Duodji 

Duodji is the 'Sámi handicraft.' It was earlier made really only for home use, but today many Sámi live of - at least partially - on making duodji.

Duidjo have a strong symbolic value for the Sámi identity and close ties with the lifestyle and the way of life! The Northern Sámi word for handicrafts is duodji. Duodji refers to the creative activity that is performed with the hands using various materials.

Created on the basis of need
The Sámi have always made their own tools and clothes. These products have been created on the basis of the materials and requirements stipulated by the Sámi's way of life. The Sámi have had to make many of the everyday items they needed, such as knives, storage containers, clothes, etc. During the nomadic period, when the Sámi families moved around with their reindeer, there was no room for unnecessary items. Everything they took with them fulfilled some function, and the design of the objects was adapted to a traveling life. The materials were taken from nature, such as roots, birch-bark, skins and reindeer antlers.

Examples of traditional duodji
Storage containers are everyday items that are used in the household. They were often made from birch burls or tubers. A náhppi, or milking bowl, was used when milking the reindeer, and had a small opening to prevent the milk from spilling. The knife was and remains one of the most important tools in the day-to-day life of a Sámi. The knife was used for most jobs in the reindeer corral, as well as in the home. The knife is used just as much today, but the knives used by the highly skilled craftsmen are expensive works of art rather than everyday goods.

Traditions passed down
The handicraft traditions have been passed down from one generation to the next. However, the importance of and need for duodji has changed in Sámi society in line with changes in society as a whole. Duodji is no longer the same as it was before, even though the products may be the same. The Sámi have been influenced through encounters with other people, and this has affected the duodji. However, they have also held onto their traditions. The chain of tradition has now been altered. Many Sámi children do not have the opportunity to learn handicrafts in the home, with the responsibility instead being placed with various institutions such as pre-schools, schools, training centers and universities.

Source courtesy of: eng.samer.se/servlet/GetDoc?meta_id=1122