Sameslöjdstiftelsen

Duodji in the Sámi Culture
Duodji is an important part of the Sámi culture. It is also a distinctive feature and an identity marker that the outside world recognizes.

By duodji we mean the handicrafts and artistic handicraft made by the Sámi, based on Sámi traditions, Sámi design, Sámi patterns and colours. The word duodji is also used as a mark of authentic Sámi handicraft. It relates first of all to the handicraft itself and in second place to the Sámi way of life.

Every duodji article has a historic background. It might be crafted with techniques dating back to the time the utensil or functional artifacts began to be used, or it might be ornamented with ancient designs. The influences and ideas between the Sámi themselves and from other people have naturally left their mark on duodji.

Today duodji is not only refined artistic handicraft that is a joy to look at and which testifies to the skilfulness of artisans’ hands, but it also radiates insightfulness and concern for the Sámi culture. The local Sámi settlements are found in areas of forest and mountains with long river valleys. Historically, some of these river valleys had and have a stronger duodji tradition than others. These areas have also had and continue to have a more prominent role in developing new styles than others. In the same way a number of legendary master artisans have left their print on the changing style. Certain people call these variations the “local character of duodji�.

The general opinion is that the evolution of style has taken place continuously for several generations. Every generation has contributed its part to improvement and renewal. There is a core in duodji that goes beyond the visible and tangible and can be likened to a broad groove with many different cuts shaped by generations of master artisans including the demands of nomadic life, the natural material used, cultural influences and personal creativity.

The current transfer of learning from the home to the school has led to a development of style which is also characterized as being more general. This applies mainly to the hard handicrafts and especially knives.

Previously the Sámi themselves produced the most necessary utensils demanded for survival. Today these items no longer have the same function as previously but the making of handicraft has become an important source of part-time employment along with reindeer herding. It may provide full-time work for artisans or it may be a valued hobby. Many objects have been adapted to fit the needs of today, which makes duodji appreciated outside its own Sámi circle. The unbroken tradition extending through many generations preserves the expressions of design of a distinctive culture and has developed to become an esteemed handicraft as well as a beautiful artistic handicraft. With this background duodji has an important function for the Sámi and is a very strong and unmistakable ethnic identity marker.

Techniques
Within duodji one can distinguish three traditions: native, borrowed and a synthesis of the two.

The native traditional handicraft is based on antler, bone, wood, outer birch bark, pewter and leather. The borrowed handicraft consists of silver for the traditional dress, drinking vessels, spoons and smith work.

Pewter handicraft and weaving of bands involve a mixture of native and borrowed techniques. The material for weaving the bands is borrowed, while the specific patterns and colours are native Sámi. However, pewter thread production is a Sámi technique.

The Sámi pewter thread production goes back in time and was made by the seamstress herself. Pewter items were melted and poured into thin grooves carved in wood. These became thin pewter bars that were then pulled through specially prepared reindeer antler pieces with holes of different sizes. When the pewter was pulled through and made into a thread of the appropriate thickness, it was then spun by means of a distaff around a sinew thread. Nowadays there is pewter thread that is made industrially. The durability of the pewter thread embroidery depends upon the quality of the thread.

The Sámi have also cast pewter items. The nomadic way of life only allowed working with metals in a very limited way. Most smith work was therefore done by the smiths in the villages. During the latter part of the 20th century smith work techniques have been seriously taken up by the Sámi. A number of Sámi nowadays forge their own knife blades and other special tools.

During the nomadic period wooden containers were the most common. There was a need for many strong, long-lasting vessels, bowls and scoops. Round bowls and oblong trays were used for meat, fish, porridge, dough, etc. They were made from birch wood and three different techniques were used: 1) molded splint; 2) hollowing out a piece of wood; 3) weaving roots. Wood from deciduous trees was used because they do not give a tar flavour. Burls, a growth on the trunk of a tree, were used for hollowed out bowls. The trunk of the deciduous tree was split and carved with an axe to make material for the molded splint technique. Birch roots were used for weaving roots. It is uncertain if wooden staves were used by the Sámi but containers made with wooden staves were used in Sámi homes.

Preparing the skins is an old Sámi tradition. Their production is carried out completely by hand and without chemical additives. To tan the leather, bark from willow, sallow and birch were used. Hand-made tanned leather is in a class by itself compared to industrially manufactured leather. For duodji both the dehaired leather and skins with hair on them are used. The choice of skins depends upon the use to be given the item. The strong flat-haired skin from the reindeer leg, the “bellinge� and skin from the reindeer’s head, the “härna� were traditionally used for shoes, leg warmers and as mats. Coats were sewn from the leather of the reindeer calf and both summer clothing and utensils were sewn from the adult reindeer skin. Even the hide from cattle was used, especially for summer shoes and leather for the knife sheaths.

