Finland: National Sámi Day
Finland celebrates National Sámi Day on Monday, writes farming union newspaper Maaseudun Tulevaisuus (siirryt toiseen palveluun) (MT).
The day commemorates the first Sámi Assembly, held in Norway’s Trondheim in 1917.
The Sámi are an indigenous group mostly residing in Finland’s Lapland region as well as neighbouring areas of Sweden, Norway and Russia. One of the main points of contention during last autumn’s political cycle was the Sámi Parliament law.
Sámi Day celebrations have traditionally been held in the various parts of the indigenous people’s region, but nowadays celebrations are also organised elsewhere, MT writes.
In Helsinki for example, the celebrations will begin with the raising of the Sámi flag in front of Oodi library at 9am.
For those up north, the Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos in Inari will host an open day and will be introducing, among other things, the activities of the Sámi Parliament.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Toronto gallery next stop for travelling Kenojuak Ashevak exhibition, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Certification marks help both Sami artisans and consumers, says council, Eye on the Arctic
Russia: German project to house everything published in Siberian and Arctic languages to seek new funding, Eye on the Arctic
Sweden: 2022 Gollegiella Nordic Sami language prize awarded in Stockholm, Eye on the Arctic
United States: How Inuit culture helped unlock power of classical score for Inupiaq violinist, Eye on the Arctic
