I am majoring in Anthropology and Scandinavian Area Studies at university. People generally seem to envision that all of my studies relate to the Vikings and the Viking Era; when nothing could be further from the truth.
What countries does Scandinavia comprise of? Well, the answer to that would be Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Iceland. I have indeed studied Viking History, read some of the Icelandic Sagas, compared and contrasted Ibsen and Strindberg, and taken one year of Norwegian to date. So, what else is there to possibly learn, that should cover it, right?
I have taken a very enlightening class with the focus on the Saami. The Saami are the indigenous people of the North, and have settled in Russia, Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Traditionally, people think of them as Reindeer herders, but not all Saami herd Reindeer. Many, in fact, fish, work in the fields of science, engineering, university studies, and other typical undertakings in western society. The Saami are some of the most ethnographically documented people in the world.
Religions amongst the Saami also vary, since there are traditinal Saami beliefs, Lutheran, and Orthodox Christians as well. The Saami were forbidden to Yoik for years, and the resurgence was made within the last 30 years. There are records of Saami trading with the Romans, and the Saami actually brought us skiing, since that was a way they traditionally moved about in the snow.
There is so much to learn in this world, and so much more than meets the eye on the surface of things. The movie link below is the first part of The Last Yoik in Saami Forests. I hope you enjoy the film! The music you will hear, is various Yoik. Should you wish to watch the rest of the movie, follow the youtube links to the other postings in order.
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