The Sami switch was introduced in the summer of 2021.
Sweden’s Sami parliament has voted to make the Sami language an official language of Sweden, alongside Swedish. The move comes after a long campaign by the indigenous Sami people, who have been pushing for official recognition of their language for decades. The decision is set to be implemented in 2021, when Sweden celebrates its 100th anniversary as a modern nation state.
What is the Sami language?
The Sami people are an indigenous group living in northern Scandinavia and parts of Russia. They are also known as Laplanders or Lapps and are believed to have lived in this region since at least 6000 BC. While there are several different dialects spoken by different groups of Samis, they all share common roots and origins. Today, most speakers live in Norway, Sweden and Finland with smaller populations in Russia and Canada.
Why do the Samis want their own language?
Sami activists have been fighting for official recognition of their native tongue since it was banned from schools during the 1800s. In fact, teaching children to speak any language other than Swedish was banned until 1996.
