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SAMI

Everything you need to know about Sami Day in Norway

February 6th marks Sami Day in Norway, and for more than 30 years events have been held across Norway to celebrate the occasion.

Published: 6 February 2024 11:07 CET
Pictured is the Sami flag.
Norway celebrates Sami Day on February 6th. Pictured is the Sami flag. Photo by Thom Reijnders on Unsplash

All public buildings in Norway will hoist the Sami flag, and events and exhibitions will be held to mark Sami Day.

The day marks the anniversary of the first Sami Assembly, held in Trondheim in 1917.

The gathering saw Sami people from Norway and Sweden, who felt that their culture, language and livelihoods were being threatened, convene in Trondheim.

The event was chaired by Elsa Laula Renberg, with other female activists also playing an important role.

The assembly aimed to cover the issues of reindeer grazing, legislation, schooling, and organisation.

Who are the Sami?

The Sami refer to an indigenous minority of around 100,000 people spread over the northern parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia, the Sami have traditionally lived off reindeer herding and fishing.

The relationship between the indigenous Sami and Norway has been fraught.

Beginning in the 1700s, the Norwegian government carried out the official policy of Norwegianisation, which aimed to assimilate the non-Norwegian-speaking population into an ethnically and culturally uniform society.

The policy was initially targeted at the Sami people of northern Norway.

A commission ruled last year that the Norwegianisation of the Sami has had severe consequences, which are still felt today.

“Norway does not have a history to be proud of when it comes to the treatment of minorities,” Dagfinn Høybråten, who chaired the commission, said of the report’s findings.

Over the last few years, Norway has found itself locked in a battle with Sami reindeer herders over wind farms. The Sami havelaunched several protests after the Supreme Court found that the wind farm in Fosen violated the human rights of the Sami in the area.

How is Sami Day celebrated?

The day is marked by public authorities flying the Sami flag. In Oslo, the town hall bells ring the Sami anthem.

Oslo’s ceremonial mayor, rather than the leader of the city government, holds a traditional breakfast with the Sami people.

Other parts of the country plan a day or even a week of festivities. The week falling on the 6th in Tromsø is Sami week, when the yearly festival showcases many traditional Sami sports and events. In addition to talks and events, there is also a Sami winter market.

Kids in school may learn more about the Sami people or have Sami come to the school to hold workshops, lessons or talks. Alternatively, they may have been working on school projects in the days and weeks leading up to Sami Day.

Food plays an important role in Sami Day, and there may be workshops and showcases of Sami food. At such showcases, reindeer features heavily on the menu.

Marking the day with events and celebrations has become increasingly popular since 1992 (the first Sami day).

However, the day isn’t a public holiday, so nobody is given the day off work or school.

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For members

WORKING IN NORWAY

Why do Norwegians take such long summer holidays?

Summer in Norway sees offices nationwide come to a standstill as workers head out on three-week-long holidays. Have you ever wondered how summer holidays of at least three weeks became so popular?

Published: 5 July 2024 11:48 CEST
Why do Norwegians take such long summer holidays?

Offices, cafes, shops, salons, and plenty of other business close for a few weeks in July, with other things such as public services becoming much harder to reach until the end of the month or beginning of August.

This is referred to as “fellesferie” or the “joint” or “collective” holiday when translated into English. Given how many take the holidays, large parts of Norway can feel surprisingly empty during the summer.

Syden is the affectionate Norwegian term to describe the Mediterranean destinations that are typically popular, although many will also choose to holiday in Sweden, Denmark, or a cabin in rural parts of Norway.

READ ALSO: How to enjoy summer in Norway like a Norwegian

When did Norwegians start taking such long holidays?

The practice dates back to the interwar years in Norway when employers and employee organisations agreed on a three-week collective holiday period.

This ended up being a win/win situation for both parties. For the companies, it was more practical and profitable to let all the workers take holidays at the same time and close their operations down completely.

The workers were allowed to enjoy time off when Norway typically expects (but doesn’t always get) its best weather.

The scheme made its way into other industries through collective bargaining agreements. Collective bargaining agreements have played a massive role in developing workers’ rights in Norway and continue to play an important role today.

Three-week-long holidays written into law

Workers’ rights in Norway are best described as a result of tripartite cooperation where employers, employee organisations and the government work together on matters regarding employment in the country. This is also referred to as the ‘Norwegian Model’.

This model has led to high levels of union membership in the country. Furthermore, the model has filled in gaps where there aren’t laws. For example, there is no universal minimum wage in Norway, the law only covers minimum wages in a handful of sectors.

Instead, unions strike collective bargaining agreements that cover minimum wages, working hours and conditions, and salary increases on behalf of members. Some non-members can also benefit from these to ensure that non-members don’t undercut workers in unions.

Sometimes, collective bargaining agreements covering working rights can lead to legislation later down the light. The right to annual leave in Norway began to develop around 1900, through union deals, but later through law.

Norway has its own Holiday Act these days. Under the law, workers in Norway have the right to at least 25 days of holiday per year. Some workers are entitled to more through their collective bargaining agreement.

Much like the initial right to holiday, the law was updated to allow more workers to enjoy a summer holiday. The Holiday Act means employees can demand up to three consecutive weeks off between the start of June and the end of September.

This means that even companies that do not shut up shop for the summer holidays will see large parts of the workforce disappear.

The other ten days of the year can be taken whenever you wish and can be used up in blocks or used individually.

Employers also have rights during fellesferie and can require employees to take a holiday during this period if the business reduces or closes operations during the “main holiday period.”

Workers can only refuse to take a holiday during this period if the holiday pay they have earned so far will not cover the loss of income during the holiday.

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