Rough homespun and broadcloth are materials that the Sámi did not manufacture themselves, but that already through trading centuries ago, were known and appreciated by the Sámi. Especially “English broadcloth� is considered even today to be the best quality. The broadcloth is a specially treated woollen cloth which is sturdy and has a tight weave and is easy to tear straight to provide decorations for the traditional dress. The colours are bright, red, blue, yellow and green. The combination of colours in the pattern of the traditional dress varies from place to place.

Reindeer antler and bone are traditional materials and have great significance for the “hard� handicrafts. Moose antlers are also used. Reindeer and moose antlers can even be added to the molded splint work. The antler is worked on with traditional tools such as a saw, axe or knife and more recently with more modern equipment.

Design and Pattern

The original shape of the natural material and the nomadic life have had a big influence on Sámi design. The round shapes are characteristic and omnipresent. The Sámi kåta dwelling is round in shape, containers and scoops as well. The shape of the utensils made them easy and practical to pack. The same is true of pouches and bags. When the contents of pouches or bags became smaller, they took less space. One can say that items were seldom excessively decorated. Moderation is a distinguishing quality in designing and composing patterns. The soft, round shapes, the harmony between colours, design and ornamentation is a consistent characteristic throughout Sápmi, the Sámi area of settlement in Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia.

That which is typically Sámi gets its clearest expression in ornamentation and patterns. The Sámi treasure of patterns consists of a large number of small elements of pattern which can be united to form an infinite number of pattern compositions, such as edgings, flowers, squares and hearts and interlacing patterns and even animal motives. One can simply say that the pattern tradition can be divided into three well-differentiated pattern styles: north, central and south Sámi.

It is through generations of creating handicrafts that the Sami design patterns in antler, bone and wooden items have developed. They are also found in utensils of silver and pewter. The pattern is engraved by hand with a knife. The composition of the pattern emanates from the previously mentioned styles of patterns but differs as well from person to person. The compostion and the engraving give a personal touch and nuance to the handicraft. Someone well-versed in Sámi handicraft can determine if it is of Sámi origin or if it is just an imitation by looking at the pattern composition. One can even recognize the most significant style forerunners by the composition of patterns and the cuts of the knife.

During the end of the 20th century the village characteristics and patterns have come to be less distinctive and have been supplanted by a more general style of patterns. In the new style of patterns, there are elements of pattern and composition from north, central and south Sámi handicraft. The new style of patterns occurs mainly in the Sámi artistic handicraft.

Some Traditional Utensils
Bowls and Trays
Bowls and trays were used in the Sámi households to serve fish and meat or for dough or porridge. The bowls are round or oblong and the trays are long.

The bowls and trays are to be found in different sizes and have round, gentle shapes. They never have legs or a ridge on the bottom. This is to avoid tipping when they are put directly on the birch twigs covering the floor of the kåta. And it is the functional and practical aspect that has been the guiding principle in designing things. But the utensils are also meant to be beautiful. Thus the edge and the bottom are decorated with local patterns. On the handle there are often inlays of reindeer antler that are decorated. A leather loop makes it possible for the object to be hung up—in the kåta, in the sink or long ago on the pack-reindeer’s bundles during the migration.

At the end of the 20th century people started to develop and renew the classical designs and pattern traditions, and a more individual design appeared. Insight and concern for the design and tradition are clear and have been carefully transformed into beautiful artistic handicraft. The new designs and the strong harmony between the shape, colour and pattern enrich the Sámi artistic design. Even in our day and age a utensil is loved and a practical item has many areas of use.

Drinking Vessel

Guksi is the Sámi coffee cup or a scoop to drink from. It is made from a hollowed birch burl, a growth on the trunk of the birch tree. A guksi has a rounded gentle shape with a curved or flat bottom and is well balanced. This is to avoid tipping when it is placed on the uneven ground or on the birch twigs covering the floor of the kåta. A guksi is also meant to be beautiful. The bottom and the edge around the opening are often decorated and the handle is often provided with an inlay of antler that is engraved with decorative patterns. A guksi differs from food bowls that are often bigger and have longer handles. It used to be that each person had his or her own guksi. They hung it from their belt or had it in their backpack.

Milking Container
The náhppi is a special large milking container. It used to be used when milking reindeer and was made from a large birch burl. A náhppi has great symbolic value and is the master test for a Sámi artisan. It demands a knowledge of culture and history, a feeling for design and a lot of technical skill. As is customary for Sámi handicraft, funcionality is the principal criteria in designing. Milking was done outside and the container would often be placed directly on the uneven ground without it tipping over. The reindeer cows were often uneasy and didn’t stand still. Milking gave only about 1,5 dl of milk per animal. Therefore the milk was very precious and spilling was to be avoided.

A náhppi should be round in shape, the bottom should be slightly rounded, the upper edge should have a lip on it and function to keep the milk from splashing out. The handle should be comfortable to hold and fit a woman’s hand. A náhppi should also be functional, light, thin and have a good design and be beautiful. The raw material was chosen with great care, and the grain of the wood was to become part of the pattern. Sometimes local patterns were carved on the bottom and on the edge and on the inside the pattern of the grain enhanced the beauty. On the handle reindeer antler pieces were attached and engraved. The handle was also provided with a reindeer leather-twined loop to hang it with.

