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About the Saami:The Saami (Sámi) are the indigenous people living in the northern reaches of Scandinavia, Finland, eastern Karelia, and the Kola peninsula. It is believed that they migrated north into these areas during and after the last ice age, following herds of reindeer, and were thus the original inhabitants of the region. Over the centuries, the Saami have been pushed further north by new inhabitants. The Saami are not a homogeneous ethnic group but rather several interrelated groups that may share a common origin.(At right, the artist holds up a Saami flag.) Linguistic differences between Saami groups, for example, may be so substantial as to make their dialects mutually unintelligible (Sami Languages and Culture). Other cultural distinctions—in dress, handicrafts, and music, among other things—are also evident within the larger Saami community, as are genetic differences, which suggest both Asian and European ancestry (Yli-Kuha, section 2.3.2). For these reasons, Saami identity may perhaps be most usefully defined as centering around a (semi) nomadic hunter-gatherer way of life (even while acknowledging the fact that many Saami, especially today, no longer practice this lifestyle on a regular basis). The cultural differences within the larger Saami community have encouraged some scholars to classify them into several sub-groups, based on language, geography, and modes of subsistence. These sub-groups include the Forest Saami, living in coniferous forests in Sweden and Finland and subsisting mainly through fishing, as well as hunting; the Sea Saami, a partially nomadic group living in northern Norway by the Arctic Sea; the Kola Peninsula Saami, who depend mostly on fishing and reindeer husbandry; and the Fjeld Saami or Reindeer Saami, for whom this animal represents the most significant part of their economy. The fjeld Saamis’ nomadic way of life is unique in Europe; it has thus been the subject of much scholarly interest and is often erroneously represented as the most typical Saami lifestyle. In fact, this cultural adaptation represents a relatively recent phenomenon, and it is much less common than the forest Saami culture (Yli-Kuha, section 2.3.3; see also Sami Languages and Culture for more information on various Sámi groups). Since at least
the 17th century, Saami people have been treated with condescension
and, at times, with outright oppression by the various governments that
were claiming and dividing up their lands. Efforts to negotiate and
enact fair policy have at times been hampered by the fact that (1) many
Saami people have intermingled with other local populations and that
(2) Saami territory crosses several national boundaries (Norway, Sweden,
Finland, and Russia). The precise status of the Saami differs from nation
to nation. Overall, many issues of access to and control over land and
natural resources remain unresolved, but cultural policy toward the
Saami has seen some progress since World War II, leading to a measure
of cultural and linguistic autonomy, the founding of several Saami museums
and other institutions, the teaching of Saami as an elective language
in schools from primary to university level, and the establishment of
university courses in Saami culture. Other efforts have included Norway’s
1978 Cultural Heritage Act, which instituted legal protections for Saami
historic sites and monuments (Introduction
to the Sámi people).
This presentation
will include a discussion of the form and elements of gakti and a demonstration
of the decorative arts used in its embellishment. Tin or pewter thread
embroidery, for example, worked on leather or heavy boiled wool, serves
to decorate purses (left)and the
bodices of Saami clothing. Traditionally, the metal was repeatedly drawn
through the artist’s teeth to make it thin enough to work with.
Program 2--Soft Handicrafts: Saami handicrafts, called duodji, developed from the need to fashion practical items (clothing, sleds, skis, etc.) from available materials, as well as the desire to create decorative objects. Many Saami handicrafts marry function and beauty: ribbon (band) weaving, for example, produces decorative bands used to snow-proof reindeer-hide shoes (see photo, above) and cradleboards. In addition, Saami crafts are typically soft and portable, to accommodate a nomadic lifestyle. (Below, at right, a woman's portable set of tools: carved spoon, small carrying bag with beaded decoration, knife, needle "house", scissors, and drinking cup made of willow burl.)
Historically, as noted above, the material lives of certain groups of Saami depended on the reindeer, which provided transportation, milk, and meat. Duodjárs (craft artists) also make extensive, even exhaustive, use of the reindeer—its hides, legskins, tendons, sinews, bones, and horns (antlers). Sinews and tendons are used in sewing; reindeer skins are either tanned into leather using one of several kinds of raw bark or used as rawhide. Reindeer horns are collected after the animals have shed them in the early winter (bulls) or in the spring (cows) and cut into usable pieces (Sámi Handicraft). Duodjárs (craft artists) must be closely attuned to the seasons, which determine the availability, quantity and quality of raw materials. For example, the shorthaired reindeer skin needed to make winter leggings and boots must be obtained before the late autumn, when the animal develops its winter coat and the fur becomes too long and thick for this purpose. Since World War II, changes in the practice of reindeer husbandry have made suitable materials less available. In some cases, such essential materials as sinews, legskins, and hides are thrown away after the animal is butchered for market (Guttorm 4).  
About the Artist: Anna-Stina Svakko was born in Kiruna, the northernmost city in Sweden. She now lives in northern Sweden in the traditional Saami village of Porjus, located between Jokkmokk and Gällivare. Ms. Svakko has made extensive studies of Saami sewing, weaving, clothing, and diverse handicrafts. Her expertise encompasses a wide range of Saami traditional arts, including traditional clothing (gakti), beadwork, tin embroidery, root weaving, ribbon (band) weaving, and leather sewing. During her visit to the Bay Area, she is giving several public presentations on Saami traditions. Ms. Svakko’s trip to the U.S. is supported by Finnair, The American-Scandinavian Foundation of the Bay Area, The Bay Area Swedish Club, and The Saami Baiki Foundation. Sources:
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In
the modern world, traditional dress is often worn on special occasions
and for deliberate effect, rather than as unselfconscious everyday attire.
Saami traditional outfits known as gakti are typically fashioned
in bright primary colors and ornamented with embroidery and beadwork.
Like other aspects of Saami cultural life, their clothing exhibits regional
variations.
“[M]any…Sámi
still live off the bounties of Nature—fishing, hunting, working with
reindeer, picking berries and farming” (