Term Sami Religion example essay topic

The belt is either in skin with decorated silver buttons or in woven fabrics. The woven version has a particular pattern in blue, white and red colors, and the female belt has a braided string with a tassel on the end. Skaller and / are traditional footwear for winter and spring / summer respectively. Skaller are made of fur taken from the head or foot of the reindeer, while sinews from the back of the reindeer are used when sewing them together. Bie ksu / are made of seal- or cowskin and filled with senna-grass providing isolation and comfort for the user, as well as keeping the feet dry. Both smaller and have a woven ribbon arranged around the leg part of the shoe.

The colors and patterns of the ribbons differ between men and women, and between geographical locations. Men would distinguish between ribbons for formal and informal use. Skaller are also decorated with colorful sewed-on-boarders. The term Sami religion is usually referring to the pre-Christian religion, practiced until approximately the 18th century. Christianity was being spread by Catholic missionaries already in the 13th century. Increased pressure came after the Lutheran reformation, and rune drums were burned or sent to museums abroad.

In this period, many Sami practiced their traditional religion at home, while turning up in church on Sunday. Since the Sami were considered to possess witchcraft powers, they were often accused of sorcery during the 17th century. In Norway, a major effort to convert the Sami was made around 1720, when the "Apostle of the Sami" - Thomas von Western, burned drums and converted people by force. The Swedish Sami vicar, Lars Levi Laestadius initiated a puritan, Lutheran movement among the Sami around 1840. This movement is still very dominant in Sami speaking areas.

Sami on the Kola Peninsula and in North-Eastern Finland, as well as a handful in Norway are members of the Orthodox Church. The old religion is long gone, but elements of it have been revived by Neo-paganism groups. Sami religion shared some elements with the Norse mythology, possibly from early contacts with trading Vikings. Through a mainly French initiative, from J.P. Gaim ard, Lars Levi Laestadius began researching the Sami mythology. His work resulted in four bands or fragments, since by his own admission they contained only a small percentage of what had existed. The fragments were termed Theory of Gods, Theory of Sacrifice, Theory of Prophecy, or short reports about Sami magic and Sami sagas.

Generally, he filtered out the Norse influence and derived common elements between the South, North, and Eastern Sami groups. The mythology has common elements with other Circumpolar religions as well -- such as those in Siberia and North America. The original religion of the Sami held a great variety of Gods serving their particular purposes. It was based on nature and a strong belief in holy powers and spirits. As such the shaman was central, and every social unit consisting of 40-100 people had a shaman or a.

The could heal and served as the link between human beings and ancestors, spirits and Gods. Through drumming on the, dance and joking the would get into a trance and thus in contact with spirits and the powers of Gods. The was also used for future-telling and clairvoyance. The symbolism on the has different meanings, and most dominating figures are mythological. The sun is a figure of predominance, and a frequently used symbol is of two people standing on a sun ray.

These are the Termes / Horragalles which is the God of thunder and the God of the wing, Bieggolmai. The God of thunder has a hammer in his hand as Tor, the Nordic God. The wind-god has spades in his hands, of which he digs wind in and out of his cave.