In today’s modern artistic handicraft the náhppi has kept its original basic shape. It can be understood as evidence that the old masters’ designs were perfect. Today artistic handicraft is more focused on the aesthetic than on the functional. The vessels that previously were so thin and light are now more solid and heavier to give them better balance so they can be placed on a flat table. The characteristics of the local ornamentation have lessened and been replaced by more general Sámi style and the reindeer leather cord is no longer to be seen.

In today’s home a náhppi is a potent identity marker which shows where the owner comes from and where his or her sympathies lie.

Sámi Knife

The knife is a universal tool. The Sámi often have several knives hanging from their belts. The knives have different functions. The larger knife is used instead of a hatchet, the everyday knife for all kinds of daily needs, the calf-marking knife is special and is used to cut the markings on the reindeer calves’ ears.

The form of the sheath of the knife depends on the natural shape of the reindeer antler and one can basically distinguish two typical shapes: one with a long gentle curve and one with a more pronounced curve. The sheath with the more pronounced curve occurs more commonly in the north. The handle of the knife is made of masur birch and reindeer antler, or totally of reindeer antler. The handle often has bark between the antler pieces that gives a good hold and keeps the handle from slipping in a person’s hand. The handle ends at the top in a knob. The knob is bigger in the north Sámi area while it isn’t as pronounced in the central and south Sámi areas. In the north Sámi areas the handle is often times not engraved while engravings in the handle are common in the central and south Sámi areas.

Knives are made principally in three different variations: 1) the sheath and the handle are made totally of reindeer antler; 2) the sheath is made of reindeer antler, the leather casing of rawhide and the handle of wood or reindeer antler or a combination of both antler and wood; 3) the sheath of wood and the handle of wood or reindeer antler or a combination of both antler and wood. There are also other varieties of knives with the sheath of leather and knives that only have a wooden blade protection, bark or reindeer antler. The knife with a sheath and handle totally made of reindeer antler is considered the artistic handicraft variety of Sámi knives, while the other varieties are considered everyday knives. All the sheaths have a braided reindeer cord to to hang from the belt.

The north Sámi engraving is characterized by the geometric star, flower or heart motives in combination with curved lines, edging and shadings. The edging consists of different engravings, sometimes a combination of different geometric cuts made with the sharp point of the knife and sometimes combined with curved lines. Especially typical is an edging that is like twined cord.

Characteristic for the south Sámi areas are braided patterns. The braided pattern is created by both lines and a combination of the patterns made with the point of a sharp knife. The design often covers the whole handle or sheath. The edging is very strict and is completed by cross-like knife cuts in both simple and double rows. Within the central Sámi area the same braided patterns occur as in the south, the shaded curves, but even simpler star and cross-like design patterns which communicate a relationship with the designs in the north Sámi areas. The lines of the star design are often finished with cuts with a sharp knife. In the production of knives, the traditional designs and pattern combinations have changed more recently to a more general Sámi design and pattern.

Needle Holder
The holder is for needles. It is made out of reindeer antler and has the shape of a conical case. Through the needle holder there is a leather twined cord which at the bottom has a bit of broadcloth that functions as a needle cushion. At the bottom there is an antler ring that keeps the holder from sliding off and at the top there is a little antler knob on the leather cord to lock the needle holder in place so that it protects the needles. It used to be that every woman owned her own needle holder as a symbol of having taken a step into the adult world. The needle holder was carried from the belt or in a special baldric that is attached to the belt. A baltric usually contains a needle holder, a little knife and a pair of scissors with a case made of reindeer antler or leather

Travel Chest
A giisa is a Sámi travel chest and is manufactured with the molded splint technique. A thinly carved birch strip of wood is softened in water and bent to an oval shape. The ends of the boards are joined with pegs or root weaving. The bottom part is made of birch, as is the arched lid. Ironwork fittings are placed on the edges of the lid to strengthen it. The chest has forged hinges and a lock. The forged details used to be produced by a local smith. The lid often has patterns carved into it or has painted designs. Fragile belongings were kept in the chest as well as things of value. In many homes the travel chests of ancestors are still kept as a sort of family heirloom.

It used to be that there was a special transport chest or klövjekisa to pack things in when the draught reindeer carried things on bare ground. The transport chest was also manufactured in the molded splint technique but without a bottom and lid. It worked as a container for things to be carried and with the braiding of leather cords the load was tied on and hung over the reindeer’s back.

Drum

In ancient times the world was not perceived as only being inhabited by people and animals, but also by a number of invisible spirit beings. Among them the deceased relatives who lived in the netherworld were especially important. They could be of great help and guidance for the living and showed themselves in dreams or in other ways.

Other non-visible spirit beings were the counsellors who protected animals, plants and other places in nature. To obtain hunting and fishing luck people were to turn to the counsellors.

