After leaving Alta, we took Hurtigruten (the coastal steamer) from Skjervøy to Brønnøysund, to avoid some of the long drive home. After getting off the boat, we spent three days on the way home, stopping off to see some South Sami sights on the way.
We visited the South Sami museum in Snåsa in North Trøndelag. There is a small exhibit here about the South Sami and Sami political history, made for the 100 year celebration of the Sami Conference 1917-2017. A new museum is being built in Snåsa and is due to be opened next year. It will be interesting to come back and see how they have expanded their exhibits. Below are examples of silver work on the South Sami traditional costume:
On the way down to Trondheim, we stopped briefly to see the “Bølarein” – a 6000 year old rock carving of a reindeer. What was most impressive is how big it is – 180cm long and 136cm high.
We stopped for a night in Trondheim. Trondheim was founded by Olav Trygvason and is more of a Viking than a Sami city (in terms of sightseeing), but there a few interesting things to see there anyway. Just off the main square is the old centre of the Christian mission to the Sami.
In the museum, there is a small exhibit about the Sami in Trøndelag. Perhaps most interesting to learn was that Sami remains have been found in Valdres and Hallingdal – far further south than areas with a Sami population today.
Finally, we stopped by Røros. Røros is a UNESCO world heritage site due to its copper mine. The old town is beautifully preserved and well-worth a visit.
The area around Rorøs also has a reindeer-herding Sami population. There was at one time many sitje (siida in South Sami) in the district, but reindeer herding became unsustainable for many Sami due to new settlers, the working of the mine, etc. There are still reindeer herders there today, but in much smaller numbers than in past times. For more about the Sami in Røros: http://rorosmuseet.no/en/voices-from-the-south-online
The traditional Sami costume for Røros. This one was made in the 1930s.
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