This book is about indigenous religion of the Western Sami during the 17th and 18th century. It proposes a terminology for the places of sacrifice, argues that any interpretation of the figures on Sami drums must be based on the preserved explanations of the owners, presents a hypothesis concerning the interrelations and geographical distribution of the accounts written by missionaries, and gives examples of how terminologies, dialect geography, and place names can be used to supplement other sources. With references

This book is about indigenous religion of the Western Sami during the 17th and 18th century. It proposes a terminology for the places of sacrifice, argues that any interpretation of the figures on Sami drums must be based on the preserved explanations of the owners, presents a hypothesis concerning the interrelations and geographical distribution of the accounts written by missionaries, and gives examples of how terminologies, dialect geography, and place names can be used to supplement other sources. With references

This book sets out to document and analyse the Sámi narrative tradition. It considers the worldviews inherent in the narratives and links them to traditional cosmology and other cultural expressions (such as joik and duodji). The chapters address a variety of issues, including care for children, the perception of nature, disputes over land and natural resources, local justice, the spiritual world of everyday life, and Læstadianism. Sketching Sámi history and the cultural context of storytelling, Nergård also considers the modern challenge for the narrative tradition. Drawing on long-term fieldwork and research, the volume is valuable reading for Indigenous studies and disciplines such as anthropology.

This open access book is a novel contribution in two ways: It is a multi-disciplinary examination of the indigenous South Saami people in Fennoscandia, a social and cultural group that often is overlooked as it is a minority within the Saami minority. Based on both historical material such as archaeological evidence, 20th century newspapers, and postcard motives as well as current sources such as ongoing land-right trials and recent works of historiography, the articles highlight the culture and living conditions of this indigenous group, mapping the negotiations of different identities through the interaction of Saami and non-Saami people through the ages. By illuminating this under-researched field, the volume also enriches the more general debate on global indigenous history, and sheds light on the construction of a Scandinavian identity and the limits of the welfare state and the myth of heterogeneity and equality.

Sámi culture has undergone powerful changes recently. Traditions have been integrated with contemporary influences and perspectives. New kinds of Sámi participation and activism have evolved including innovative politics, informative media, expressive art and literature. Accommodating internal and external changes is nothing novel to the Sámi. The dialogue between what is traditional and what is modern is a natural part of their development towards the maintenance of Sámi cultural distinctness.

This book provides a comprehensive and multifaceted analysis of the Sámi society and its histories and people, offering valuable insights into how they live and see the world. The chapters examine a variety of social and cultural practices, and consideration is given to environment, legal and political conditions and power relations. The contributions by a range of experts of Sámi studies and Indigenous scholars are drawn from across the Sápmi region, which spans from central Norway and central Sweden across Finnish Lapland to the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Sámi perspectives, concepts and ways of knowing are foregrounded throughout the volume. The material connects with wider discussions within Indigenous studies and engages with current concerns relating to globalization, environmental and cultural change, Arctic politics, multiculturalism, postcolonialism and neoliberalism. The Sámi World will be of interest to scholars from a number of disciplines, including Indigenous studies, anthropology, sociology, geography, history and political science.

Presents the history, culture, lifestyle, and hardships of the Sami people of Northern Europe, and provides information about the climate and environment within their territory.