Why no Sami at the AWG?

A search on the word “Sami” brings up some 90 articles in your newspaper, therefore I can presume that the people represented are regarded as “Arctic peoples.”

With all the excitement of the Arctic Winter Games going on, I find it quite a mystery to observe that no Sami people are, or have ever participated in the Arctic Winter Games.

Does anyone know the reason why?

There are some 85,000 people, formerly known as Laplanders, living in the northern reaches of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. In fact the numbers are 45,000 in Norway, 20,000 in Sweden, 10,000, in Finland, and 2000 from Russia.

They already take part in several of the sports unique to the AWG, including dog-mushing, as well as many worldwide winter sports such as skiing, skating and so on.

I can imagine that the addition of their flag, costumes, music and traditions would be incredibly enriching for everyone at the Arctic Winter Games.

David H. Douglas
Sweden