Skolts
Encyclopedia
The Skolt Sámi or Skolts are a visible Orthodox
ethnic group in Lapland, Finland
. They currently live in and around the villages of Sevettijärvi
, Keväjärvi
, Nellim
in the municipality of Inari
and also in the village of Neiden in the municipality of and Sør-Varanger
, Norway
. The Skolts are considered to be the indigenous people
of the Kola Peninsula
and belong to the eastern group of Sámi
on account of their language
and traditions. Current estimates put their number at approximately 700, of which approximately 400 can speak Skolt Sámi.
(1920), the Skolt homeland was split in two: the western part, Petsamo
, became part of Finland and the eastern part became part of the Soviet Union
. The border became a threat to the entire identity of the Skolts as it grew difficult for them to live as they traditionally had with reindeer husbandry, hunting and fishing as the source of their livelihood. Many Finnish immigrants moved to traditional Skolt homeland. In 1926, one-quarter of Petsamo's population were Skolts, and in 1930 the proportion dropped to one-sixth.
After the Winter War
(1939), Finland lost its portion of the Rybachiy Peninsula
to the Soviet Union and after the Continuation War
(1941–1944), it lost Petsamo, too. As a result, the Skolts living in Suonikylä and Paatsjoki
were evacuated to Finland, with the Suonikylä Skolts settling in Sevettijärvi
, the Paatsjoki Skolts in Keväjärvi
and along the Rautujoki River of Sevettijärvi
, and the Petsamo Skolts in the villages of Mustola, and Sarmijärvi in Nellim
.
Saint Tryphon of Pechenga
converted the Skolts to Christianity
in the 16th century and even today, the majority of Skolts are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church
.
Orthodoxy
The word orthodox, from Greek orthos + doxa , is generally used to mean the adherence to accepted norms, more specifically to creeds, especially in religion...
ethnic group in Lapland, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
. They currently live in and around the villages of Sevettijärvi
Sevettijärvi
Sevettijärvi is a village in the municipality of Inari, Finland approximately north of downtown Inari. Näätämö, as it is known on the Finnish side of the Norwegian border, is approximately away. The village’s green, yet stark terrain opens up as Näätämö approaches.The village is built on what...
, Keväjärvi
Keväjärvi
Keväjärvi is a village in the municipality of Inari 13 km northeast of Ivalo and south of Lake Inari along Road 969 leading to Nellim, which used to lead all the way to Pechenga, when it was part of Finland. The village is located on a pine-covered ridge surrounded by lakes that flow into...
, Nellim
Nellim
Nellim is a village on the shore of Lake Inari in Inari, Finland that has three distinctly different cultures: Finns, the Inari Sámi and the Skolt Sámi. Nellim is approximately northeast of Ivalo and approximately away from the Russian border...
in the municipality of Inari
Inari, Finland
Inari is Finland's largest, sparsely populated municipality with four official languages, more than any other in the country. Its major sources of income are lumber industry and nature maintenance. With the museum Siida in the village of Inari, it is a center of Sami culture...
and also in the village of Neiden in the municipality of and Sør-Varanger
Sør-Varanger
Sør-Varanger is a municipality in Finnmark county, Norway. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Kirkenes. Sør-Varanger was separated from the municipality of Vadsø on 1 July 1858.-Name:...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
. The Skolts are considered to be the indigenous people
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
of the Kola Peninsula
Kola Peninsula
The Kola Peninsula is a peninsula in the far northwest of Russia. Constituting the bulk of the territory of Murmansk Oblast, it lies almost completely to the north of the Arctic Circle and is washed by the Barents Sea in the north and the White Sea in the east and southeast...
and belong to the eastern group of Sámi
Sami people
The Sami people, also spelled Sámi, or Saami, are the arctic indigenous people inhabiting Sápmi, which today encompasses parts of far northern Sweden, Norway, Finland, the Kola Peninsula of Russia, and the border area between south and middle Sweden and Norway. The Sámi are Europe’s northernmost...
on account of their language
Skolt Sami
Skolt Sami is a Uralic, Sami language spoken by approximately 400 speakers in Finland, mainly in Sevettijärvi, and approximately 20–30 speakers of the Njuõˊttjäuˊrr dialect in an area surrounding Lake Lovozero in Russia. Skolt Sami used to also be spoken on the Neiden area of Norway,...
and traditions. Current estimates put their number at approximately 700, of which approximately 400 can speak Skolt Sámi.
