse. Sámi youth are leading climate movements, publishing zines, and sharing ancestral knowledge online.
This balance of tradition and innovation is what keeps Sámi culture alive – not as a static relic but as a vibrant, self-defined way of life.
Celebrating Traditional Holidays
And even their traditions vary. You’ll find quirky habits during Easter, Christmas or New Years.
Christmas in Lapland
In Northern Sámi, Christmas is called Juovllat and it’s celebrated with both Christian and cultural elements. Traditional foods like dried reindeer meat, smoked fish, and baked goods (like flatbread or coffee bread) are common.
Sámi homes are decorated simply but warmly, often with candles and natural materials. In some areas, joiks (traditional songs) are performed, especially older spiritual ones passed down in families. Gift-giving is modest and often handmade or deeply personal. Church services may be attended in Sámi languages, especially in towns like Inari or Utsjoki where Sámi-language services are offered.
Saami New Year’s
New Year’s (Ođđajagimánnu) is more similar to traditional New Years in Finland celebrated with fireworks and gatherings.
However, for many Sámi, this time is more reflective and closely tied to seasonal changes. Traditional beliefs include observing nature signs to predict the year ahead (weather, animal behavior). Storytelling around the fire and joiking may take place in the family gatherings.
Easter in the North
Easter is an important holiday, particularly in Lutheran Sámi communities in Finland and Sweden.
In Kautokeino (Norway) and some parts of northern Finland, Easter festivals blend religion with cultural expression:
- Reindeer racing competitions
- Traditional dress (gákti) on full display
- Sámi music, duodji craft markets, and yoik performances
These events are seen as a homecoming for many Sámi and a moment to celebrate identity in public.
Other Cultural & Seasonal Celebrations
Beaivi – The Sun Festival
The Sámi once practiced sun worship, and Beaivi (the sun) is still symbolically important.
Around winter solstice, rituals to welcome back the sun included feeding reindeer special food and making sun symbols out of reindeer bones and plants.
Today, Beaivi is more symbolic but still acknowledged in artistic and spiritual contexts.
Reindeer Calving & Migration Periods
Not a formal holiday, but these seasonal transitions are spiritually and culturally significant. Families mark them with gatherings, storytelling, and sometimes blessings for the animals and land.
Sámi National Day – February 6
Modern celebration, recognized across the Sápmi region since 1992, it commemorates the first Sámi congress held in 1917.
It is celebrated with:
- Raising the Sámi flag
- Wearing traditional clothing
- Singing the Sámi national anthem
- Cultural festivals, exhibitions, and political speeches
It’s a day of cultural pride and visibility across Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Russia.
Sámi Self-Representation & Politics
The Sámi Parliament in Finland doesn’t pass national laws, but it plays an important role in cultural self-governance. It advises on policies affecting education, language, land, and economic development in Sámi regions.
One of the most urgent issues Sámi communities face is land rights. Infrastructure projects and extractive industries can disrupt reindeer herding and fragment cultural landscapes. Sámi voices are central in conversations about conservation, development, and Indigenous rights in the Arctic.
Credit: iGlobenews
Visiting Sámi Finland Respectfully
If you want to experience Sámi culture in Finland, start by choosing Sámi-owned and operated experiences. That includes:
- Guided reindeer herding tours led by Sámi families
- Craft workshops taught by duodji artisans
- Cultural storytelling evenings around a fire in a lavvu tent
Avoid commercialised “Sámi-style” experiences that offer costumes without context or reindeer rides without explanation. True cultural immersion is about listening, learning, and supporting Indigenous-led efforts. Ask who is hosting. Ask who benefits. The answers matter.
Conclusion: A Living Culture Worth Knowing
Sámi culture in Finland is powerful, present, and deeply human. It’s found in the quiet snow-covered forests where reindeer tread paths made over generations, and in the confident voices of young Sámi creators shaping new forms of identity.
To visit Sámi in Finland is to engage with a culture shaped by both resilience and renewal. It’s not a museum. It’s a living home.
If you’re curious to learn more and travel in a way that respects local knowledge and land, we offer custom experiences in all Scandinavia and further. Let us help you connect meaningfully with people, stories, and landscapes.
FAQ
What is Sami?
The Sami are the Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia and parts of Russia. They have their own languages, traditions, and cultural practices, and are especially known for reindeer herding, handicrafts, and a strong connection to Arctic nature.
What is Sami called in English?
In English, they are simply called Sami (also spelled Sámi or Saami). Older terms like Lapp or Lappish are considered outdated or offensive and are no longer used to describe the Sami people.
Where do Sami people live?
The Sami live in an Arctic region called Sápmi, which spans northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. This area includes tundra, forests, and coastal regions, and remains central to their cultural identity.
