ON THE TRAIL
Tromsø
With a population of 42,000 , Tromsø is the biggest city in Central Sápmi and Europe ’ s most northerly university town . The Arctic University Museum of Norway is a must-visit for its exhibition on the Sámi peoples ’ struggles for self-determination throughout the 20th century . For Sámi National Day on February 6 , Tromsø hosts seven days of festivities . Joik — folk songs designed to evoke a person or place through chanting and onomatopoeia — are centerstage throughout Sámi Week . For a chance to see the Northern Lights , visit between September and April , when Tromsø Arctic Reindeer organizes camp expeditions where guests can experience the Aurora Borealis .
Hamaroy
Spoken by an estimated 1,500 people , Lule Sámi is among the most widespread of the Sámi languages . Its preservation has been secured in part by the not-forprofit Arran Lule Sámi Center in Drag . Public exhibits and short language courses support the Center ’ s behind-the-scenes advocacy work in Hamaroy , where Lule Sámi is an official language . This is the region where Nobel Prize-winning author Knut Hamsun spent most of his childhood . Hamsunsenteret , the Knut Hamsun Museum , was inaugurated in 2009 on the 150th anniversary of his birth . Unveiled in March 2024 , a new permanent exhibition sheds light on the more contentious aspects of Hamsun ’ s work .
Kafjord Manndalen in Kafjord lights up
every July with the open-air Riddu Riddu Festival . Meaning ‘ little storm on the coast ’, the seaside village attracts more than 5,000 revelers for a dedicated celebration of Sámi culture featuring live music , performing arts and children ’ s activities . An artisan market showcases Sámi handicrafts made from wood , bone and leather . Outside of festival season , the museum at the Center of Northern Peoples has a focus on the role of women in Sámi society . The Holmenes Sea Sámi Farm offers an insight into how coastal-dwelling Sámi families live within the area ’ s longest fjord , the Lyngenfjord .
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