History
As a result of the Treaty of TartuTreaty of Tartu (Russian–Finnish)
The Treaty of Tartu between Finland and Soviet Russia was signed on 14 October 1920 after negotiations that lasted for four months. The treaty confirmed the border between Finland and Soviet Russia after the Finnish civil war and Finnish volunteer expeditions in Russian East Karelia. Ratifications...
(1920), the Skolt homeland was split in two: the western part, Petsamo
Pechengsky District
Pechengsky District is an administrative and municipal district , one of the five in Murmansk Oblast, Russia. It is located to the northwest of the Kola Peninsula on the coast of the Barents Sea and borders with Finland in the south and southwest and with Norway in the west, northwest, and north...
, became part of Finland and the eastern part became part of the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The border became a threat to the entire identity of the Skolts as it grew difficult for them to live as they traditionally had with reindeer husbandry, hunting and fishing as the source of their livelihood. Many Finnish immigrants moved to traditional Skolt homeland. In 1926, one-quarter of Petsamo's population were Skolts, and in 1930 the proportion dropped to one-sixth.
After the Winter War
Winter War
The Winter War was a military conflict between the Soviet Union and Finland. It began with a Soviet offensive on 30 November 1939 – three months after the start of World War II and the Soviet invasion of Poland – and ended on 13 March 1940 with the Moscow Peace Treaty...
(1939), Finland lost its portion of the Rybachiy Peninsula
Rybachiy Peninsula
Rybachy Peninsula is the northernmost part of continental European Russia. Its name is translated as Fisher Peninsula. It is connected with the Sredny Peninsula, Middle Peninsula by a thin isthmus. So the peninsula is in fact nearly completely surrounded by water...
to the Soviet Union and after the Continuation War
Continuation War
The Continuation War was the second of two wars fought between Finland and the Soviet Union during World War II.At the time of the war, the Finnish side used the name to make clear its perceived relationship to the preceding Winter War...
(1941–1944), it lost Petsamo, too. As a result, the Skolts living in Suonikylä and Paatsjoki
Paatsjoki
The Paatsjoki River is the outlet from Lake Inari in Finland and flows through Norway and Russia to discharge into the Varangerfjord, not far from Kirkenes. The Varangerfjord connects with the Barents Sea...
were evacuated to Finland, with the Suonikylä Skolts settling in Sevettijärvi
Sevettijärvi
Sevettijärvi is a village in the municipality of Inari, Finland approximately north of downtown Inari. Näätämö, as it is known on the Finnish side of the Norwegian border, is approximately away. The village’s green, yet stark terrain opens up as Näätämö approaches.The village is built on what...
, the Paatsjoki Skolts in Keväjärvi
Keväjärvi
Keväjärvi is a village in the municipality of Inari 13 km northeast of Ivalo and south of Lake Inari along Road 969 leading to Nellim, which used to lead all the way to Pechenga, when it was part of Finland. The village is located on a pine-covered ridge surrounded by lakes that flow into...
and along the Rautujoki River of Sevettijärvi
Sevettijärvi
Sevettijärvi is a village in the municipality of Inari, Finland approximately north of downtown Inari. Näätämö, as it is known on the Finnish side of the Norwegian border, is approximately away. The village’s green, yet stark terrain opens up as Näätämö approaches.The village is built on what...
, and the Petsamo Skolts in the villages of Mustola, and Sarmijärvi in Nellim
Nellim
Nellim is a village on the shore of Lake Inari in Inari, Finland that has three distinctly different cultures: Finns, the Inari Sámi and the Skolt Sámi. Nellim is approximately northeast of Ivalo and approximately away from the Russian border...
.
Religion
Tryphon of Pechenga
Saint Tryphon of Pechenga was a Russian monk in the Eastern Orthodox Church and led an ascetic life on the Kola Peninsula and in Lappland in the 16th century. He is considered to be the founder of the Pechenga Monastery....
converted the Skolts to Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
in the 16th century and even today, the majority of Skolts are members of the Eastern Orthodox Church
Eastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
.