Cross-border project looks to boost Sami handcrafts and businesses
With growing interest in Saami culture and handicrafts but also mounting complications for small Indigenous businesses, the Saami Council has launched a new cross-border project this month to help artisans across the Saami homeland.
The project, Sápmái Buorrin – Building the Future of Sámi Businesses, has been put together by the council, an NGO representing Saami internationally, Suoma Sámiid Guovddášsearvi (the Finnish Sámi Central Organization), and Sámi Duodji – Sameslöjdstiftelsen (the Sámi Handicraft Foundation), along with various regional funders as well as the EU cross-border program Interreg Aurora.
Duodji are traditional Sámi handicraft and can range from traditional Saami knives to wooden cups to jewellery. Organizers say the new initiative responds to growing challenges for Saami artisans and businesses.
“These include limited market visibility, differences in national regulations, border-related obstacles, and the increasing presence of products inspired by Sámi culture but not made by Sámi people,” the Saami Council said in a statement.
“Such issues make it difficult for customers to identify authentic Sámi craftsmanship and can affect the sustainability of Sámi cultural livelihoods.”
Building networks across borders
The organizers say the cross-border nature of the project is key.
Sápmi, the Saami homeland, stretches across Arctic Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia’s Kola Peninsula, but regulatory differences and border-related obstacles can make running a Saami business more complicated than it appears from the outside.
Over the next three years, Sápmái Buorrin will host in-person and digital workshops on topics ranging from product photography to business communications.
The first gathering is planned for June 2026 in Ohcejohka. A home-residency program will also be introduced to give Sámi artisans and entrepreneurs practical support for things like cross-border sales and running a business day-to-day.
Testing new approaches in pilot cities
The project will also choose one pilot city in each country, where organizers plan to work with local retailers and venues to explore how Sámi-made products can be placed in everyday commercial settings.
While the project centers on business issues, Similä says it also has broader aims.
“Most of our businesses make their living from Sámi culture, and when Sámi products are made visible in larger markets, the financial value returns to our own communities,” Project Manager Enni Similä said.
“In this way, Sámi culture creates livelihoods today while also protecting our cultural heritage for future generations.”
Write to Eilís Quinn at eilis.quinn(at)cbc.ca
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Iqaluit Pan-Arctic Vision celebrates diversity, community and coming home to your cat, CBC News
Finland: Sámi introduce certification to promote ethical tourism in Arctic Finland, Eye on the Arctic
Norway: Certification marks help both Sami artisans and consumers, says council, Eye on the Arctic
United States: This American company is selling ‘ulu-inspired knives.’ Inuit say, that’s not right, CBC News
