More than 40 years ago, my wife and I decided to meet the Sami craftsmen whose work we had been collecting for over 60 years. This marked the beginning of many exciting and memorable journeys. We hired a camper, planned carefully, and hit the road.
As members of the Swedish Knifemakers Association, honorary members of the American Knifemakers Guild and the Italian Knifemakers Guild, and having experience judging knife competitions, we felt we had a solid foundation for interesting encounters with the artisans.
Sami craftsmanship is something truly unique – a tradition passed down through many generations. The Sami's craft of wood, horn, leather, silver, and rootwork is unparalleled in both function and artistry.
Collecting it is not only a way to preserve and honour Sami culture, but also a way to understand their way of life and work. The skilled craftsmanship, so closely tied to nature and the Sami way of life, is more than just handicrafts – it is a living cultural tradition.
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More than 40 years ago, my wife and I decided to meet the Sami craftsmen whose work we had been collecting for over 60 years. This marked the beginning of many exciting and memorable journeys. We hired a camper, planned carefully, and hit the road.
As members of the Swedish Knifemakers Association, honorary members of the American Knifemakers Guild and the Italian Knifemakers Guild, and having experience judging knife competitions, we felt we had a solid foundation for interesting encounters with the artisans.
Sami craftsmanship is something truly unique – a tradition passed down through many generations. The Sami's craft of wood, horn, leather, silver, and rootwork is unparalleled in both function and artistry.
Collecting it is not only a way to preserve and honour Sami culture, but also a way to understand their way of life and work. The skilled craftsmanship, so closely tied to nature and the Sami way of life, is more than just handicrafts – it is a living cultural tradition.
Our journeys gave us many wonderful memories, filled with joy, appreciation and laughter. We now hope these treasures will be passed on and bring joy to new collectors.
One of our trips began with a cup of coffee at Olav Svonni’s kitchen table. His stories made the visit to his workshop even more fascinating. We watched him work and heard about his plans to get a new grinding machine to create his blades in a new design.
Ellen Kitok spoke about her mother, Asa Kitok, and we had the opportunity to order a bracelet. However, Ellen wanted to wait until autumn for delivery, when the birch roots gain more colour. That wait turned out to be two years – but it was worth it. The bracelet was incredibly beautiful.
When we had a scheduled meeting with Martin Kourak, he wasn’t home. We were told he was at his hunting cabin painting – just as he had been the last time we tried to meet. The next day, we met, and Martin brought a beautiful horn salt cellar, which now occupies a special place in our dining room.
We visited Bill and Lena Öberg several times, and those occasions were filled with experiences and lessons. Bill is a fishing Sámi and doesn’t have many reindeer, but he lives in an incredibly beautiful place. You have to cross the water to get there. The car must be left behind, and instead, you travel by boat. They told us about a stormy occasion when a guest cabin was so exposed that even the stove was blown out and had to be retrieved. But usually, he sets his nets and cleans fish. We were able to buy fish and fish roe, which were delicacies. But even Lena’s buns were a true delight. Please take note of Bill’s fine logo with a boat next to his signature.
During our subsequent journeys, our memories were filled with more meetings and adventures. Now, we have decided to let at least some of these treasures go on to new admirers.
