II. Main Cultural products 6. Arts and Crafts Section 6.1: Lappish Arts and Crafts

6.1.1. The Sami Culture

The people of Lapland are called the Sami, and they are Finland's first indigenous people who have inhabited Southern Finland since shortly after the last Ice Age ten thousand years ago. When the new populations of Finno Ugrians - Finns started to compete of the hunting and fishing areas, they drove the Sami people further up towards the North. This took place during the Comb Ceramic Culture era. The Sami people used to name their hunting and fishing areas, and there are still many places also in southern Finland that retain their Lappish names.

The Sami people can also be found in the northern regions of Norway, Sweden and Russia. The Sami are the indigenous people in Finland. The definition of an indigenous population is a population that has lived in the area before the entry of the majority population. The indigenous population can differ from the majority population in its cultural, linguistic, and economic traditions. Indigenous people are also a population that in most of the cases have historically been in conflict with the majority population. These conflicts occur throughout the world where the original culture clashes with the culture of the new main population.

In Finland, the conflicts revolve around unresolved disputes, for example, the Upper Lapland forest areas. Modern forestry, tourism and reindeer herding, each require its own territory, of which the ownership and user’s rights are yet to be agreed upon.

The Sami culture retained its characteristics until the 1500s, when the Western religions came into force. They lived in close contact with nature and their ancient traditions and beliefs. The Sami believe that their gods and spirits dwell in holy places called Seita dwellings. A Seita is a naturally shaped object, such as an unusually shaped stone or erected wooden pole that was topped by a small wooden roof. The Gods and spirits living in the Seita were presented offerings in the hope that the offerings would bring luck when hunting or fishing. One of the Sami’s sacred worshipping places can be found in Lake Inari called the UkkoIsland, named Äijjäh-sualui. It has barren rocky stretches that rise up to 40 metres in height. On the island the Sami people worshiped the god Ukko and thunder to whom the people brought food and sacrificial offerings. The Siida Museum in Inari operates as the Saami Museum and the Northern Lapland Nature Centre.

In Lapland the original Sami culture has remained visible thanks to the basic livelihood of reindeer herding. The Sami have also retained the traditional hand skills and relationship with nature and characteristics of their culture and ornaments. Joint Nordic Sami political actions have secured their own language to the level of official language status.

In The Siida center in Inari the arts and crafts of the Sami culture are exposed in the authentic historical frame.

Section 6.1: Lappish Arts and Crafts

6.1.2. Shamanism