Today our exploration of the Norwegian fjords turned toward the people who have lived in this beautiful, rugged region for many centuries: the Sámi.
In the morning we went to the village of Drag to visit Árran, a Sámi Cultural Center. We listened to a short talk on the lives and history of Sámi people and saw exhibits of their traditional tools and dress. In the afternoon we went to the site of a modern Sámi and Norwegian summer settlement deep in Hellmobotn, one of the long arms of Tysfjord. It is still early spring so only a couple of residents had arrived.
As we hiked and kayaked, surrounded by soaring granite walls, it is clear to see why the Sámi people choose to spend the warm season in this wonderfully remote place.
