First of all I have to inform that I'm not a Sámi culture expert as I have grown up in South Finland and Sámi population comes from Northern Scandinavia, from Lapland in Finland. But this culture which has shamanism and is close to the nature is very interesting and as Sámi people have been struggling with their rights - even human rights - it's clear that their culture should be lifted up to non-Sámi people's knowledge. 

 

When we step on someone else's right, it's because we don't understand them. And this is the case. 

 

Sámi people are one of Finland's minority population along Swedish speaking Finns. In Helsinki area there are approx. 500 Sámi people. In whole Finland the number is approx. 9300. How it is then to live in the city for Sámi people? Some of them have basically left North because of lack of work which happens in Finland often. People tend to move from North to our capital more often than vice versa. As Sámi people have their own culture along with language which is only spoken between Sámi people, this means that keeping up culture needs some action also from the City council. In 2013 there was opened a Sámi kindergarden in Pasila. But after this there aren't any school's or school classes for Sámi origin children. And this is sad. Teaching about culture and the language fluently is left to parents. For Swedish speaking Finns there are schools all the way until end of their studying path.

 

 

Taking care of minorities is important. And as Ry City-Sámit Rs web-page says: 50-60 - year-old Sámi's are embarrassed about their roots when younger generations are proud. This tells also how it has been but also how things have gladly improved in some scale.

 

This is something in what Helsinki should definitely improve!

 

  

Learn more:

 

Ry City-Sámit Rs

Movie: Valkoinen peura - White deer

Who are Sámi