Sami Beliefs
Learn more about the indigenous faith and later religions of Sami peoples.
Before widespread conversions to Christianity in the 17th century, Sami cultures practiced an animistic, polytheistic faith. According to early Sami beliefs, human spirits occupy first the physical world and an underworld in death. A separate spiritual world, layered over both, is home to a pantheon of gods and lesser spirits. The spirits infuse everything in the human world, making respect for nature of utmost importance. They tend to concentrate in natural places known as siedi, which may act as gateways between the different levels of reality. Siedi typically appear as large boulders, islands, waterfalls, and other prominent landmarks. Acts of sacrifice and other rites were typically conducted at these sites. Above all, the Sami valued their connection to their ancestors, who took an active role in the affairs of the living.
Sami worship, while unique, drew influences from Slavic and Norse paganism as well as other Arctic Circle faiths. The thunder god Horagalles, for example, may share cultural roots with the Norse god Thor. Other important gods include the Akkas, a trio of maternal deities who guarded the house and its occupants. Sarakka, worshipped by both men and women, resided in the central hearth of every home. Important to men was Leib Olmai, the Alder Man, who protected hunters. His worship is associated with bear hunting and burial rituals dating back to the Viking era.
Noaide shamans provided spiritual leadership and intervention within their communities. These shamans were chosen at a young age, typically after undergoing a mental crisis. They worked with spirits and sacred drums to leave their bodies, flying over the landscape and engaging in shapeshifting warfare. They healed the sick, protected reindeer, warded against dark magic, and battled rival shamans as needed. While noaide held a specific role in society, it was common for male heads of a family to own their own drum.
The spiritual practices of the Sami caused much fear and concern among the European nations. Norse sagas mention the Sami as giants and dangerous sorcerers. Later, European cities feared pestilences carried on the wind, sent their way by Sami shamans. As larger nations lay claim to Sami lands, they also began targeted conversions of their inhabitants. Missionaries were building churches and schools in Sápmi by the 17th century. Those who did not convert willingly had their drums burned and sometimes faced violent reprisals.
Shamanism is still practiced in some areas of Sápmi, primarily through spiritual healing techniques. Most Sami people, however, now practice Lutheran Protestantism or Eastern Orthodoxy. Laestadianism, a popular form of Lutheranism, was founded by Lars Levi Laestadius in the 19th century. Laestadius was a man of Sami descent. He preached total abstinence at a time when Sami communities struggled with sudden access to abundant alcohol. Another significant portion of the Sami population now identifies with no faith in particular.
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References
“History Articles.” Sami Culture, University of Texas, www.laits.utexas.edu/sami/dieda/history.htm.
Hund, Andrew J., ed. Antarctica and the Arctic Circle. Vol 1. ABC-CLIO. 2014.
“Preserving Indigenous Culture in the Arctic.” Sweden, Swedish Institute, Feb. 2014, sweden.se/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/Sami-in-Sweden-low-resolution.pdf.
Robinson, Michael P., Karim-Aly S. Kassam, and Leif Rantala. Sami Potatoes: Living with Reindeer and Perestroika. Bayeux Arts. 1998.
Sami Parliament. “The Sami: An Indigenous People in Sweden.” Samer, Samer.Se, www.samer.se/2137.
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