THE LAPPS

The Lapps are a European people without a formal homeland at their own. Numbering about 43,000, they inhabit the arctic and subarctic region of four countries; Norway, with around 20,0000 Lapps; Sweden with an estimated 17,000; Finland, with around 4,000; and the Soviet Union, with about 2,000.

The nama Lapp, from Finnish lappalainen, is a foreign term as far as these people are concerned. They prefer to be called Samit, their own name for themselves. The Lappish language belongs to the Finno-Ugric subfamily of the Ural-altaic language. It is thus unrelated to neighboring Scandinavian and Slavic languages with the exception of Finnish, Estonian, Latvian, and certain lesser-known tongoues. Finnish is the closest of these to Lappish, but the two are not mutually intelligible. Lappish itself divides into three large language groups-east, central, and south Lapissh.

The origins of the Samit are still uncertain, but they may be the oldest postglacial inhabitants in the far North. Originally living as hunters, gatherers, and fishing people, some become pastoralist by the middle ages at the lates. They have been Christian since the 1600s.

Reindeer herding remains their most distinctive occupation. Reindeer herders today may frequently be seen in the traditional costume of colorful, decorated tunicand tasseled hat. Most Samit today, however, dress like other Europeans and live mostly in permanent houses and seasonal herding migrations. Many Samit live in fishing communities along artic coasts and inland waters. Others havelived for generations as settled farmers. Some work at mining or forestry.