There were also gods and goddesses in the Sámi religion: the Sun, Thunder and Wind were a few of them. Another was the Man of the World who supported the world. Akkrona, the female goddesses watched over people’s conception, childbirth and eventually death.

The most common places to pray to the divine were in the kåta or in the proximity of the kåta. Within the area in which people hunted and fished there were many holy places where one could turn to encounter the divine. On cliffs, mountains and lakes or along the migratory route there were sacrificial sites where people gave gifts to the gods. This was done to pray or to show appreciation for things one had received. The most common animal of sacrifice was the reindeer, but also goats, birds and fish. Even horses were sacrificed.

The bear had a prominent place among the animals. It was not a god but it belonged to the divine. Hunting the bear was a religious festivity where bear meat was eaten. It was important that all the bones be kept and buried after the meal.

Drum and the NÃ¥jd
In the Sámi society there were nåjds, shamans. The nåjd was a kind of communicator, a man or woman who had unusual gifts. The nåjd was the link between the worldy and the supernatural.

Some of the nåjd’s visible tools were the drum and its hammer as well as the pointer. He or she also had invisible help from the spirits in the guise of a person or animal. With the help of the drum and the spirits, the nåjd could put him or herself into an ecstatic state which ended in a trance during which the soul left the body and travelled to other worlds. He or she could see what was happening in far off places, meet the supernatural and those from the netherworld and find out to which of the gods it was necessary to make sacrifices.

Today there are no longer any nåjds, at any rate none which are powerful as there were until the 19th century when the Sámi religion still was a living part of daily life and of the Sámi society. But despite this many people have great respect for the nåjd and the drum and there are people who today are still considered to master parts of the nåjd’s abilities.

There are older drums, from the 17th and 18th centuries and newly made ones. The drum is an important link to the past. It preserves ideas of our concepts of the world, of our protectors, and of the religion practiced before the encroachment of the church. The drum has been a uniting force and an indispensable tool. It is also a symbol for the cultural confrontation and process of change that began in the 17th century. The priests saw the drum as a tool of the devil. The church and the state’s strong condemnation of the Sámi religion resulted in persecution and practicing it was punishable by law. Even singing the jojk was prohibited. The sejtes, sacrificial stones, were taken away and the drums were confiscated or burned on a bonfire. Only a few drums remain in existence in museums, and not until the 1940s did people dare to begin making the occasional drum again.

The older drums are oftentimes mistakenly called sorcery or troll drums or sometimes divining or ceremonial drums. The word “sorcery drum� (trolltrumma) has its origin in the fact that the priests perceived the drums as a tool of the devil, something used for witchcraft. For the Sámi the drums were on the contrary, something holy. They were not made to be a musical instrument but as an aid in reaching a trance, to travel, see, hear and communicate beyond the normal.

The north Sámi drum is formed from a birch burl or an excrescence on a pine tree or spruce and has an oval bowl shape. Two parallel holes in the rounded bottom are the handle. The artisan has also made a latticed pattern on the back part of the wood. Maybe they are magic symbols? A dehaired untanned reindeer skin is sewn onto the drum. Later engravings and paintings have been put onto the skin. Figures and symbols are put into order into different rows, or maybe in different worlds: the upper, the subterranean and the middle where people live.

The south Sámi drum is constructed by using the molded splint technique. It also is oval in shape. On the backside there are some amulets hanging. The drum skin is also dehaired but not tanned on which figures and symbols have been engraved or painted. Central on the drum is a square cross pattern, which is often taken to be the sun, and around it there are different figures in groups.

An intermediate design between the northern and the southern drums are those found within the Lule Sámi area. It is a bowl drum like the north Sámi but with imagery that unites the north and the south. The sun symbol is central with the figures in the different levels of world.

Far to the east the drum is again made by using the molded splint technique as the south Sámi, but the imagery is similar to that which is found on the north Sámi drums.

The imagery on the Sámi drums has always given expression to the contemporary conception of the world and of society: the nature of the different worlds, ways of livelihood, forms of living and the different inhabitants, people, animals, gods and goddesses and the different spiritual beings. Nature was the basic condition for life and survival. It was necessary to keep oneself on the good side of the counsellor and the spiritual beings and to be able to communicate with the gods and goddesses in order to survive adversity and sickness.

In the imagery of the newly made drums we can find figures and pictures from our own contemporary world alongside figures which are to be found on older drums. It could be a helicopter or a car, a snowmobile or other things from modern society. One can see figures that represent cities and outdoor people, which is the way Sámi society looks today, intertwined with the majority society. The artist or the artisan uses the older holy symbols as a link to the past. The symbols can also serve as a reminder of that which once happened and inspire a trip from the past to the present.

The Sámi mythology and religion are an invaluable source for the Sámi artist and artisan. During the last half of the 20th century many have exhibited brilliant work that has taken its inspiration from the Sámi religion.

Cheese Form
Cheese was made from reindeer milk and was a very important source of income for the Sámi. There was a good market for the cheese and it was easy to sell or trade. When making cheese forms different sizes were used. The forms were made using the molded splint technique or were woven out of birch root.

