Sami Society
A quick look at the social structures and societies of historic Sami cultures.
Historic Sami societies tended to be be small and scattered, a by-product of their nomadic lifestyle. The Sami groups have never been a monoculture; their languages, while related, are often mutually unintelligible. For the most part, communities revolved around the siida, or sjidda, system. A siida is a family group, typically led by male or female elders. Extended families and neighbors within the siida came together to manage shared territory. Nomadic herders parted from their summer fishing grounds and met again in winter. More settled communities might live together year-round. When a siida met, each family sent a representative to make important decisions. They followed a similar protocol in meetings between different siida. This practice kept nomadic communities in touch and organized over large territories.
Since at least the 1500s, Sami societies have repeatedly adjusted to changing economic and social conditions. As hunting wild reindeer grew less viable, many siida settled in more sedentary fishing and farming communities. This reduced the importance of the siida in favor of national laws. At the same time, the spread of Christianity subverted the role of noaide shamans, who had once governed the spiritual affairs of their siida. By the 20th century, even the reindeer nomads had moved into permanent housing. Most modern herders now only leave their houses for periodic reindeer drives. Herding families often maintain houses at both winter and summer sites and move between them as needed.
Today, the siida fills both a communal and a legal role. Herders still organize and regulate their industry using siida principles, which now function somewhat like a union or corporation. Under the sameby system in Sweden, for example, about 50 siida control reindeer herding territories and the rights associated with them. Similar practices exist in Norway and Finland. Beyond the reindeer industry, Sami activists look to education and economic opportunity for their communities. Modern Sami politics are handled through separate parliaments in Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Efforts to secure similar representation continue in Russia.
Further Reading:
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References
“History Articles.” Sami Culture, University of Texas, www.laits.utexas.edu/sami/dieda/history.htm.
Hund, Andrew J., ed. Antarctica and the Arctic Circle. Vol 1. ABC-CLIO. 2014.
“Preserving Indigenous Culture in the Arctic.” Sweden, Swedish Institute, Feb. 2014, sweden.se/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Sami-in-Sweden-low-resolution.pdf.
Robinson, Michael P., Karim-Aly S. Kassam, and Leif Rantala. Sami Potatoes: Living with Reindeer and Perestroika. Bayeux Arts. 1998.
Sami Parliament. “The Sami: An Indigenous People in Sweden.” Samer, Samer.Se, www.samer.se/2137.
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