SÁMI PEOPLE IN FINLAND

The Sámi people are the only officially recognised indigenous peoples in the European Union. Estimated to be around 75,000 in number, there are around 9000 Sámis in Finland, over 40,000 in Norway, 15,000 – 20,000 in Sweden and 2000 in Russia. Although Sámi people are distributed across country borders, they consider themselves to belong to one land known as Sápmi or Sámiland, have one Sámi flag and their own national day which is celebrated on 6th February.

Finland’s Sámi population has its own parliament which is responsible for linguistic and cultural self-government. The parliament operates out of Sajos in Inari village and is elected every fourth year. In Lapland’s northernmost municipalities Sámi students have a right to take their education in their own language. Efforts are also made to preserve the Sámi languages with immersive cultural day care centres for young children. In Finland three Sámi languages are spoken: Northern Sámi, Inari Sámi and Skolt Sámi.

Although lean-tos, kotas and other traditional structures are still a part of the Sámi culture and environment all year round, people live in modern houses, dress in modern clothes and do not differ from Finns in their outward appearance. However, almost all Sámis have a Sámi dress, which is worn on important or special occasions. When wearing the beautifully made and decorated traditional dress, a Sámi person is representing their family and their region as well as showing respect for the occasion that they are attending.

The majority of Sámis belong to the evangelical lutheran church. Skolt sámis are mostly Orthodox.

These days over half of Sámi people live outside of the Sámi area, many of them in the Helsinki area.

REINDEER HUSBANDRY

Reindeer husbandry is commonly associated with traditional Sámi livelihoods, along with fishing, hunting and handicrafts. These days reindeer herding as a main livelihood has fallen considerably. Today Sámi people living in the north often combine their traditional livelihoods with services in travel and tourism, sometimes in addition to ordinary jobs within the community.

Although reindeer are owned by different families and herders, they still graze with other herds on a collective grazing ground, used by a reindeer grazing association, known in Finnish as a ‘paliskunta‘. There are 56 ‘paliskunta’ in Finland, with each area having a limit of 200,000 reindeer on the pastures in order to allow the ground to recover and regenerate for continued use.

Reindeer husbandry follows a yearly life cycle. Calves are born in May and June, which starts off the reindeer year. From midsummer (21 June) reindeer are gathered into their summer corrals (pens), where the new calves are marked by cutting a pattern into their ear with a knife. The earmark is unique to every reindeer herder whose herd will all bear the same pattern. Assembling the reindeer into their summer corrals is assisted by the swarms of mosquitoes, flies and other insects present at that time of year, who drive the irritated reindeer out of the forest and into the open tundra.

As autumn draws in, the reindeer are rounded up again using quad bikes, mountain bikes and when the snow arrives, snowmobiles and helicopters. Once rounded up, the reindeer are separated, with those chosen for slaughter removed. Some males are castrated and some reindeer are removed for home use. Those who are not to be slaughtered are given anti-parasite treatment and released back into the wild.

Inari village has many interesting cultural and nature orientated events throughout the year.

Skábmagovat – The Indigenous Peoples’ Film Festival

Skábmagovat (Reflections of the Endless Night) Indigenous Peoples’ Film Festival is organised yearly in January at the end of the Polar night in Inari. Films are shown at Siida, Sajos and in Siida’s snow theatre under the stars. Alongside Sámi films, the films of other indigenous peoples are shown. The programme is published at the end of the year and advance tickets go on sale in the new year.

Inari’s King Reindeer Racing Championships

Inari’s King Reindeer racing championships take place every spring on the ice of frozen Lake Inari near the shore of Holiday Village Inari. This colourful outdoor event is suitable for all ages!

Inari’s Trolling Competition

Inari’s Trolling Competition is organised every year in July. The competition area is on a section of Lake Inari, from Inari village to the southern part of Kasari. The competition base and the finishing line are at the harbour of Inari village.

Inari Week

Traditional village festivities, children’s activities, market stalls, concerts, theatre, performing artists and of course the Water Cross snowmobile competition all take place during this week in July.

Inari week is one of the biggest happenings of the summer, with events and activities for all ages organised throughout the whole municipality.

Ijahis Idja – The Indigenous Peoples’ Music Festival

Ijahis Idja is the Indigenous People’s Music Festival which has been organised in Inari village since 2004. The event is the only music festival in Finland that focuses on Sámi music. Every year the festival includes guest performers from other indigenous backgrounds.

Thanks to good flight and bus connections getting to Inari is straightforward.

BY AIR

Ivalo airport is 50km south of Inari. Finnair flies to Ivalo daily. The airport shuttle bus travels between Ivalo and Inari, which can be booked through . We can also arrange private transfers.

All transfers need to be booked in advance via webshop.

Arrival services at Ivalo airport.

BY TRAIN

There are a number of trains scheduled between Rovaniemi and Helsinki per day with the journey lasting between 8 and 13 hrs, including overnight services. Train lines stop at Rovaniemi, after which you will need to take a bus to Inari which takes approximately 5 hours. However, you can book this as part of one ticket on the VR website below.

Timetables and tickets can be found from here.

BY BUS

Eskelinen and JBUS connect Rovaniemi and Inari. Bus tickets can be bought directly from the driver or reserved online.

When travelling between destinations in the Eastern and Western parts of Lapland, please be aware that there may be only one service a day which will mostly likely go via Rovaniemi.

Check bus timetables from here.

BY CAR

If you want to get to explore the area fully, we recommend coming by car. Lapland’s roads are in good condition and there is virtually no traffic, even though you need to keep your eye out for reindeer crossing at any time of year. Remember that from December to mid-January it is almost always dark during polar night. Inari is located on the E75 road.

It is possible to take your car on the train from Helsinki to Rovaniemi. Please check the train timetables for more information.

It is also possible to rent a car from Ivalo airport from one of the following car rental companies: Avis, Europcar, Hertz, Scandia Rent and Sixt.

NORWAY

Getting to or from Norway on buses is not easy. Finnish buses travelling north terminate at Näätämö, Karasjok and Tana Bru. The bus to Nordkapp only operates in the summer and connections leaving from Karasjok are limited. As part of our services, we arrange a daily transfer to Kirkenes which picks up from Kakslauttanen, Saariselkä and Ivalo. At the Kirkenes end, pick up can be from the harbour, the town centre, a hotel or the airport. We can also arrange transportation to other destinations in Northern Norway and Lapland on request.

Kirkenes transfers.

Public bus timetables.

Other transfers need to be booked in advance via email: sales@visitinari.fi

TRAVELLING DISTANCES

Inari – Rovaniemi 340 km
Inari – Saariselkä 70 km
Inari – Ivalo airport 50 km
Inari – Ivalo 40 km
Inari – Kittilä 200 km
Inari – Nuorgam 170 km
Inari – Kirkenes 200 km
Inari – Nordkapp 350 km
Inari – Helsinki 1150 km