A photographic glimpse into the 406 year old indigenous Sámi market in the Swedish Lapland.
by Lola Akinmade Åkerström | Originally published in WildJunket Magazine February/March 2012
I took a piece of dried beef jerky Wild Hasse’s wife was cutting up into bite sizes. Hasse himself was bellowing in a deep voice, asking people to step up and try some of his dried meats (törkatkött) if they dared.
“Vad är det för något?” I asked her what it was in Swedish. “Björnkött!” Bear meat. She watched in anticipation as I popped that dark piece of bear meat into my mouth, waiting for a response. Not bad, I thought trying to break down the mild-flavored chewy jerky.
Not bad at all.
I was in subarctic Sweden in the small town of Jokkmokk with a population of roughly 5,000. On assignment to learn and research certain aspects of Sámi culture, there was no better setting than the 400+ year old Jokkmokk Sámi market held every February at the height of winter
I was in subarctic Sweden in the small town of Jokkmokk with a population of roughly 5,000. On assignment to learn and research certain aspects of Sámi culture, there was no better setting than the 400+ year old Jokkmokk Sámi market held every February at the height of winter.
The Sámi are an indigenous people of roughly 70,000 living in the Arctic and subarctic regions of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula in Russia – a land area collectively known as Sápmi. Roughly 20,000 indigenous Sámi live in Sweden.
For over 400 years, the winter market in Jokkmokk served as a trading post for different Sámi groups to exchange goods such as reindeer, skins, fur, crafts, herbs, and other supplies. Holding the market during winter made it easier for them to travel across frozen lakes and rivers on skis and dog sleds with herds of reindeer and wares for sale.
Today, Jokkmokk winter market remains the largest Sámi festival in the world. It spans three days, opening the first Thursday of every February with folk dances, joiking (traditional music similar to yodeling), reindeer races, dogsledding, traditional food samplings, Sámi Duodji (handicraft) as well as a reindeer caravan procession led by Sámi elder Per Kuhmunen.
About the Author:
Award-winning writer and photographer Lola Akinmade Åkerström has contributed to National Geographic Traveler, BBC, CNN, and many major travel publications around the world. She also contributes to Sweden’s official site, Sweden.se and is based in Stockholm, Sweden.
If you enjoyed this preview, you can read the full article in WildJunket Magazine Feb/Mar 2012.
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Lola is amazing!
I really like your photo about the Spirit of Lapland. I think that those reindeer are very lovely to ride. It seemed that you are really having a great time there and I think that it would be great to experience it too.