Happy Sámi National Day / Buori sámi álbmotbeaivvi!
Today is Sámi National Day. National Day is a day of celebration shared by the Sámi people, who live in four countries in Northern Europe.
The Sámi are the only recognised indigenous people in the European Union. The Sámi traditionally live in Finland, Sweden, Norway and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The area traditionally inhabited by the Sámi is also called Sápmi. The total number of Sámi is around 50,000-100,000, and the living Sámi languages are Southern, Ume, Pite, Lule, Northern, Inari, Skolt, Kildin and Ter Sámi. The further the language groups are from each other geographically; the more difficult it is for them to understand each other.
Why is February 6 Sámi National Day?
On February 6 1917, the first joint meeting of the Sámi people was held in Trondheim, Norway. The meeting was organised by the women's organisation 'Brurskanken samisk kvindeforening', which was actively led by Elsa Laula Renberg, a South Sámi. The meeting aimed to discuss the Sámi people's livelihood and how to secure it.
The meeting is said to be the beginning of Nordic cooperation among the Sámi, although it was mainly attended by Sámi from Norway and Sweden.
February 6 was chosen as National Day at the Helsinki Sámi Conference in 1992. The first Sámi National Day was celebrated the following year. In Finland, Sámi National Day first appeared in the official almanac in 2004.
How is it celebrated?
On Sámi National Day, many cultural events are organised in Sápmi and also in the Nordic countries. The events include Sámi music, Sámi art in various forms and Sámi food. They also bring people together, which is important for the widespread Sámi people.
On National Day, the Sámi and Sámi national symbols are prominently displayed. It is customary for the Sámi to wear Sámi clothing. The design of the Sámi clothing varies from region to region, and the clothing tells you where the wearer comes from and which group they belong to. The Sámi clothing reflects the fashion trends of the time in terms of colours and materials, but respects the design of the region and the family.
In Finland, the Sámi National Day is a recommended flag day, so you can see the Sámi flag on the flagpoles. The Sámi flag was introduced in 1986, but it was adopted as the official flag at the same Sámi conference where the national day was chosen. The red circle on the flag represents the sun and the blue one the moon. The theme comes from the South Sami poet Anders Fjellner's poem Biejjien baernie (Sons of the Sun). The blue colour also represents water, the red one fire. Green symbolises nature, yellow the sun. The colours of the Sámiflag are derived from the Sámi clothing.
On National Day, you can also hear the Sámi national anthem being sung. In Northern Sámi, the national song is called Sámi soga lávlla (Song of the Sámi family). In addition to the national song, the Sámi have a national yoik, which is Nils-Aslak Valkeapää's yoik Sámi eatnan duoddariid. Both the song and the yoiku have been translated into several Sámi languages.
The national song in North Sámi:
National yoik:
Meaning
The meaning of National Day corresponds to the national or independence days of the states. The Sámi are one people, and the borders between states do not stand in the way of Sámi unity. National Day builds a sense of community and cohesion among the Sámi, and for the general population it highlights Sámi culture and its traditions, including outside Sápmi.
Sources: