sápmelaččat
The saami-people
Sápmi, the settled area of the saami-people, indigenous people in the north of Europe. The saami-people, the inhabitants of Sápmi, have never had an own nationality and live divided in the four countries Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia nowadays.
But in the last centuries the national consciousness of these ancient people
gained strength and that’s why in 1986 the nation flag was designed, which one can frequently see in this region in the last years. The blue-red circle is the symbol for the sun (red) and the moon (blue), whereas the other colours are the traditional colours of the saami-people.
The Saami people are a minority in Scandinavia and they are only about 4% of the population. The population density is extremely low in Sápmi and it is about two inhabitants in the towns and the costal areas. In the centre of the country the number of inhabitants is almost zero per square kilometre.
Sápmi, the settled area of the saami-people, indigenous people in the north of Europe. The saami-people, the inhabitants of Sápmi, have never had an own nationality and live divided in the four countries Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia nowadays.
But in the last centuries the national consciousness of these ancient people
gained strength and that’s why in 1986 the nation flag was designed, which one can frequently see in this region in the last years. The blue-red circle is the symbol for the sun (red) and the moon (blue), whereas the other colours are the traditional colours of the saami-people.
The Saami people are a minority in Scandinavia and they are only about 4% of the population. The population density is extremely low in Sápmi and it is about two inhabitants in the towns and the costal areas. In the centre of the country the number of inhabitants is almost zero per square kilometre.The Samish parliament ‘Sámediggi’ has its seat in Karasjok (Norway) and it represents the rights of all Saami people in the four countries. Because of the different legal positions in the four countries, there exists in each of them an own parliament, Guovdageaidnu (Kautokeino / Norway), Gíron (Kiruna / Sweden), Anár (Inari / Finland) and Luyawr (Lowosero / Russia). In spite of all agreements the Saami people’s rights are limited, but in Norway they have the most rights.
The existence of the Saami people can be traced back historically about 10,000 years. However the exact origin isn’t certain. But they are supposed to come from the vastness of North Asia. Fixed domiciles have been constructed evidently 9800 years ago, that can be seen in drawings at rocks both in the Norwegian town Alta and in the Swedish town Härjedalen.
The Joik
Joik is the traditional singing of Saami people, monotonous-guttural overtone singing, in which they sing about nature and animals.
Joik is mainly improvisation and it goes back to the Stone Age. Joik is created at a person by living in nature and with nature. All feelings are expressed in it, it can be about the past and the future, but most time it deals with the present.
Who wants to understand Joik, has to take a close look at the unity of Saami people with nature. One doesn't joik about something, but one joiks something.
A connection between singer and listener is created.
Saami people are the last ancient people of Europe! Their rights are unviolable and should be accepted in the same way by each of the four countries Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
Joik is the traditional singing of Saami people, monotonous-guttural overtone singing, in which they sing about nature and animals.
Joik is mainly improvisation and it goes back to the Stone Age. Joik is created at a person by living in nature and with nature. All feelings are expressed in it, it can be about the past and the future, but most time it deals with the present.
Who wants to understand Joik, has to take a close look at the unity of Saami people with nature. One doesn't joik about something, but one joiks something.A connection between singer and listener is created.
Saami people are the last ancient people of Europe! Their rights are unviolable and should be accepted in the same way by each of the four countries Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.