Cheese forms made with the molded splint technique are cut beautifully. The thin wood is fastened around the bottom with wooden pegs or sewn fast with roots. The bottom is of birch and with a latticed relief carving design that gave a beautiful imprint on the finished cheese. The whey is pressed out through the holes in the pattern. People often had cheese forms of differing sizes that fit inside each other. They were filled with the cheese curds and stacked on each other, with the largest on the bottom and the smallest on the top. The top form had a carved lid with a design, and a stone was placed on the top as a weight. The whey in the curds was pressed out through the holes in the patterns on the bottoms of the stacked forms. Thus the cheeses got pretty designs on both sides. Today there are few who make these kinds of cheese forms.

Cheese forms were also made from birch roots delicately woven in different sizes. These cheese forms were very practical since they were light and gave no unusual taste. By varying the weaving technique decorative latticed patterns were created which allowed the whey to be pressed out of the cheese curds.

Today Sámi root weaving is a living tradition and has been developed by some artisans into a brilliant artistic handicraft. A hundred years ago knowledge of root weaving was about to die out.

Shoes

Now as well as in previous times, items of clothing are made from the reindeer. Winter shoes are sewn from the fur that comes from the reindeer legs “bellinge� and head “härna�. These furs are scraped and tanned. Winter shoes made from the bellinge are sewn with sinew thread and are made from seven different pieces. The bottom has two pieces. One piece has the hair going backwards and the other has the hair going forward so that the shoe is not slippery. The tip of the shoe points up and together with the way of sewing reveals its regional characteristic. The toe curved upwards is sign of the north Sámi style and the lesser tip is from the central and south Sámi areas. Shoes from the härna are sewn from four different pieces. The bottom and the side pieces are made from the härna and the boot leg and the upper part of the boot are sewn from the bellinge. Shoes for summer use are sewn from tanned cattle leather, basically following the same pattern as for the shoes made from the härna. Both winter and summer shoes are most often sewn with sinew thread, a thread spun from the reindeer’s sinews.

Woven bands are tied around the legs of the boots. The patterns of the women and men’s bands are different. Sedge grass is used to fill the shoes and complement the socks.

Bags and Pouches
Coffee pouches that are made from dehaired and tanned reindeer leather are made in different sizes. It used to be that every Sámi had at least one. Today the coffee bag is used the same way as in the past, which is to say in the backpack when outdoors. The design as well as the practical use of the coffee pouches is a model for many newly designed pouches. The pouches are made in four different parts: the bottom piece, two side pieces and the neck. The bottom piece is creased against the side pieces so that the bag gets a gentle round form. The opening is tied shut with a twined reindeer leather cord. The coffee bag basically has a uniform shape throughout Sápmi, the Sámi area of settlement.

Nomadic life demands many practical containers for packing belongings. So they sewed leather bags in different shapes and sizes, depending on what the need was; brilliant solutions that shaped the way they look as well as their purpose. Leather bags were light and easy to pack and when the contents of the bags lessened, the bags also took less space. People had special pouches and bags for different purposes such as food, clothing, tools used for handicrafts, etc. The models of the bags and sizes varied. The bags for food were made of thicker leather, sometimes with the hair still on to make it more airtight. The bags with hair still on them were often sewn of reindeer or goatskins. Some sack models had a flap with loops and twined reindeer cords to tie it shut. From the loon skin a special bag was made. The loon tended to get caught in fishing nets and people then made use of it. The bird was cut up at the neck and flayed whole. The skin was prepared and pouches were sewn with openings that could be closed tightly. In the loon pouches sinew thread and tobacco were kept. The sewing bag is another characteristic bag. It was made of tanned reindeer leather and has the shape of a triangle or of a little backpack. The front part, back part and flap were one piece. At the front of the bag there was a pincushion. The flap was finished off with a long leather cord that closes by having the cord wind around the bag.

Backpack
A backpack is made from two to three average-sized tanned reindeer skins. One can distinguish two characteristic models. In the north Sámi area it is sewn following the bag model which has three parts: a back piece, a front piece and a neck. In the central and south Sámi areas the backpack looks more like a bag with a flap and with straps. It is also sewn in three parts. The backpacks have carrying straps made of leather or woven bands and they have twined loops and leather cords to tie them up with.

Spoon Pouch

The spoon pouch is a special bag in which the Sámi kept their antler spoon to eat with. Everyone had his or her own spoon. When someone visited and was offered food it was expected that the guest had his or her own spoon with them. The spoon pouch is sewn of soft tanned reindeer leather. It has a gently rounded shape and is creased at the bottom. It is sewn from four pieces, two side pieces, a bottom piece and a neck. The opening is closed with a double seam for closing using twined leather cords with decorative broadcloth tassels at the ends. The pouch has a stronger leather cord with which to hang it. The south Sámi spoon pouch is richly embroidered with pewter thread or beads while the central and north Sámi have broadcloth decorations in local characteristic colours. The spoon bag is a male article and is carried on the belt.

