The Sámi are the traditionally Sámi-speaking people inhabiting the region of Sápmi, which today encompasses large northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland, and of the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The region of Sápmi was formerly known as Lapland, and the Sámi have historically been known in English as Lapps or Laplanders, but these terms are regarded as offensive by the Sámi, who prefer the area's name in their own languages, e.g. Northern Sámi Sápmi. Their traditional languages are the Sámi languages, which are classified as a branch of the Uralic language family.
Kautokeino is a municipality in Troms og Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Guovdageaidnu/Kautokeino. Other villages include Láhpoluoppal and Máze.
Brita Maret "Sofia" Jannok is a Swedish Sami artist, singer, songwriter and radio host. Several times, she has publicly taken a stance in social media against the establishment of mines on land used by Sami reindeer herders. Together with Mariela Idivuoma, she was hostess of the Liet-Lávlut music festival in 2006. She has also hosted the program "Mailbmi – small people great music" on Swedish Radio P2, and the Sámi children's program Unna Junná for Yle. Her music is inspired from diverse musical influences, like folk, pop, jazz and yoik. She sings mostly in Northern Sami, but also sings and writes lyrics in Swedish and English as well.
Mons Aslaksen Somby was one of the leaders of the Sami rioters that attacked several Norwegian shops during the Kautokeino rebellion of 1852. During the uprising a merchant and the town sheriff were killed and others were whipped. Several buildings were also destroyed during the riots. Somby was executed by beheading in 1854. Mons Aslaksen Somby was married to Inger Johannesdatter Hætta, with whom he had a son.
The Sámi Grand Prix, often abbreviated as SGP, is a Sámi yoik and song competition organized annually by the Sámi Music Festival organization, featuring participants from all corners of Sápmi. While the majority of its participants have been from the Norwegian side of Sápmi, Sámi from the Swedish, Finnish, and Russian sides have been increasingly participating in recent years too.
Roger Ludvigsen is a Sami guitarist, percussionist and composer from Kautokeino.
Johan Sara Jr. born 1963 is a Sami musician and a central Sami composer, producer, teacher, arranger, actor and performer of contemporary music with roots in the Sami tradition.
Inga Juuso was a Sami yoiker, singer and actress in the film The Kautokeino Rebellion. She was known from her own band performances, and recordings and collaborations with musicians like Steinar Raknes, Håkon Mjåset Johansen, and Jørn Øien.
The Sámi Assembly of 1917 was the first Sámi National Assembly. The Sámi who took part in the assembly were from both Norway and Sweden. The meeting was held at the Methodist Church in Trondheim from 6 to 9 February 1917. The Sámi National Day is celebrated on 6 February to commemorate the beginning of this assembly. Around 150 participants gathered at the assembly, of which the majority consisted of Southern Sámi from Nordland, Trøndelag and Hedmark.
Máret Ánne Sara is a Sami artist and author born in Norway. She lives and works in Kautokeino.
Gollegiella is a pan-Nordic Sámi language award founded in 2004 by the ministers for Sámi affairs and the presidents of the Sámi Parliaments in Norway, Sweden, and Finland with the aim of promoting, developing and preserving the Sámi languages. The biennial award comes with a monetary prize that is currently 15,000 euros.
Ella Marie Hætta Isaksen is a Sami musician from Tana, Norway. In 2016 she won the Sámi Grand Prix with her original song Luoddaearru, and in 2017 she won Liet International with the same song. In 2017 Isaksen started the band ISÁK. In October 2018 she won the NRK-show Stjernekamp.
Berit Marie Eira is a Norwegian Sami reindeer owner and politician who works in Kautokeino municipality. She represents the "Reindeer herder's list" party.
Liv Inger Somby is a Sámi educator, writer, and journalist. She specializes in indigenous journalism which she teaches at the Sámi University of Applied Sciences in Kautokeino in the north of Norway.
Kathrine Johnsen was a Norwegian Sámi teacher and employed at public broadcasting service NRK Sápmi. She is a pivotal figure in the promotion and support of Sámi languages and culture in the post-World War II period and has been referred to as "the Mother of the Sámi Radio".
Marja Bål Nango is a Norwegian Sami filmmaker who has created several short films. In October 2013, her Før hun kom, etter han dro won the Ellen Monague Award For Best Youth Work at the imagineNATIVE Film and Media Arts Festival in Toronto. More recently, at the 2019 Tromsø International Film Festival, she won the best debut award for Njuokčamat, a 15-minute drama about the experiences of a Sami woman out in a snowstorm.
Ellen Aslaksdatter Skum was a Norwegian Sami reindeer herder from Kautokeino who took part in the 1852 Kautokeino uprising. Inspired by the preacher Lars Levi Laestadius who called for a pure lifestyle and abstinence from alcohol, she was a leading member of a group of Samis who killed the local merchant and the lensmann.
The Áillohaš Music Award is an annual Sámi music award created to commemorate Nils-Aslak Áillohaš Valkeapää's 50th birthday in 1993. The winner of the award is announced on Holy Saturday in conjunction with the Sámi Grand Prix during the Sámi Easter Festival. It is conferred by the municipality of Kautokeino and the Kautokeino Sámi Association. The winner receives a monetary prize of 20,000 Norwegian crowns, a diploma, a piece of artwork, and a two-week stay at Lásságámmi.
Domna Maksimovna Khomyuk is a Kildin Sámi zootechnician, author, translator, and musician. She is also active in the revitalization of the Kildin Sámi language and culture.
Marit Gaup Eira or Šelgon Joreha Máret is a Northern Sámi reindeer herder, singer, and yoiker. She has won the yoiking category of the Sámi Grand Prix three times: in 1993, 1997, and 2003. She has also placed third in the same category three times: 1996, 1998, and 2002.
