Sami people | 12 vintage photos | Sapmi

Here are 12 historical photos representing the fascinating Sami culture - with deep roots in the Norwegian and Nordic landscape.

Haymaking

Haymaking, the Sami way. Probably lifted from the ground so that the animals can not get to it. The structure is called a «luovvi» – and is also used for the storage of food etc. Kautokeino, Finnmark, Norway.

Haymaking, the Sami way. Probably lifted from the ground so that the animals can not get to it. Kautokeino, Finnmark, Norway. | Photo: Alf Schrøder co - digitalmuseum.no FBib.01005-028 - Public domain.

Photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitalmuseum.no FBib.01005-028 – Public domain.

On the move

Karen V travelling with her reindeer in Finnmark, Norway. Hand-coloured photo.

Karen V travelling with her reindeer. Finnmark, Norway. Hand-coloured photo. | Photo: Alf Schrøder co - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-062 - Public domain.

Photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-062 – Public domain.

An island well

A young man sitting in front of a well on Tamsøya, an island off the coast of Finnmark, Norway.

A Sami man sitting in front of a well at Tamsøya, an island on the coast of Finnmark, Norway. Possibly taken in 1903. | Photo: Robert Collett - nb.no - Public domain.

Photo: Robert Collett – nb.no – Public domain.

Establishing camp

Man and woman – feeding the dogs. Finnmark, Norway. Hand-coloured photo.

Sami man and woman - feeding the dogs. Finnmark, Norway. Hand-coloured photo. | Photo: Alf Schrøder co - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-052 - Public domain.

Photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-052 – Public domain.

Resting

Coffee-break by the fire. Peder Vesterfjell and his family in Vefsn, Nordland, Norway. Hand-coloured photo.

Coffee-break by the fire. Peder Vesterfjell and his family. Vefsn, Nordland, Norway. Hand-coloured photo. | Photo: Alf Schrøder co - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-077 - Public domain.

Photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-077 – Public domain.

A proud people – with good reason

Henrik Sara, his wife, two daughters and a third girl outside their tent. Mikkel Bonga with the pipe. Cedar’s mine, Badderen in Kvænangen, Troms, Norway.

Henrik Sara, his wife, two daughters and a third girl outside their tent. Mikkel Bonga with the pipe. Cedar's mine, Badderen, Kvænangen, Finnmark, Norway. | Photo: Hanna Resvoll-Holmsen - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-070 - Public domain.

Photo: Hanna Resvoll-Holmsen – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-070 – Public domain.

Handcraft based on millennia-old traditions

Group of women and children – probably from the Swedish side of the border. The baby is strapped in a «komse». From Finnmark, Norway. Hand-coloured photo.

Group of Sami women and children - probably from the Swedish side of the border. The baby is strapped in a so-called «komse», carried on the mother's back when walking. Finnmark, Norway. Hand-coloured photo. | Photo: Alf Schrøder co - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-056 - Public domain.

Photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-056 – Public domain.

Around the fire

Family around the fire in a log cabin in Finnmark, Norway.

Sami family around the fire in a log cabin. Finnmark, Norway. | Photo: Alf Schrøder co - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-071 - Public domain.

Photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-071 – Public domain.

Travelling through the landscape

Man and woman travelling with their reindeer in Kautokeino, Finnmark, Norway. Hand-coloured photo.

Sami man and woman on a journey with their reindeer. Kautokeino, Finnmark, Norway. Hand-coloured photo. | Photo: Alf Schrøder co - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-089 - Public domain.

Photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-089 – Public domain.

At home

A young girl outside her home in Troms, Norway.

Young Sami girl outside a tent. Troms, Norway. | Photo: Hanna Resvoll-Holmsen - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01006-016 - Public domain.

Photo: Hanna Resvoll-Holmsen – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01006-016 – Public domain.

Securing the food

A group of women harvesting potatoes in Finnmark, Norway. The Norwegians started to grow potatoes from around the year 1800 and onwards.

A group of Sami women harvesting potatoes. Finnmark, Norway. | Photo: Alf Schrøder co - digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-001 - Public domain.

Photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-001 – Public domain.

Click here to go to Wikipedia, where you can read more about the fascinating Sami culture and people

Main photo: Alf Schrøder co – digitaltmuseum.no FBib.01005-045 – public domain.

LA Dahlmann | sami people