Sweden’s winter Sámi festival
Despite the cool temperatures, flock more than 30,000 people in Swedish Lapland in February each year to enjoy the story of one of the world's oldest nomadic cultures.
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Jokkmokk Market (Jokkmokksmarknad), the largest indigenous Saami festival in the world, celebrates the life and traditions of the Sami people, originally from the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Archaeological artifacts from the area, known collectively as Sápmi region, dating back 10,000 years, and for centuries the Sami lifestyle focused on reindeer, fishing and hunting. The village of Jokkmokk is an important trading post for many Sami reindeer herd groups between Sweden and Norway in winter in summer.
Festival activities
The festival officially starts on the first Thursday of every February, but visitors should arrive a few days earlier for "historic market", a look back to medieval times with handmade balsam, medical creams, dried mushrooms, jams, fur clothing, and wood carvings for sale. Feast on traditional reindeer and moose meat, fish, roots, herbs, berries and other local dishes prepared over an open fire.
There are a number of activities to enjoy while the festival is in full swing, such as folk dances, traditional jojking (similar to yodeling), dog or reindeer racing. Try searching for northern lights, a trip to the Ice Hotel or spend the night in a snow igloo handmade.
Do not miss the reindeer caravan afternoon each day. The procession is led by the local Sami Elder, Per Kuhmunen whose works reindeer pull his grandchildren on a wooden sled through the narrow alleys of the market.
Swing from Ájtte Museum, the official Sami museum with permanent exhibitions as "The Passage of Time" as 9000 years and 270 generations of native life histories, and "Costume and Silver", the traditional clothing and crafts displays.
Slow Food
Caribou are an integral part of the Sami culture, like most parts of the animal can be used - and fat to cook meat, fur and skins for clothing, and horn for tools and crafts.
Head to Restaurang Sami, seasonal, local cuisine created by Sami older Greta Huuva as Renspån sample - torkat renkött and varmrökt rentunga (dried reindeer meat and smoked reindeer tongue), Ham (lumps of curdled reindeer blood) and Torrköttsoppa (dried reindeer meat soup). Or search for Wild Hasse position in the market - easy to recognize when they will be roaring out to passersby - and taste of dried meats and jerky made from local games such as caribou, moose and bears.
Press the runway
A visit to Sami will often wear "Gákti" designs from Sweden, Finland and Norway - traditional dress with embroidered belts, gloves and boots made of reindeer skin and coat. Sami artist and designer Elise Tullnär puts on a fashion show every day during the festival locally deisgned winter clothes made of fox fur, reindeer skins and wool spotlights. Handmade jewelry and original artwork are also for sale.
Related article: native northern Argentina
Jokkmokk Market (Jokkmokksmarknad), the largest indigenous Saami festival in the world, celebrates the life and traditions of the Sami people, originally from the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. Archaeological artifacts from the area, known collectively as Sápmi region, dating back 10,000 years, and for centuries the Sami lifestyle focused on reindeer, fishing and hunting. The village of Jokkmokk is an important trading post for many Sami reindeer herd groups between Sweden and Norway in winter in summer.
Festival activities
The festival officially starts on the first Thursday of every February, but visitors should arrive a few days earlier for "historic market", a look back to medieval times with handmade balsam, medical creams, dried mushrooms, jams, fur clothing, and wood carvings for sale. Feast on traditional reindeer and moose meat, fish, roots, herbs, berries and other local dishes prepared over an open fire.
There are a number of activities to enjoy while the festival is in full swing, such as folk dances, traditional jojking (similar to yodeling), dog or reindeer racing. Try searching for northern lights, a trip to the Ice Hotel or spend the night in a snow igloo handmade.
Do not miss the reindeer caravan afternoon each day. The procession is led by the local Sami Elder, Per Kuhmunen whose works reindeer pull his grandchildren on a wooden sled through the narrow alleys of the market.
Swing from Ájtte Museum, the official Sami museum with permanent exhibitions as "The Passage of Time" as 9000 years and 270 generations of native life histories, and "Costume and Silver", the traditional clothing and crafts displays.
Slow Food
Caribou are an integral part of the Sami culture, like most parts of the animal can be used - and fat to cook meat, fur and skins for clothing, and horn for tools and crafts.
Head to Restaurang Sami, seasonal, local cuisine created by Sami older Greta Huuva as Renspån sample - torkat renkött and varmrökt rentunga (dried reindeer meat and smoked reindeer tongue), Ham (lumps of curdled reindeer blood) and Torrköttsoppa (dried reindeer meat soup). Or search for Wild Hasse position in the market - easy to recognize when they will be roaring out to passersby - and taste of dried meats and jerky made from local games such as caribou, moose and bears.
Press the runway
A visit to Sami will often wear "Gákti" designs from Sweden, Finland and Norway - traditional dress with embroidered belts, gloves and boots made of reindeer skin and coat. Sami artist and designer Elise Tullnär puts on a fashion show every day during the festival locally deisgned winter clothes made of fox fur, reindeer skins and wool spotlights. Handmade jewelry and original artwork are also for sale.
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