“I am from Sápmi.”

When people ask me who am I and where I come from, I always answer that I am from Sápmi. Then they ask me if I am from Norway, Sweden Finland or Russia.

This always becomes a tricky question for me, because I don´t  feel like I am specifically from any of those countries. Also my official nationality doesn´t really tell anything about where I am from, and can sometimes be misleading. Whats more relevant is how far north I live, since the Sami language between north- and south-Sápmi are very different, and the culture and language is not divided by the boarders of the countries. 

The current border between Norway and Sweden goes straight through my families herds grazingland. They spend the summer on the Norwegian side and the winter on the Swedish side, following the herd.

In the early days our nationality depended alot on the time of the year the children where born. If they were born in summer, they would become Norwegian citizens, and if in winter they would be Swedish.

When I grew up we had I house that I lived in when we where not traveling, and when traveling we lived in a tent or lávvu.  

Most families of my relatives have three houses that they migrate between. One in the high mountains of Norway, one by the border, and one in the Swedish pine forrest.   

Currently I have two houses, one on each side of the border. I have officially a swedish passport, and officially a Norwegian address, because my Shamanic Centre is officially on the Norwegian side. However none of this is true…

..since I actually am a Sámi living in Sápmi.