In Norway on February 6th the Sami flag will hang proudly outside all official government buildings in recognition of Sami national day. The Sami, commonly referred to as Lapplanders in the past, first celebrated this day in 1993 as a union of the indigenous voices across Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia. The date is significant because it marks the first Sami national council meeting held in Trondheim, in 1917.
The flag, designed by Astrid Båhl, was first adopted in 1986 at the 13th Sami conference held in Sweden. It makes use of powerful Sami symbolism in both color and design elements. The traditional magic drum used by Sami shamans is suggested by the ring that passes through each of the flag’s colors. The blue and red divisions of this ring have also been said to represent the moon and the sun, from which the sons and daughters of the Sami originated.
The four colors that dominate the flag have been interpreted in one of three ways. For some, they represent the four elements (red for fire, blue for water, green for earth, and yellow for air). Others see the colors as originating from traditional Sami dress, which features these primary colors quite heavily in their design. Some suggest that the colors are a nod in the direction of the colors of the national flags of Norway, Sweden, and Finland.
The selection of the Sami national flag design in 1986 also coincided with the selection of the Sami national anthem, "Sámi Soga Lávlla" (Song of the Sami Night or Family). The lyrics were written by Isak Saba, the first Sami to gain a seat in the Norwegian parliament, and put to a melody by Arne Sørli. The words pay tribute to an amazingly diverse group of people whose economic roots have ranged from fishing to reindeer herding to trade. One English translation of the first verse goes:
Song of Sami Family
Far in the north under the Plough
looms quietly the land of Lapps:
a field lies behind a field,
a lake spreads near a lake,
peaks on ridges, tops on bare fields
rise against the sky;
rushing rivers, wuthering forests,
steep steel capes stick
into roaring seas
Just as the geographical range of this song suggests, celebrations will occur across the Nordic countries to honor the Sami union. The Sami Winter Festival in Oslo from February 1 – 8 will be offering a number of exhibitions, concerts, and lectures on Sami life and culture, including an opening national day ceremony on the 6th and activities in Oslo center. In addition to featuring a photo exhibit on Sami Reindeer Husbandry, Oslo’s Norskefolkemuseum will be offering a family program on Sami Culture in Norwegian on February 8th. An expanded celebration is also planned in Jokkmokk, Sweden, where festivities will include Sami arts and craft displays, music and dancing, as well as a reindeer festival from the 5th to the 7th of February.
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