Sami History
The Sámi people are the indigenous people of northern Europe inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of northern Sweden, Norway, Finland and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. The traditional Sami life style, dominated by hunting, fishing and trading, was preserved to the Late Middle Ages when the modern structures of the Nordic countries were established.
The Sami have lived in relative co-existence with their neighbors for centuries, but for the last two hundred years - especially during the second half of the 20th century, there have been many dramatic changes in Sami culture, politics, economics and their relations with their neighboring societies. During the late-20th century, modern conflicts broke out over the construction of a hydroelectric dam, the reaction of which created a reawakening and defense of Sami culture in recent years. Of the eleven different historically attested Sami languages or dialects, only nine have survived to the present day with most endangered of disappearing as.
It is possible that the Sami people's existence were documented by such writers as the Roman historian Tacitus. They have on uncertain grounds, but for a very long time, been associated with the 'Fenni'. However, the first Nordic sources dates from the introductions of runes and is the Account of the Viking Othere to King Alfred of England.
Read more about Sami History: Prehistory, Origin, Before The 15th Century, Sami Art, An Economic Shift, Swedish Advances Into Sapmi, Russian Interest, Danish-Norwegian Policies in The North, The 20th Century, Reconstruction, Renewed Interest, Assimilated Sámi
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