The Skolt Saami language is a Complete Philosophy of Life – written report
Sääʹmpääʹljes – A report on the situation of the Skolt Saami language in Finnish society 2025–2026 project was a goal-oriented study project during the period 28.4.2025–30.6.2026. The project has been implemented with the support of the Harry Hendunen Fund of the Finnish Cultural Foundation and managed by the Skolt Saami Cultural Foundation.
The Sääʹmpääʹljes project investigated the prerequisites for the use of the Skolt Saami language in Finnish society in the 2020s. The immediate aim of the research was to obtain an overall picture of language speakers, language use opportunities and arenas, and to identify the gaps, challenges and bottlenecks that slow down or prevent the language from being transferred, used and remaining vital. Based on the research carried out in the project, the most effective and critical language recovery measures of today were identified.
Researcher Mirkka Ollila worked as a project worker in the project, and she prepared a written report as the end result of the project.
The written report can be read here: Sääʹmǩiõll âânn seʹst jieʹllemnääʹl – Koltansaame on kokonainen elämänfilosofia (Sääʹmpääʹljes project’s written report 2026)
The report has been published in Finnish, in addition to which it includes summaries in Skolt Saami and English.
Abstract
Despite positive developments in recent years in Skolt Saami language services, educational opportunities, attitudes, and practical environments for language use remain scarce in Finland and, in many spaces, do not exist at all. The language community identifies that language revitalization work is being carried out largely in separate operating environments, which is why the lack of overall coordination has been identified as a key challenge in Skolt Saami language planning.
Although the media, research literature, and final project reports have communicated about the factors that promote and hinder language revitalization, a comprehensive picture of the language situation remains fragmented. The aim of this report, prepared as part of the Skolt Saami Cultural Foundation’s Sääʹmpääʹljes project, is to compile existing information and create a basis for (1) an overall picture of the current state of the Skolt Saami language, (2) solving the most important challenges, and (3) strengthening internal cooperation within the language community and developing long-term and strategic language work.
The research used surveys and remote and in-person interviews to map the views and experiences of members of the Skolt Saami language community in the fall of 2025 and early winter of 2026. In addition, views were collected from Finnish and Saami stakeholders on their role and responsibility in promoting the Skolt Saami language during the fall of 2025. The information collected during the project proved to be diverse and provided a comprehensive basis for examining the current state of the Skolt Saami language.
It would have been possible to use several different perspectives to structure the collected knowledge, but this study focused on themes that emerged as central from the perspective of the language community in terms of the vitality of the language, cooperation, and the development of long-term language strategy. The most significant of these were the strengthening of the Skolt Saami community, the lack of language spaces, and the need for the community’s own discussions about language trauma, the encounter of different language speakers, and language development/changes. The responses from the stakeholders complemented the views of the language community by highlighting their needs for support and challenges, recognition of one’s own role in promoting the Skolt Saami language, and concrete responsibility actions. Through these observations, the report creates a foundation for strengthening cooperation between the language community and stakeholders and developing the basis for a long-term language strategy.