Bags and pouches were also used instead of pockets to keep the personal spoon, money, a watch, tobacco, etc. They hung from the belt or the waist band or were kept inside the kolt, the traditional dress. The other variants have been made with a lot of imagination and inventiveness. The material is tanned reindeer skin, broadcloth or rough homespun. These kinds of bags are often richly decorated.

Handbags

The two most common kinds of handbag design are the bag model and the handbag model with a flap. Both models are made of softly tanned reindeer leather and sewn with sinew threads or thread of artificial fibers. The bag model is made out of four pieces: the bottom piece, two front pieces and the neck. The bottom piece is creased against the front pieces to give the bag a round and nice shape at the bottom. The pieces are sewn together with a broadcloth or leather strip liner. The broadcloth strips are of the characteristic local colours. The opening of the bag is closed with a double seam for closing with leather cords and broadcloth tassel at the end. A somewhat stronger twined or braided reindeer cord makes the shoulder strap. The south Sámi handbags are richly embroidered with pewter thread or beads. The north Sámi bags often have pewter thread embroidery. The patterns on the embroidery and bags are uniform throughout Sápmi.

The shoulder bag with a flap is sewn in three pieces: the bottom piece, the front piece and the back and flap in one piece. The parts are sewn together with an interlayer of broadcloth or leather strips. The broadcloth strips have the characteristic local colours. The flap is decorated with pewter thread embroidery or with beads. The shoulder strap is made of twined or braided reindeer leather. The embroidery pattern is geometrical and is found throughout Sápmi.

These two classic handbags have been the prototype for modern handbag production. The need for beautiful bags adapted to the style, clothing or different occasions has contributed to Sámi handbags now being available in a large number of models. A more individual design has sprung up. The characteristics are the natural material used and the remaining features from the original designs. The geometric patterns of the embroidery have been completed or substituted by different symbols from Sámi mythology or scenery. The regeneration of the Sámi handbag has enriched the designing and the artistic shaping of reindeer leather products.

“Head� Rugs
Reindeer skins were the natural mats to sit or lie on in the kåta dwelling The skins were placed on the ground that was covered with birch twigs so that it was warm and soft to sit on. In the kåta there was no furniture. The travel chests and the backpack were used to lean against. A special rug made of the skin from the reindeer head “härna� was used by the housewife in the kåta. The skins from the härna were prepared and the holes left by the nose and eyes were sewn shut and as a liner, leather or broadcloth strips in traditional colours were used. Finally a number of härna skins were fitted and sewn together.

Rugs of härna skins were also sewn for farmers who ordered them, as they were popular skin rugs for the sleds. The edges of the rugs were decorated with woollen tassels.

Woven and Braided Bands

The tradition of making woven bands originates both from the Sámi cultural heritage as well as from borrowed cultural elements since the material used and the method of production come from elsewhere. The technique for woven and braided bands is known throughout the Nordic countries. Thus the technique can be seen as a cultural loan. The specific choice of colours and the pattern can be taken as Sámi. What characterizes Sámi woven bands are the specific colours, red, yellow, green and blue—sometimes called the Sámi colours—and the patterns that relate to different symbols.

Woven bands are made from round twined wool yarn and in earlier times of yarn that was dyed with natural colours from plants, and it is woven with a hand-held loom, a weaver’s reed. The Sámi weaver’s reed is made of reindeer antler, is about 30-40 cm wide and has 46-52 slats with holes in them. The warp is threaded through the holes and between the slats. When the weaver’s reed is moved up and down a shed is formed. To make the pattern the pattern yarns are pulled into the warp with the fingers and the weft yarn is pushed through and pulled hard.

North Sámi and south Sámi bands differ in the weaving technique. The north Sámi weave away from themselves while the central and south Sámi weave towards themselves. Another difference is that the north Sámi pass the woof yarn through by hand and the south Sámi do it with a shuttle. These differences can be interpreted to mean that in the north an older weaving technique was maintained. The north Sámi bands are more colourful and richer in pattern than those of the central and south Sámi areas. In the north they have edgings, flower motives and geometric patterns. In the central and south Sámi areas both colour and pattern are more sparing. Especially characteristic of the central Sámi area is the chequered pattern. The woven bands are used as decoration on the hem of the kolt, the traditional dress, as a belt, backpack strap, strap with which to hang a cradle, for pouches, bags, sashes, hair ribbons and shoe bands. The bands are still made in the same way and are used for the same purposes as they used to be. New usage would be ties, necklaces and as edging for modern clothing.

Braided bands are most common in the central and south Sámi areas. The colour and pattern combinations are simpler than in the woven bands. Braiding needs no tool. Usually the warp is tied on to a short, carved peg. The peg is used as a support during the braiding and to gather up the completed band. During the braiding the warp is divided into two parts with an equal amount of threads. With your fingers you lift up every other pair of threads on the one side of the threads so that a shed is formed. The outer thread makes the weft thread and is pushed through the shed to the middle. The same thing is done from the other side and thus one makes a braiding structure diagonally in towards the middle. The most usual usage for the braided bands is for boot bands, to keep the snow out. They can also be used in the same way as the woven bands.

