The Sami Way

The Sami Way

The Sami Way is about living close to nature, listening to it and treasuring the gifts it gives. The Sami people have always lived in harmony with the world around them, the seasons, the weather, the animals and the plants. Everything is harvested carefully. You take what you need, no more. Our resources must be safeguarded and maintained for future generations to enjoy. Let this be your inspiration. The proximity to the food that you cook yourself over an open fire, food harvested from the nature around you. Taking time to listen to the forest's symphony, to the silence. Take in the stories that link people and nature together, and which gives an increased respect and understanding for sustainability and good living. 20 minutes north of Mo i Rana, your hosts await you at Aernie, -the married couple Anne Berit and Toamma. Aernie means hearth and has from olden times been a meeting point where stories are created and shared, where strangers are invited in and go from being simple guests to life-long friends. At Aernie you can spend the night in a traditional and modern Gåetie and get to know the Sami way of life better through food and cultural experiences based on Southern Sami history and tradition. Let the calm sink in, lean back on reindeer skins as you listen to the sound of crackling from the outdoor fireplace, the river and soft birdsong. Let yourself be inspired by the clean taste of Nordlands various delicacies made from the very best nature has to offer. At Aernie, you may try your hand in the kitchen with Sami baking traditions. Listen to Toamma's storytelling and his yoik, the unique Sami song form. Or how about testing your lasso throwing skills. Hard enough, even without a moving target. Climate change, melting sea ice, changes in the migration routes of predators, forest fires and irreversible changes in fauna and flora are challenges that are rapidly affecting not only indigenous peoples, but people all over the world. At the same time, the key to repairing some of the damage and adapting to changing conditions may lie precisely with the Sami and other peoples who have lived at the mercy of nature for millennia.