The Saami "people of the sun and wind"

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The Saami ”people of the sun and wind”

When did the people of Sami appeared? Many people cant answer that but it says that the first people that later were going to be called the Sami, stepped in into the north Scandinavia a thousand years after the ice age. The country was rich on animals, fish herbs and berries. They were divided up in small groups with 20-30 persons in each group. They moved around to different places depending on the seasons to hunt and fish.
When the contacts between the groups went better bigger societies were created.
This was the beginning of the Sami´s development and culture.

The Sami and reindeers are often connected with each other. But it wasn't until the 17th century the tame reindeers became the main nourishment for the Sami. The food they got from hunting weren’t enough anymore because the Swedish State was taking some of it in taxes.

The Sami had a democratic organisation called Siiddan. Siiddan took care of the troubles in the societies. Troubles like dividing up grounds and different conflicts.
But when Sweden in the16th century became more interested in the Sami, the Sami became more involved in the Swedish bureaucracy and the Siiddan almost disappeared.
In 1603 the Swedish king Karl IX determined that the Sami must (infinna sig) on chosen marketplaces every winter. There they should pay taxes to the king and there they were forced to visit the church services.
Karl IX also forbidden people to trade with the Sami outside the marketplaces so the Sami had to come.

Under the 17th century settlers were encouraged to settle down in the north Sweden. They who settled down promised to be tax-free in 15 years. More and more settlers moved to the north and confiscated territories on the Sami´s grounds. Protests from the Sami´s were overruled and the settlings continued. According to the Swedish State the Sami hadn’t the right to own land so long they were hunting and fishing. But they still have to taxes for the land.
Missionaries were sent with the settlers and some churches were raised.
The Sami were again forced to the churches and after some time the Christianity was the dominated religion inside the Sami people.

Today the Sami are divided among four countries, Norway, Finland, Russia and Sweden.
In Sweden the Sami are outspread in cities and towns with a population of 15 000 – 17 000 persons. They have kept out for centuries of oppressions still keeping their culture alive.

In this time, understand for the aborigines have increased and the States around the world are starting to se what advantage...