Post by Gerard Willemsen on May 8, 2007 14:28:04 GMT 1
Last Saturdays service in Hemavan, southern Sápmi, poses a good illustration of the language problems we can meet. There are two sámi languages there. The one is a variant of South Sámi, called Ume Sámi. This is the language which belongs to the area. The other one is North Sámi. The speakers of that language are families who have been forced by the state to move to that area in the first part of the 20th century. The State did not bother about language problems and differnces in reindeer herding traditions. On lady, north Sámi, came there 6 yrs old. She spoke North Sámi and Finnish. She told me life was hard at the Sámi internate school: the other kids spoke Ume Sámi and the teacher spoke Swedish, she could understand neither.
Then, many south Sámi, especially in this part, have lost their mother tongue thanks to state policies. South and North Sámi are as different as let's say Swedish and German.
So in this area, we sing hymns and read texts in both languages, and preaching has to be in Swedish. It is quite a challenge to have a service like this, but worth the effort.
Then, many south Sámi, especially in this part, have lost their mother tongue thanks to state policies. South and North Sámi are as different as let's say Swedish and German.
So in this area, we sing hymns and read texts in both languages, and preaching has to be in Swedish. It is quite a challenge to have a service like this, but worth the effort.