Root Objects

Weaving baskets to use as storage containers is an ancient custom in many cultures, including the Sámi. It has been done in varying shapes and with different techniques. The weaving is done principally with birch roots.

It is hard work and time consuming to find and pull up the roots in the forest. The roots are then scraped free from bark and sorted according to thickness and tied together into bundles.

Root basketry can be described in the following way. One chooses the root material very carefully. Thin roots are used for weaving and thicker roots are the supports. The support roots are smoothed out or cut with a knife to get an even size. The roots are rolled up and soaked in water. When they have softened the weaving can begin.

Tools that are needed are a knife, a flat pair of pliers and an awl made of bone. With the knife, notches are made in the support roots and the weaving roots are evened out. The bone awl is the most important tool. It needs to have a sharp tip. Having several awls with different sized tips is an advantage. The flat pliers are used sometimes to pull the weaving roots through. Usually they are pulled through by hand with fingers so as not to damage them.

The Sámi root handicraft differs from the Swedish that is simpler. They differ especially in the weaving technique. The Sámi always use double support roots and have very frequent pricks with the awl. The weaving root is pulled through at almost every stitch and one weaves inwards, towards oneself. The weaving is very tight and makes a natural inward curve. The Swedish technique uses only one support root and wraps it several times before the weaving root is pulled through. This weaving is looser and simpler.

The tight weaving, for example, is used to weave salt containers that keep salt dry. Baskets were made with a surprising advanced technique, for example, a checked pattern, a knotted pattern or a smooth row with a decorative element.

The middle of the 20th century marks a time of renewal and regeneration for Sami root handicraft. The classic items, the traditional patterns and the weaving technique have evolved and become refined so that the completed item has become brilliant artistic handicraft. Insight and concern for the traditional designs and patterns are evident and with care a more individual style has evolved with harmony between the design and the pattern and even the colour is used skilfully. Today’s expert Sámi root artisans have developed the old way of making functional artifacts into a superb artistic handicraft. The possibility of variations has developed even more with innovations of even more time-consuming and advanced weaving techniques.

Silver

The Sámi had not worked with silver or other metals. Pewter is an exception, since they made pewter thread for embroidery and cast pewter mountings. Silver came to the Sámi from the outside world, especially via trade. To own silver was a way of investing riches.

The Sámi silver is usually divided into three categories: spoons, drinking vessels and ornaments for the Sámi traditional dress.

Silver spoons are the most common silver item, and are found in all of Sápmi. The Sámi antler spoon with the pear-shaped bowl of the spoon and the short handle are the prototype. When ordering their silver spoon from the goldsmith or silversmith, oftentimes in the coastal regions of the Gulf of Bothnia or in Norway, an antler spoon was left as a modell. Through the years the silver spoon has gone through a variety of design and style development. During the last few decades the Sámi artisans who work with silver have given spoons back their more traditional Sámi shape.

The category of drinking vessels consists of a silver goblet and a scoop-shaped drinking vessel. The silver goblet is cylinder-shaped curving outwards at the top and bottom. Or it can be a cylinder-shaped goblet with only a slight larger curve at the top. The goblet was used on festive occasions when aquavit was served.

The silver scoop-shaped vessel entered the Sámi silver collection during the first part of the 18th century. Until then it is plausible that the silver goblet was the dominant drinking vessel for festive occasions. The early specimens had a wider edge at the bottom and often had one or two handles. The silver scoop-shaped vessel from the 19th century has a wooden vessel as a prototype and also carries typical Sámi patterns on the handle and on the bottom. The silver vessel is produced today as well and is an appreciated gift.

Belonging to the category of silver ornaments are items such as the silver collar, a sort of chest piece for special occasions. It is worn by women inside the V-shaped neck of the traditional dress. The silver collar always had a stand-up collar that was richly decorated with pewter thread embroidery and different kinds of silver ornaments. The silver ornaments consisted of silver globe with pendants, malja brooches and a number of clasps.

The hängknapp are silver globes with pendants. The malja consists of a pretty round brooch in which there is some kind of a monogram, usually an M for the Virgin Mary or an A for Anna, Mary’s mother. The A-monogram is also often found as a pendant. The round malja brooch was sewn onto the silver collar and to the belt. The clasps are an ornament in two parts where each half hooks into the other half. The silver collar was given several such clasps.

The silver belt is the most expensive ornament on the Sámi traditional dress. The belt has a large number of square or round silver ornamental pieces.

The sölja is a round, oval or heart-shaped clasp with articulated pin. It is customarily used in the Sámi traditional dress to fasten the shawl that is worn over the shoulders. The clasp is found in a number of different shapes and sizes. The round shape is the most common and often has small rings, small arching or rhombic pendants or leaves.

