Norsk Folkmuseum

This museum was like Skansen, the one in Sweden, but a bit smaller.  The display of Sami artifacts was new to us and quite fascinating. The Sami here are the indigenous people's that live in the northern regions of Norway Sweden Finland and Russia. Much like the indigenous people's of America they have been repressed and discriminated against. However they have had a cultural resurgence and are battling for land rights. They are allowed now to use and teach thier language and maintain the culture. They actually have a Parliament in Norway and in Finland so some level of autonomy. I have to double check the regions to see if we actually were in Sami land or not.  It would have been on our nutshell tour if at all.  The centerpiece of this folk museum was the Stave church. It is made entirely of wood and was built in the 1200s. It was disassembled moved to the side and erected again in 1884. It is a magnificent piece of workmanship. The smell inside was delightful.

Our view as we enter

The town bulletin board

Facing the town square

Dressed in clothes that make you overheat

Reindeer pulling a sled

Different types of Sami clothing styles 

Curved up perhaps to get through the snow

Sled kr baby carrier

Model of an old sod house 

So much carved Ivory

It turns out that this is the flag of the Sami people.  I should have bought it when I saw it.  I have not seen any others 

Bear skull

Old time dolls

The sod on the roof is all dried out in the drought

School kids in the school house 

We have all seen this look

Animals in the lower floor people upstairs

The back of the stave church

Made all out of wood

Beautys

The inside was as intricate as the outside 

It smelled of spruce and cedarwood 

The ceiling is hard to see but it was cool

A mural behind the altar

Last supper?

This shows how tall the doorway was

Half these people never made it inside

Carved panels at the entry 

A Norwegian guide

Framed 

Bright blue sky