The Sámi National Day

The national day of the Sámi people is the 6th of February. This day marks the date of the first Sámi congress was held in Norway in 1917. This was the first time Sámi from Sweden and Norway gathered across their national borders to find solutions for common problems. The first time the national day was celebrated in Norway was in 1993.

The Sámi flag consists of four colours: red, blue, yellow and green. The four colours are the same that are used in the national costume (gákti). According to myths Sámi are daughters of the moon and sons of the sun. The blue part of the circle is the moon and the red part is the sun. The yellow and green stripes symbolises the rich natural resources in the Sámi area.

Sámi soga lávlla, the official song of the Sámi people, was originally a poem written by Isak Saba in 1906. Arne Sørli later set a melody to the poem, and in 1993 it was approved as the national anthem. Here is a link for a clip on youtube.

The 6th of February is celebrated all over Sápmi. Most Sámis put on their national costumes and gather to celebrate. Often there are arranged concerts or people go out to eat together. The traditional meal on this day is bidus, which is reindeer meat, carrots and potatoes boiled together. While you are here we will go to the city hall and eat bidus.

Written by Sandra