Sámi Culture, History a Focus this Fall at Seattle’s Nordic Heritage Museum

The Nordic Heritage Museum in Seattle opened a multilayered exhibition that explores the rich culture of the Sámi, the indigenous population of northern Europe, on August 31. On view through November 4, “Eight Seasons in Sápmi, the Land of the Sámi People” is a collaborative effort among Danish-American photographer Birgitte Aarestrup; Ájtte, the Swedish Mountain and Sami Museum; and Sámi Duodji, the Sámi Handicraft Foundation; both institutions located in Jokkmokk, Sweden.

In conjunction with the exhibition, the Museum will offer several related programs through October. See below for more details.

The Sámi People

The Sámi are the indigenous group in northern Europe, and like other indigenous peoples around the world, they have a traditional culture, language, and customs distinct from larger society. Sápmi, the land of the Sámi, extends across Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia, encompassing a vast area of mountainous and forested country, tundra, and wetlands.

The earliest traces of Sámi culture are 8,000 years old and go back to a hunting, fishing, and gathering culture, which later shifted to reindeer husbandry. Reindeer are so important to Sámi culture, in fact, that the Sámi year is divided into eight seasons, each relating to the changing nature so important for the traditional life-style and for the reindeer. The upcoming exhibition at the Nordic Heritage Museum will tell today’s stories about traditional Sámi reindeer herding life and handicraft.

The Exhibition

”Eight Seasons in Sápmi, the Land of the Sámi People” includes nearly 40 photographs taken by Birgitte Aarestrup during her personal journey among the Sámi people. Aarestrup’s photographs capture her experiences when she lived with the Sámi reindeer herders, listened to their stories around the fire in their traditional kåta tents, traveled to the 400-year-old Winter Market, and visited the homes of well-known artisans still creating arts and crafts in the way of their ancestors.

Ájtte Museum, the principle museum of Sámi Culture in Sweden will exhibit a colorful expose of Sámi culture. Artifacts, text, and photographs will illustrate Sámi history, traditional life, reindeer herding, and oral tradition. Visitors will also learn about Laponia, the UNESCO World Heritage Area in northern Sweden, which protects and preserves 9,400 km2 of traditional Sámi land.

Sámi handicrafts, known as Duodji, from the collections of the Sámi Duodji, the Sámi Handicraft Foundation, will show the importance of these crafts to Sámi society and the richness of these continuing traditions. Created by prominent craftsmen, the artifacts are made from reindeer, root, pewter, and textiles. The exhibition will be enhanced with Sámi artifacts from the collection of the Nordic Heritage Museum.

Sámi-Related Programs at the Museum

In conjunction with the exhibition, the Museum will offer several related programs throughout the fall. Here is a guide to the programs:

Wednesday, September 26

Lecture: “The night is not so long that the day never comes.” How to read a Sámi wooden cup, with Troy Storfjell

Thursday, October 11

Lecture: An Account of the Sámi: 100 Years Later, with Thomas DuBois

Tuesday, October 23

Film Screening: Suddenly Sámi

Photograph by Birgitte Aarestrup.

Exhibition support is provided by The Barbro Osher Pro Suecia Foundation, the Swedish Council of America, Ájtte Museum, Sámi Duodji, Birgitte Aarestrup, and by Jokkmokk Municipality, Norrbotten County Council, and the Swedish Arts Council. Local support provided by 4Culture, Artsfund, and Seattle Office of Arts & Cultural Affairs.