Experience the southern part of Saepmie

Baalka means path in the South Sami language. You can experience the South Sami culture and history here. We begin our journey in the South Sami region that spans over Jämtland and Härjedalen on the Swedish side of the border, and Tröndelag on the Norwegian side.

JOIN US ON A VISIT TO OUR WORLD

Our paths, places, and traces

Let us take you along on a visit to the paths of our lives, our culture, and our history. Let us take you to places where you will find new knowledge, experiences, and encounters. And we will show you the traces in the earth that have been left by the generations before us. With trust and respect. Because these are the values we have learned. Take a quiz along the path to see what you have learned.

Reindeer

A lifestyle and culture shaped around the reindeer

Reindeer have long been an important part of Sami life. Their migration routes in search of food and grazing have long shaped our culture. This is the case even today. Reindeer husbandry is an important industry in the southern Saepmie. Calf-marking is a high point of the summer.

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Settlements

Our settlements are adapted to a nomadic lifestyle

The Sami settlement and its various structures and buildings were traditionally adapted to a nomadic lifestyle. We reside at different settlements throughout the course of the year, following the reindeer’s migration routes and various grazing areas. The different types of gåetieh (a traditional Sami turf-roofed house) have a long tradition in the Sami society and they are still used today, especially during the summer. There are a number of rules that need to be followed while living in a gåetie.

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Wisdom

A world view closely tied to nature

Our Sami history and beliefs are often connected to our lifestyle and our surroundings in nature. We try to understand the relationship between animals and nature as they are part of what makes a place special. Even today, we use ancient knowledge as a kind of mind map to understand the landscape.

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A people

A Multifaceted Culture

The Sami culture is very diverse, both regarding the language and way of life. Hunting has traditionally been an important source of income, and when the Sami people are mentioned reindeer husbandry often comes to mind. Over the ages, the Sami people have made their livelihood in a variety of ways.

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Our land

Saepmie - The land of the Sami

Saepmie is our name for the homeland of the Sami. Many places have names in the Sami languages as the Sami people have long inhabited the land here in Saepmie. Place names in Sami do not respect national borders. Names bear witness to the fact that this is the land of the Sami, regardless of the country. Neighboring peoples’ names for places also mention the Sami culture and different peoples have used and borrowed each other’s names for many places. In this way, the names of places tell us about Saepmie and about the Sami people.

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