Sápmi is our home. If we – or someone else – destroy its nature, our culture is destroyed as well. From a Sami perspective, all questions are environmental questions – since the environment touches on all aspects of our lives and our surroundings.
The Sami view of nature has characterized our values, customs, social structures and relationships. The traditional livelihoods have found their starting points in long-termness. If the natural conditions give way in a particular area, we used alternative resources so that the weakened resources were given the chance to recuperate. During the same time as modern materials, new technology and vehicles have come to be a part of our lives, the natural conditions have changed.
For us who have lived off of reindeer husbandry, hunting, fishing, handicrafts and small-scale agriculture, the changes have greatly affected our living patterns. Of course modern life has brought positive changes and necessary technical aids. These are welcomed changes and are integrated in our lives and our activities. At the same time, it is important for us to differentiate between those innovations that facilitate in a positive way and those innovations that make us more dependent on the global economy and access to oil, while they drain nature.
Our business is very much dependent on nature and the animals. We do everything we can to live, work and receive guests in a sustainable way. We are well aware that if we destroy nature, our culture is destroyed as well.