Anyone who wanted to buy or lease state lands for agriculture in Finnmark had to prove knowledge of the Norwegian language and had to register with a Norwegian name. In 2007, the Norwegian Parliament passed the new Reindeer Herding Act acknowledging siida as the basic institution regarding land rights, organization, and daily herding management. [34] These hunter-gatherers of the late Paleolithic and early Mesolithic were named Komsa by the researchers. Of those, 36 cases involved a determination of the rights of individual Smi in Finland and Sweden. [136], The Smi languages belong to the Uralic language family, linguistically related to Finnish, Estonian, and Hungarian. The western Uralic languages are believed to spread from the region along the Volga, which is the longest river in Europe. The establishment of more stable dwelling places and larger towns originates from the 16th century and was performed for strategic defence and economic reasons, both by peoples from Smi groups themselves and more southern immigrants. It is not clear, however, whether protection of nature in the traditional places of inhabitation implies a right to exclude conflicting uses that are destructive to nature or whether they have the right to veto development. Good subject. [95][100] Such lands cannot be allocated for unrelated activities (which might include oil, gas, and mineral development or tourism) without the consent of the indigenous peoples. The gkti can be worn with a belt; these are sometimes band-woven belts, woven, or beaded. Smi is one of five national minority languages recognized by Swedish law. I never knew about sami people, but now I know. The Smi are often known in other languages by the exonyms Lap, Lapp, or Laplanders, although these are considered derogatory terms by some,[25][26][27] while others accept at least the name Lappland. Before the era of forced Scandinavization policies, the Norwegian and Swedish authorities had largely ignored the Smi and did not interfere much in their way of life. [29] The speakers of Finnic and Smi languages have their roots in the middle and upper Volga region in the Corded Ware culture. Youre leaving natgeokids.com to visit another website! Presently, about 2,800 people are engaged in reindeer herding in Norway. 671/1995, U.N. Doc. The law does not recognize development rights, some proprietary rights including compensation for damage to the property, and limited exclusionary rights. [21][20][22] It is unknown how the word Lapp came into the Norse language, but one of the first written mentions of the term is in the Gesta Danorum by the twelfth-century Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, who referred to 'the two Lappias', although he still referred to the Smi as (Skrid-)Finns. Smi spirituality is often characterized by pantheism, a strong emphasis on the importance of personal spirituality and its interconnectivity with one's own daily life, and a deep connection between the natural and spiritual "worlds". In recent years, musical instruments frequently accompany joiks. [citation needed]. Due to prolonged contact and import of items foreign to Smi culture from neighboring Scandinavians, there are a number of Germanic loanwords in Smi, particularly for "urban" objects. The UN Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979). Ethnic Finns (suomalaiset) are a distinct group from Smi.[19]. The Smi are experiencing cultural and environmental threats, including: oil exploration, mining, dam building, logging, climate change, military bombing ranges, tourism and commercial development. Tiedtk mit vriks lippu kuvastaa? These regions have served as reindeer calving and summer grounds for thousands of years, and contain many ancient Smi sacred sites.[69][70]. I saw a movie called Klaus and it had the Sami people. Objective criteria vary, but are generally related to kinship and/or language. [44], This socioeconomic balance greatly changed when bubonic plague came to northern Norway in December 1349. The Mountain Smi had to pay taxes to three states, Norway, Sweden and Russia, as they crossed each border while following the annual reindeer migrations; this caused much resentment over the years. Then, access to Smi instruction as part of schooling was not available until 1988. Men mostly use wood, bone, and antlers to make items such as antler-handled scrimshawed Smi knives, drums, and guksi (burl cups). Smi herders migrate with their reindeer during the seasons, heading to the mountains for winter and coming back together with the community in the summer. In this period, many Smi practiced their traditional religion at home, while going to church on Sunday. The UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007). The body type is stocky and endomorph, with short legs, but with extraordinarily long arms. [36][37], How far south the Smi extended in the past has been debated among historians and archeologists for many years. A number of novels and poetry collections are published every year in Northern Smi, and sometimes in the other Smi languages as well. First, Second, and Total Responses to the Ancestry Question by Detailed Ancestry Code: 2000", "National composition of population, 2001 census", "Ordet lapp var i fokus frsta rttegngsdagen", "Reindeer husbandry an exclusive Smi livelihood in Norway", "Sami reindeer-herders today: Image or reality? The region