The Day of the Saami people is celebrated annually on February 6. The Saami, or Lapps, are the people living in the Scandinavian countries and in Russia. Most of the Saami live in Norway - 40 thousand people, in Sweden - 18 thousand, in Finland - 4 thousand and 2 thousand in Russia, on the Kola Peninsula. The holiday is celebrated in all these countries, but the most interesting and large-scale events take place in Norway, of course.
In 1917, the first meeting was held in the Norwegian city of Trondheim on February 6, the main topic of which was the issue of the Saami community. Many years later, in 1992, this day was declared the Day of the Saami people. For the first time the holiday was celebrated in the Swedish city of Jokmokk: the flag of the people was raised above the municipality and the Sami hymn was heard, the children conducted thematic training sessions in schools and kindergartens.
In Norway, festive events take place in many cities. In Tromso you can see races on reindeer sleds. The best riders of Sweden, Norway and Finland come to this fascinating competition. Reindeer teams are developing a decent speed - up to 60 kilometers per hour. If you are planning to visit races, then it is worth arriving in advance - the competition is visited not only by numerous tourists, but also by local residents. By the way, you can learn how to throw a lasso and even try to run a reindeer team.
In addition, concerts and lectures are held in Tromsø, films about the Saami are shown . There is a fair where you can buy venison, try the Sami national cuisine . @ Do not forget to grab souvenirs for yourself and your friends and be sure to take commemorative photos in the Saami chum . The holiday goes on for a week, so everyone can find something interesting for themselves . Karashok is also worth visiting during the celebration of the Saami people's day . This is the capital of the Norwegian Saami, and of course there are a lot of interesting things here . For example, you will hear yoyk - national chants . Here you will find the Saami Parliament, Museum of Culture and Art Center . The Saami are hospitable people, so you can even visit some local family and get acquainted with the life of this people .