Have you ever heard the Sami language?

The Sami people are the only officially recognised indigenous people in the European Union, and Sompio is an ancient Sami settlement.

The history of the Sami people goes way back

In Sompio, particularly in Vuotso village, you might hear the locals speaking a very different sounding and rare language. This language is Sami. There are actually many Sami languages: In Finland three Sami languages are spoken: Northern Sami, Inari Sami and Skolt Sami. The languages only really resemble each other if you have never heard them before. Places names with their origins in the Sami language are still found today, even in Southern Finland.

The history of the Sami people goes way back. Sami people were hunter gatherers and fishermen, who skillfully learned to survive in northern nature’s harsh conditions by efficiently and inventively making the most out of what nature has to offer. For example, people have always used all parts of the reindeer, from the antlers and skins right down to the bones. One popular Sami treat is reindeer bone marrow.

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