of Spmi was formerly known as Lapland, and the Smi have historically been known in English as Lapps or Laplanders, but these terms are regarded as offensive by the Smi, who prefer the area's name in their own languages, e.g. Thankfully, the word reindeer is the same for all Smi people, meaning they can communicate with each other about reindeer, no matter what language theyre speaking! [170] Many contemporary practitioners are compared to practitioners of neo-paganism, as a number of neopagan religions likewise combine elements of ancient pagan religions with more recent revisions or innovations, but others feel they are attempting to revive or reconstruct indigenous Smi religions as found in historic, folkloric sources and oral traditions. In 2005, the Finnmark Act was passed in the Norwegian parliament giving the Smi parliament and the Finnmark Provincial council a joint responsibility of administering the land areas previously considered state property. Some of these concentrated areas are Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, Wisconsin, the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Illinois, California, Washington, Utah and Alaska; and throughout Canada, including Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Northern Ontario, and the Canadian territories of the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut. This can be confusing for foreign visitors because of the similar lives Finns and Smi people live today in Lapland. They can be wool, leather, or fur. Christianity was introduced by Roman Catholic missionaries as early as the 13th century. [48] The Smi lived on fish and reindeer meat, and did not eat wheat or rye. [170] Out of the estimated thousands of drums before this period, only about 70 are known to remain today, scattered in museums around Europe. Therefore, exact numbers are not possible. [78] On 8 April 2011, recommendations from the UN Racial Discrimination Committee were delivered to Norway, addressing many issues related to the legacy of Norwegianization policies, including the need for more Smi language education, interpreters, and cultural support. The colours, patterns and the jewellery of the gkti indicate where a person is from, if a person is single or married, and sometimes can even be specific to their family. Northern Smi Spmi. Smi languages, and Smi song-chants, called joiks, were illegal in Norway from 1773 until 1958. The legal foundation of the Smi policy is:[86], The constitutional amendment states: "It is the responsibility of the authorities of the State to create conditions enabling the Smi people to preserve and develop its language, culture and way of life." The Russian Duma (parliament) has adopted partial measures to implement it. [94] Finland recognized the Smi as a "people" in 1995, but has yet to ratify ILO Convention 169 Concerning Indigenous and Tribal Peoples. Indigenous[162] Smi religion is a type of polytheism. Stereotypical Scandinavian traits and facial features have since the early 20th century included straight, blonde hair; blue eyes; tall figure; a straight nose; thin lips; and non-prominent cheekbones, according to Werner & Bjrks 2014 book Blond and Blue-eyed. This area is also known as the Smi core area, and Smi and Norwegian are co-equal administrative languages here. During the 19th century, the pressure of Christianization of the Smi increased, with some Smi adopting Laestadianism. Residents of remote communities have neither the power nor the resources to demand enforcement of their rights. [55] State regulation of sea fisheries underwent drastic change in the late 1980s. It should also be noted that many Smi now live outside Spmi, in large cities such as Oslo in Norway. After World War II, the pressure was relaxed, though the legacy was evident into recent times, such as the 1970s law limiting the size of any house Smi people were allowed to build. The spread of the plague-carrying flea (Xenopsylla cheopsis) from the south was facilitated by the transport of wooden barrels holding wheat, rye, or wool, where the fleas were able to live, and even reproduce, for several months at a time. These groups depend upon different types of environment at differing times of the year, rather than upon exploiting a single commodity to exhaustion. The term Smi religion usually refers to the traditional religion, practiced by most Smi until approximately the 18th century. Some traditional shamanic headgear had animal hides, plaits, and feathers, particularly in East Spmi. The culturally related . [12][17] This etymology has superseded older speculations that the word might be related to fen. In Norway, however, Smi were still called Finns at least until the modern era (reflected in toponyms like Finnmark, Finnsnes, Finnfjord and Finny), and some northern Norwegians will still occasionally use Finn to refer to Smi people, although the Smi themselves now consider this to be an inappropriate term. