Sat., Oct. 22, 1 to 4:45 p.m.
In the harsh Arctic climate of northern Scandinavia live the Saami, skilled hunters, inventors of skis, and direct descendents of the Sun, according to their rich mythology. The Roman historian Tacitus provided the first written reference to the Saami in 98 A.D., though they have lived in the Far North for over 10,000 years. In 800 A.D. the English King Alfred the Great wrote in his chronicles Orosious about the Norwegian Chief Ottar and his taxation of the Saami, and indeed political issues continue to the present time.
This program, featuring two scholars who are also native Saami, presents an overview of the culture, including the language, literature, and archaeology. The current state of affairs for the Saami now living in Norway is also discussed.
1 to 2:15 p.m. Saami Language and Literature
Closely linked to mythology in which ancestry is traced back to the Sun, the language has, over the eons, evolved and enriched its literature through metaphors and circumlocutions. Harald Gaski, associate professor of Saami literature, University of Tromso, Norway.
2:30 to 3:45 p.m. The Saami Today
Cultural rights, rights to land and water, and the new Saami parliament. Ande Somby, professor of law, University of Tromso, Norway.
3:45 to 4:45 p.m. A People Without a Past
New archaeological research that is opening the door to thousands of years of Saami prehistory, showing complex trading relations and vast nomadic herding territory. Noel Broadbent, archaeologist, Arctic Studies Center, National Museum of Natural History.
Where: The Smithsonian. Ripley Center
When: Saturday, Oct. 22, 1 to 4:45 p.m.
Resident Members $30; Senior Members $27; Gen. Admission $40; Full-time Students with IDs $15
SPECIAL PACKAGE PRICE FOR BOTH SAAMI PROGRAMS:
Resident Members $44; Senior Members $40; Gen. Admission $58; Fulltime Students with IDs $30.
For these special package prices, provide the individual CODE numbers for both programs when ordering tickets. All tickets must be purchased in advance ; this offer not available at the door.
Location: Indicated on ticket.