Sámi Religion

The shamanic religion of the Sámi, with its drums, sacred stones and joik.

ancient → · Sápmi (northern Scandinavia) · Indigenous & Animist

The Sámi of northern Scandinavia and Russia practised a religion of sacred places, offerings at sieidi stones and noaidi who journeyed with painted drums. Missionaries burned many drums in the 17th and 18th centuries, but joik and reverence for the land endure.

Key figures

• Beaivi, the sun
• Noaidi, shamans
• Sieidi, sacred stones

Texts

• Drum images
• Joik songs

Beliefs

• Sacred stones and places hold spirit
• The noaidi travel between worlds with the drum
• Animals, especially reindeer, are honoured

Rituals

• Offerings at sieidi
• Drumming journeys
• Joik singing

Grew from

• Animism & Shamanism

Connections in the atlas

• Stállu
• The Sami
• The cosmic hunt
• ? Where does shamanism come from?
• Norse sea and river roads
• Ecstatic trance and spirit possession (ritual)