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Are you wrapped up warm and ready to go? From 1913 to 1920, the Swedish race-segregation political movement created a race-based biological institute that collected research material from living people and graves. Many Smi people continued to practice their religion up until the 18th century. [15] Variants of Finn or Fenni were in wide use in ancient times, judging from the names Fenni and (Phinnoi) in classical Roman and Greek works. Siida, Cultural and Nature Centre of the Smi, and Sajos, the Centre of Smi Culture and Administration, are both located in the heart Inari and are just a 10-minute walk apart.. At Siida, you can get to know Smi culture and explore the wonders of Arctic nature. Numerous Smi festivals throughout the Spmi area celebrate different aspects of the Smi culture. [b] One problem when attempting to count the population of the Smi is that there are few common criteria of what "being a Smi" constitutes. The following towns and villages have a significant Smi population or host Smi institutions (Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish or Russian name in parentheses): In the geographical area of Spmi, the Smi are a small population. [116] These square dances, couple dances, circle dances, and singing games are influenced by Karelian and Northern Russian dance cultures, likely under the influence of Russian traders, military service under the tsar, and the Russian Orthodox Church. [52] This started the economic division between the Sea Smi (sjsamene), who fished extensively off the coast, and the Mountain Smi (fjellsamene, innlandssamene), who continued to hunt reindeer and small-game animals. The term "Lapp" was popularized and became the standard terminology by the work of Johannes Schefferus, Acta Lapponica (1673). In Norwegian and Swedish, the Smi are today referred to by the localized form Same. One was Finnish and the remaining five were Karelian. Gkti are the traditional clothing worn by the Smi people. The Sami people may be best-known for their for reindeer herding, their colourful nation dress - the Gakti - and their distinctive language (s), but some have managed to carve out other, more high profile ways of making a living and, thus, achieved some fame. To some Smi, this is an insulting display of cultural exploitation. They often are based on syllablic improvisation. There is no official geographic definition for the boundaries of Spmi. Lapland, the conventional name for the region, is derived from Lapp . These groups presumably started to move to the northwest from the early home region of the Uralic peoples in the second and third quarters of the 2nd millennium BC. 80,000, of whom around half live in Norway. The groups of these peoples that ended up in the Finnish Lakeland from 1600 to 1500 BC later "became" the Smi. The etymology is somewhat uncertain,[16] but the consensus seems to be that it is related to Old Norse finna, from proto-Germanic *finanan ('to find'), the logic being that the Smi, as hunter-gatherers "found" their food, rather than grew it. Just watched Frozen 2. The best known on the Norwegian side is, Eastern Spmi (Inari, Skolt, Akkala, Kildin and Teri Smi in Kola peninsula (Russia) and Inari (Finland, formerly also in eastern Norway), Northern Spmi (Northern, Lule and Pite Smi in most of northern parts of Norway, Sweden and Finland), Southern Spmi (Ume and Southern Smi in central parts of Sweden and Norway). While they practice a religion based on that of their ancestors, widespread anti-pagan prejudice has caused these shamans to be generally not viewed as part of an unbroken Smi religious tradition. Facts about the Smi people 1) The Smi are a group of indigenous people that come from the region of Spmi, which stretches across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in Russia. Even as late as the early 18th century, there were many Smi who were still settling on these farms left abandoned from the 1350s. Discover the fascinating festival of lights, Find out fascinating facts about amazing coral reefs, Take a deep breath and join us as we dive to the depths of the sea. These cookies allow us to target other information on our website, like advertising, towards your interests. The Norwegian Smi Parliament also elects 50% of the members to the board of the Finnmark Estate, which controls 95% of the land in the county of Finnmark. A set of minimum standards is proposed for the rights of developing the Smi language and culture and rights to land and water, livelihoods and society. Education with Smi as the first language is available in all four countries, and also outside the Smi area. To make up for past suppression, the authorities of Norway, Sweden and Finland now make an effort to build up Smi cultural institutions and promote Smi culture and language. I confirm that I am 18 years old or above. Due to a major defeat in 1996, one siida has introduced a sponsorship "Reindeer Godfather" concept to raise funds for further battles in courts. Get messy, explore and appreciate nature, all from the safety of home! [35] For centuries, the Smi and the Scandinavians had relatively little contact; the Smi primarily lived in the inland of northern Fennoscandia, while Scandinavians lived in southern Scandinavia and gradually colonised the Norwegian coast; from the 18th and especially the 19th century, the governments of Norway and Sweden started to assert sovereignty more aggressively in the north, and targeted the Smi with Scandinavization policies aimed at forced assimilation from the 19th century. Many older Smi still refuse to speak Smi. Oil spills affect fishing and the construction of roads. Shkku is a running-fight board game where each player controls a set of soldiers (referred to as "women" and "men") that race across a board in a loop, attempting to eliminate the other player's soldiers. The Smi (/smi/ SAH-mee; also spelled Sami or Saami) are the traditionally Smi-speaking people inhabiting the region of Spmi, which today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and of the Kola Peninsula in Russia. [32] This coincides with the arrival of the Siberian genome to Estonia and Finland, which may correspond with the introduction of the Finno-Ugric languages in the region.