Other ornaments in this category are the necklaces, ear rings and finger rings.

Handicraft or Artistic Handicraft

There is a core within duodji that extends beyond the visible and tangible and can be likened to a broad groove that has several different deep cuts marked by nomadic life, the natural materials used and cultural influences as well as personal creativity.

There is a strong protective feeling for the time-honoured traditions in the Sámi artisanship and also for the Sámi as a people. At the same time, within the artistic handicraft, the artisan wants to free him or herself from constraints and create new designs, also using new materials. This is the basis for the very well known problem of definition between what is handicraft and what is artistic handicraft.

One can note that a number of Sámi artisans consciously attempt to renew and improve Sámi handicraft by creating new objects with new functions and by using refined techniques and even new materials. But then the question is raised of how this is incorporated into the Sámi traditions? Where is the line between what is handicraft, artistic handicraft and art?

The old Sámi functional artifacts, which normally are considered handicrafts, have lost their traditional function as utilitarian objects in the modern Sámi society. Many of these items are made today with modern and refined techniques. When the results are good, we consider these Sámi artistic handicraft, even though the point of making the object is that of being handicraft, that is to say, to preserve traditions or to make the customer happy. The purpose of artistic handicraft is to renew designs and create new functions as well as improving personally and creating artistic ways of expression.

Generally speaking, the functions of the new handicraft is its usefulness (for use or decoration) and the social aspect (for use and as an identity marker) while artistic handicraft bases its appeal more on the aesthetic and affective aspects (how one feels about an object and remembers it). These functions certainly overlap and it is not possible to clarify the lines between them.

With a perspective to the future, we Sámi should try to maintain the Sámi artistic handicraft in the groove of tradition while at the same time accepting an environment that is created for renewal and development. That is why it is important that the artisans be given the possibility to build up a stable cultural basis for themselves. As a minority people we have to understand and be able to explain both our own culture and the culture of the majority. Only then does renewal bear fruit. In this we way we can also avoid the creation of an unwanted market for plagiarism.

We should draw the lines ourselves between handicraft and artistic handicraft from criteria such as material used, techniques used to manufacture an artifact, new forms and new objects with new functions. Here are a few examples:

A Sámi artistic artisan sits in their sewing room and creates an evening purse appropriate for modern party clothing on this occasion. The shape of the handbag does not differ much from those of fashion store’s industrially designed handbags other than in the technique used to manufacture it and some simple details that point to the Sámi handicraft tradition. The leather tanned by hand, the new shape and the traditional manufacture technique have united to form a new item with a new function: a Sámi artistic handicraft.

A traditional cheese form is transformed into a beautiful decoration to hang on the wall or an ornamental object. The artisan has used both the thicker and thinner roots of good quality, from thin roots to those fine as sewing thread, as well as roots in a spectrum of nature’s colours. Traditional tight weaving and weaving with a checked pattern are combined with time-consuming difficult new weaving techniques. The variation between the thickness of the roots, the joining of old and new techniques of weaving, ancient form with a new function as well as the harmony between colour and pattern in an artifact make the work an artistic handicraft.

The variety of bowls and trays and options for design and function have inspired Sámi artisans to develop modern objects with a personal style. The material, the birch burl, a rounded excrescence on the birch trunk, has nature’s own shape as its starting point. While still in the forest the artisan plays on his or her imagination with the different shapes. To shape it well, the artisan sketches what he or she wants. The traditional rounded bottom of the gárri is a characteristic that is kept. Otherwise the traditional round or oval form is exchanged for asymmetric shapes in all directions. On one side there may be a reindeer antler piece attached and engraved with Sámi designs. The bowl is coloured with a dark stain outside and on the inside with the shifting colours of autumn. On certain parts of the outside the natural wooden colour is kept. The traditional material is worked on with new tools and techniques; an ancient object takes on a new shape and function, the harmony between the colours and the design is created with artificial colours. The result is a superb piece of artistic handicraft with characteristics from the Sámi handicraft tradition.

The Sámi knife, especially the one that has a shaft and sheath made of antler is given a changed design; the line between north and south in terms of shape and pattern traditions is made fuzzy, and the expression becomes more individualistic. The process of making the knives is refined with modern tools and the natural colour shifting of the reindeer antler is put to use in the composition of the pattern. An ancient utilitarian object receives a changed design and evolves from being handicraft to being artistic handicraft with the help of refined production techniques.

Evolution and renewal do not end here. Already a number of artisans have been using unfamiliar material. Clay, glass, stabilized wood (wood treated with plastic). An item of this kind can no longer be called Sámi handicraft or Sámi artistic handicraft, but perhaps modern artistic handicraft made by a Sámi artisan. The basis of our handicraft tradition, the forms shaped by nature and the natural material, have at any rate been abandoned. And that which is Sámi is oftentimes limited to figures taken from the shaman’s drum or colours and patterns from the traditional Sámi handicraft. The question is, how should this be valued and how does this apply to the groove of tradition?

Translated by Tom Rutschman
November 2005
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