indigenous peoples installment one: the saami

who: nordic indigenes.
where: the northernmost parts of sweden, finland, norway and the kola peninsula of russia.
language(s): variations of saami including akkala and kemi, both of which are now extinct.
clothing: gákti, a dress-like garment worn by both men and women at different lengths. traditionally made from reindeer leather and sinews, but more recently featuring wool and cotton materials. details like colour and pattern can reveal where a person is from, marital status, family history, etc. gákti can be worn with belts, ponchos, hooded jumpers (sweaters), leggings and boots.
livelihood: fishing, fur trapping, reindeer and sheep herding.
art: duodji, handicrafts that combine artistic aesthetics with functionality.
religion: traditionally shamanism, but more recently lutheranism, eastern orthodoxism, etc. the old beliefs recognized the importance of connection to the land, animism and the supernatural.
diet: local ingredients including reindeer, moose, sheep, fish and berries. berries are especially important due to lack of vegetation in extreme climates, the cloudberry being a staple variety. smoking and drying meat and fish is a common practice for food preservation.