[32][33]. They were the last worshippers of Thor, as late as the 18th century according to contemporary ethnographers. In the north (Lapland), it plays a major role in the local economy, while its economic impact is lesser in the southern parts of the area (Province of Oulu). [74], The tourism industry in Finland has been criticized for turning Smi culture into a marketing tool by promoting opportunities to experience "authentic" Smi ceremonies and lifestyle. Fishing has always been the main livelihood for the many Smi living permanently in coastal areas. 1) The Smi are a group of indigenous people that come from the region of Spmi, which stretches across the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola peninsula in Russia. The Scotland's DNA project, led by Edinburgh University's Dr Jim Wilson, has tested . WOW! This division is also used in many historical texts:[143]. [18], As Old Norse gradually developed into the separate Scandinavian languages, Swedes apparently took to using Finn to refer to inhabitants of what is now Finland, while the Smi came to be called Lapps. [23][24] In fact, Saxo never explicitly connects the Smi with the "two Laplands". [167], Smi cosmology divides the universe into three worlds. Some Eastern Smi also have a hooded jumper () from reindeer skins with wool inside and above the knee boots. In addition, the Smi have special rights to reindeer husbandry. In 2010, the Smi Council supported the establishment of a cultural center in Russia for Arctic peoples. Around 1500, they started to tame these animals into herding groups, becoming the well-known reindeer nomads, often portrayed by outsiders as following the traditional Smi lifestyle. Hats vary by sex, season, and region. The total population in these four countries is estimated at approx. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Smi animism is manifested in the Smi's belief that all significant natural objects (such as animals, plants, rocks, etc.) Around 1840 Swedish Smi Lutheran pastor and administrator Lars Levi Laestadius initiated among the Smi a puritanical pietist movement emphasizing complete abstinence from alcohol. In addition, there is Horagalles, a god of thunder and fire, the sun goddess Beive, and a moon goddess called Manno. Leather belts can have scrimshawed antler buttons, silver concho-like buttons, tassels, or brass/copper details such as rings. [125] Today, a considerable part of the Finnish Smi live outside the Spmi region, for example in Helsinki there is a relatively large and active Smi minority. 169 would grant rights to the Smi people to their land and give them power in matters that affect their future. The first probable historical mention of the Smi, naming them Fenni, was by Tacitus, about AD98. ILO Convention No. [10] In Finland, reindeer husbandry is not exclusive and is also practiced to a limited degree by ethnic Finns. Many groups in the Russian Arctic are semi-nomadic, moving seasonally to different hunting and fishing camps. In winter, there is the addition of a reindeer fur coat and leggings, and sometimes a poncho (luhkka) and rope/lasso. [95][97] Governance of indigenous groups, and especially collection of taxes from them, necessitated protection of indigenous peoples against exploitation by traders and settlers. In Sweden, taxes on minerals are intentionally low in an effort to increase mineral exploration for economic benefit, though this policy is at the expense of Smi populations. [156], From an indigenous perspective, people "belong to the land", the land does not belong to people, but this does not mean that hunters, herders, and fishing people do not know where the borders of their territories are located as well as those of their neighbors.[95]. A single daily newspaper is published in Northern Smi. So this is really cool! The main organisations for Smi representation in Norway are the siidas. [90] The Compulsory School Ordinance states that Smi pupils are entitled to be taught in their native language; however, a municipality is only obliged to arrange mother-tongue teaching in Smi if a suitable teacher is available and the pupil has a basic knowledge of Smi. As a result, the population of Pite- and Lule-speaking Smi decreased greatly.