SÁMI: A TRADITIONAL WAY OF LIFE
The Sámi are an indigenous people inhabiting
Sápmi, which encompasses northern parts of
Finland, Sweden, Norway and the Kola Peninsula
of Russia. Descended from nomadic groups that
once roamed northern Scandinavia, the Sámi
are known for their close relationship with the
natural world, in which reindeer herding, fishing
and farming are all important traditional ways
of life. Today, Sámi parliaments protect and
promote the cultural autonomy and political
interests of the Sámi at an international level.
be the midnight sun and the endless
days of summer, when I can wander
into nature without thinking of it
getting dark. I also love the pitch-
black mid-winter days when the sun
is below the horizon, even at noon,
and the aurora borealis dance across
the sky in the evening.
ese seasonal variations really
dictate how I spend my spare time.
ey also make it a fantastic place
to visit, both in summer and winter.
I love the treeless tundra, featuring
colourful high-alpine flora – a place
that is so robust, yet subtle and
delicate at the same time.
I have been so lucky to spend
parts of my professional life as an
expedition leader in what I call
'e High Arctic' – areas between
74° and 81° North. e archipelago
of Svalbard and the north-eastern
part of Greenland have really been
etched into my mind. As opposed
to the Arctic part of the Norwegian
mainland, these are areas where polar bears,
muskox, polar wolves, arctic fox and the all-
white version of peregrine falcon roam.
ese are extreme places where travelling
in nature requires particular skills, places
where you quickly learn that, if you attempt
to defy nature, you may put your life in
danger. For many inhabitants of the Arctic,
being in the wilderness is second nature and
nothing to talk about. However, I believe
that my appreciation of the fact that I come
from a place that is inhospitable to many is
something I have been able to harness in my
choice of profession. Above all, I love seeing
visitors mesmerised by the immense beauty
of the Arctic.
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