The Saami of the Kola Peninsula

[shewhomust]

Photographed by Natalya Saprunova (via - ah, I found it via the Guardian's 'My best shot' feature, but I see they had previously run a selection of these photos as a photo essay).

Warning: the portfolio includes a severed reindeer head. But also colourful costumes, fine embroidery and a strong contender for Best National Flag. An endangered language is mentioned but not explored.

Comments

[athenais]

That's interesting! It seems to be a little different from the Swedish Sami of Jokkmokk, which is the only Sami area I've visited. But then, each of the three Swedish sections of Sapmi have real differences as well (essentially North, Central and Southern groups).

[shewhomust]

I hadn't come across Russian Sami either - that is, I knew that Sami territory crosses national borders, but everything I'd seen before was in a Scandinavian context.