Sami culture at the reindeer camp

Who the Sami are

The Sami are the Indigenous people of the far north of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia's Kola Peninsula, a region they call Sápmi. Only a minority herd reindeer today; most Sami live ordinary modern lives in towns and cities, Tromsø included. But reindeer herding remains at the heart of the culture, and in most of Norway the right to herd is reserved for the Sami.

For a long time Norway pursued a policy of making Sami people Norwegian, discouraging their languages and traditions in schools and churches. Many families lost their language within a generation. Your guide may talk about this. It is part of why the culture you see at the camp is shared with pride, and why it matters that visitors listen.

The lavvu and the gamme

A lavvu is the Sami tent, with poles leaning together, covered with canvas or hides, with an open fire in the middle and smoke escaping at the top. Herders used it on the move with the herd, and at every camp we compare it is where you warm up, eat and listen. A gamme is a turf hut, built of wood and covered with earth and grass, which the evening tour from Tromsø Arctic Reindeer uses for its candle-lit dinner.

What is cooked over the fire

Bidos is the classic, a stew of reindeer meat, potatoes and carrots in a clear broth, traditionally served at weddings and other celebrations. Tromsø Lapland serves it for lunch with a vegan alternative, the evening tour as part of three courses, and our pick serves a hot traditional meal in its lavvu. Coffee is often boiled in a kettle over the fire. Eating reindeer after meeting them can feel strange to visitors; for herding families it is simply what the herd is for, and every part of the animal is used.

The joik

A joik is the Sami form of song, and one of the oldest living song traditions in Europe. You do not joik about someone; you joik them, a person, a place, an animal, and the joik belongs to its subject. Missionaries once condemned it, and for generations it was sung quietly or not at all. Our pick and the evening tour include a joik by the fire. Listen in silence, and do not try to sing along unless invited.

The gákti and the colors

Many guides wear a gákti, the traditional Sami tunic in blue or red with bands of colored trim. The cut, colors and patterns show which region the wearer comes from. It is clothing with meaning, worn at work, at weddings and on National Day, never a costume. Admire it, ask about it, but do not ask to borrow it for a photo.

A herding year in a few lines

Each reindeer carries its owner's mark, cut into the ears as a calf. Calves are born in spring, marked in summer, and the herds move between summer pastures, often on the coast and islands, and winter pastures inland, where lichen lies under the snow. Autumn brings the round-up and slaughter. Wind farms, roads, cabins and changing winters squeeze the pastures, and ice layers after mild spells can lock the lichen away. Ask your guide; most are glad to talk about it. How the tourist herds are looked after is in our welfare guide.

How to be a good guest

• Ask before photographing people. The reindeer are fair game; the herders deserve the courtesy.
• Say Sami, not Lapp. The old word is considered offensive by many.
• Follow the guide's lead with the herd. They know which animals are nervous.
• No loud music, drones or strong perfume. Tromsø Lapland lists strong fragrances as not allowed.
• Ask questions. The best moments on these tours happen when visitors are curious.

Visiting in early February? Sami Week in town, with reindeer racing on the street, is covered in our guide to the season.