Happy Sámi National Day!

Art in Korundi

Art is one way to get to know the Sámi culture. Sámi artist Merja Aletta Ranttila is known for her children’s book illustrations, Sámi-themed drawings and expressive illustrations. Personal fears, anxiety and guilt, as well as dreams are captured in her art. Kerperos (below), currently on display in Korundi, depicts in a cartoonish way the struggle between a woman and a two-headed devil.

Get to know Sámi culture in Arktikum

You can get to know the Sámi culture in Rovaniemi, for example, in Arktikum. The first Sámi exhibition object, the komsio, more commonly known as a cradle of a child, was received as a donation already in the 1970s.

The exhibition also features a hut where people have lived still at the 1960s – also at wintertime. Usually a hut garment is placed on top of the hut trees, sewn from blankets and woolen fabric. For this hut it is too fragile to keep it in place, so it has been removed.

Arktikum also displays a wedding couple’s clothes made in the 1980s, which is from Enontekiö. The bride herself has made her own wedding dress and her husband’s suit: a jacket, trousers, fur boots, or buns, and hats for both. The silversmith has made jewelry for the clothes, large buckles, or rickets, and a crown that the bride wears on her head.

The Sámi clothes tells where the person is from. The shape, decorations and color of the costume can tell you which area or village a person is from. The clothes can even tell which genus a person belongs to. The clothes are also changing over time and today they combine tradition and modern craftsmanship.

In Arktikum you can also listen samples of different Sami languages from different regions

More information

Visit Arktikum or Korund. With Culture Pass you can enter three destinations with one ticket.

Read more about Sámi Culture or Responsible travelling