Finland is absolutely beautiful! We flew into Helsinki and took another flight north to Ivalo and drove about 30 minutes to Saariselkä. We were officially in the Arctic Circle, and most likely, the northernmost point that I will ever be.
Unlike Stockholm, English is not widely spoken, especially up north in Saariselkä. We took a trip to the grocery store to pick up food for our three-day stay in Finland, and that was certainly an adventure. After shopping in the same grocery store my entire life, I hadn’t recognized the privilege of knowing where products were located, and more importantly what I was actually purchasing. My friends and I decided to make dinner for our entire class, and somehow confused sugar for salt, and we ended the evening with sugary pasta. I guess this made for a pretty sweet start to our time in Finland.
Traveling from a bustling city like Stockholm to a country where 75% of the land is made up of trees, the air smelled of an indescribable freshness and beauty. This past summer I read The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben. The novel discusses how trees communicate with one another and proposes an interesting perspective on the social circle of trees. After reading this book, my viewpoint on nature transformed from a place that was once individual and solemn, to recognizing a new type of wisdom that permeates the natural environment. It was this perspective that allowed me to gain an even greater appreciation for Finland's natural wonders.
It’s hard to explain an area of such remoteness and beauty. It felt so far from civilization that humans had yet to make an impact on this space. However, even in what appeared to be a natural state, humanity still creates ripples in the purest of waters.
Finland is home to the Sámi, the indigenous people of Europe. There are three different types of Sámi people in Finland, each of which speaks their own unique language. They also dress slightly different based on which group they identify with and their marital status. I found it inspiring how empowering the Sámi are towards all demographics. From a young age, girls are expected to share in the same responsibilities as boys. Sámi people function in a matriarchal society. It was profound to compare this to America, a country that is still working towards egalitarianism. When only 5% of Fortune 500 Companies have Female CEOs, it becomes difficult for American girls to picture themselves in that role. However, leadership positions in the Sámi Parliament are commonly filled by women, not only promoting the matriarchy but allowing young girls to witness their true potential.
When initially hearing about the Sámi people, they seemed quite isolated from me. The indigenous group is incredibly resourceful and nearly lives off the land. When farming reindeer, the group utilizes every aspect of the animal from food to clothing. Culturally, this felt so incredibly different, yet remarkably admirable.
Up until quite recently, the Sámi were banned from speaking their own language in Finland, and it was no longer taught in schools. The government consciously attempted to assimilate the Sámi people. They are considered a minority in Finland, and many Sámi lost touch with their cultural practices during this time frame. I had the opportunity to meet with an individual who was a part of this generation. He mentioned not having the opportunity to learn the language or take pride in his roots. Joni is now a reindeer farmer who lives in the pristine forest surrounded by hundreds of reindeer, and river water that is clean enough to drink straight from the stream. The nearest major road is 70 miles away, and the closest hospital is 200 miles from his home. He lives off the land and proudly raises his two children to share in these customs. While initially appearing so different, this story paralleled the tales of Judaism. The anecdote of survival of one's customs and pride in being a minority is one that both the Sámi and my ancestors have in common.
I found something incredibly remarkable about this experience. There are only 10,000 Sámi people in the world, and most individuals are not even aware of their existence. Yet, I was welcomed into the home of two Sámi who built their livelihood on educating the public about their incredibly beautiful culture.
While I have created this space to share my travel experiences, I feel obligated to not only share these incredible tales of perseverance that mirror those in my own culture, but also allow you to know how we are influencing the Sámi thousands of miles away.
One aspect that I so deeply admired about the Sámi was their commitment to sustainability. They have acted in the most resourceful ways, yet the Sámi have been challenged with climate change. Dog sledding and reindeer farming are two practices that are ingrained into the Sámi culture. They rely on tourism during the winter season, yet with rising global temperatures, the time to make a profit is slimming. Joni, the reindeer farmer we met, mentioned that when he was young, winter lasted from September to May, while now it’s about two months shorter. This lack of snow transforms both the tourism that the Sámi depend on and how they are able to utilize natural resources.
Out of all of the places I have traveled, Finland has been my favorite. There was something so peaceful about waking up to thousands of trees surrounding our cabin and going to bed to the beautiful glow of the northern lights. It’s quite rejuvenating to go from the center of a big city, and being around so many people, to a place where there’s room for thoughts and questions. Being in the wilderness allowed me to understand the Sámi’s respect towards nature.
I wondered why environmental justice is so difficult to reach. Americans have a significantly larger carbon footprint than the Sámi people. Yet, even though this indigenous group acts in ways that preserve the environment, they are still affected. Environmental injustice looks at the unequal distribution of environmental goods (such as clean water and air) and environmental bads (such as pollution). At this point we cannot control where the consequences of climate change geographically occur, but rather how we feed into climate change.
It is easy to think that Americans are not affected by climate change until we are economically impacted. However, the Sámi people are already deeply influenced by the accumulation of our actions thousands of miles away. It is through these ripples of impact that one must begin to recognize their responsibility as a global citizen. I would like to leave you with a quote from Greta Thunberg, a young, profound, Swedish activist who is making headlines for her strides towards a sustainable future. “People tell me I should study to become a climate scientist so I can solve the climate crisis. But the climate crisis has already been solved. We already have all the facts and solutions. All we have to do is to wake up and change.”
Thanks for following along on my adventures in Finland!