[57]. The Saami were once nomadic herdsmen, occasionally hunters, whose survival was very dependent on their reindeer herds. Citation: Maki-Torkko, Elina, Aikio, Pekka, Sorri, Martti, Huentelman, Matthew J, & Camp, Guy Van (2010). This has led to a common misconception that Smi, at least in western Spmi, have no traditional dance culture. Some active mining locations include ancient Smi spaces that are designated as ecologically protected areas, such as the Vindelfjllen Nature Reserve. This average height of around 5 foot 10 or 11 for Basque men does not offer the full story, however. The case of J. Lansman versus Finland concerned a challenge by Smi reindeer herders in northern Finland to the Finnish Central Forestry Board's plans to approve logging and construction of roads in an area used by the herdsmen as winter pasture and spring calving grounds. [47] Although the population of northern Norway is sparse compared to southern Europe, the disease spread just as fast. Through a mainly French initiative from Joseph Paul Gaimard as part of his La Recherche Expedition, Lars Levi Lstadius began research on Smi mythology. Much of Spmi falls outside of those provinces. In Senri Ethnological Studies (SES) No.66 Circumpolar Ethnicity and Identity", "Fant hemmelighetene i lulesamenes sprk", "Norway's "Smi Language Act": Emancipatory Implications for the World's Aboriginal Peoples", "Gkti and Instagram: How Oslo's Young Smis Face Tradition and Urban Life", "Saamelaisten lukumr vuoden 2019 Saamelaiskrjien vaaleissa", "Population and Society: Population by language on 31 December", "FINLEX Ajantasainen lainsdnt: 14.9.1990/848", "Frontpage Senter for Nordlige Folk AS", Draft report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review, "Sweden's Sami struggle over land rights", "The Rise of Indigenous (Pluri-)Nationalism: The Case of the Smi People", "Hyv saamen lipun piv! From the Bronze Age, the Smi occupied the area along the coast of Finnmark and the Kola Peninsula. [147], According to the Finnish Population Registry Center and the Finnish Smi Parliament, the Smi population living in Finland was 10,753 in 2019. History. Throughout history, Swedish settlers were encouraged to move to the northern regions through incentives such as land and water rights, tax allowances, and military exemptions. "Samis" redirects here. Physical traits The body height is short; usually around 150-170 cm on average in pure individuals. Increased pressure came after the Protestant Reformation, and rune drums were burned or sent to museums abroad. [95], In April 1999, the Russian Duma passed a law that guarantees socio-economic and cultural development to all indigenous minorities, protecting traditional living places and acknowledging some form of limited ownership of territories that have traditionally been used for hunting, herding, fishing, and gathering activities. 7) Have you seen the movie Frozen II? Petroglyphs and archeological findings such as settlements, dating from about 10,000BC can be found in Lapland and Finnmark, although these have not been demonstrated to be related to the Smi people. In contrast to Norway and Sweden, in Finland, a siida (paliskunta in Finnish) is a reindeer-herding corporation that is not restricted by ethnicity. State regulation of sea fisheries underwent drastic change in the late 1980s. [62] In Kallak (Smi: Gllok) a group of indigenous and non-indigenous activists protested against the UK-based mining company Beowulf which operated a drilling program in lands used for grazing reindeer during the winter. They later herded reindeer. The players maneuver their pieces around a . Unlike many other Indigenous peoples, traditional dance is generally not a visible manifestation of Smi identity. 10) The Smi people have their own parliaments to represent them in Norway, Sweden and Finland, and their own newspapers and radio stations, that report on issues that concern the Smi people! The Sami are ethnically and genetically distinct from other Norwegians and faced a lot of discrimination within Norway in the past. Autosomal genetic analyses found that the Smi people cluster in a distinct position, shifted away from other Europeans, with significant amount of genome originating from a Neo-Siberian source population, best represented by the Nganasan people. 4) The Smi are best known for reindeer herding. This tallies with archeological evidence suggesting that several different cultural groups made their way to the core area of Smi from 8000 to 6000BC,[176] presumably including some of the ancestors of present-day Smi. You will receive our UK newsletter. In 2010, Sweden was criticized for its relations with the Smi in the Universal Periodic Review conducted by the Working Group of the Human Rights Council. [82] In 2021, the Church of Sweden made a formal apology to Sweden's Smi population for its role in forced conversions and Swedification efforts, outlining a multiyear reconciliation plan. [10] For traditional, environmental, cultural, and political reasons, reindeer herding is legally reserved for only Smi in some regions of the Nordic countries. According to the Swedish Smi parliament. By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and will receive emails from us about news, offers, activities and partner offers. In 1998, Sweden formally apologized for the wrongs committed against the Smi. Learn how and when to remove this template message, U.N. Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Norway, Expert Mechanism on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous small-numbered peoples of the North, Siberia and the Far East, "Eduskunta Kirjallinen kysymys 20/2009", "Table 1. explore and learn delivered straight to your inbox. [75], The Smi have for centuries, even today, been the subject of discrimination and abuse by the dominant cultures in the nations they have historically inhabited. In one proposal, this Finnish word comes from a Proto-Germanic word *sma-, itself from Proto-Baltic *sma-, in turn borrowed from Proto-Finnic *m, which was borrowed from *m.[12].