Skolt Saami language
One of the objectives of the project Oummu rââst raaj is to strengthen Skolt Saami language and the use and status of the language in Norway and Finland. -hankkeen yhtenä tavoitteena on vahvistaa koltansaamen kieltä, kielen käyttöä ja sen asemaa niin Norjassa kuin Suomessakin. Below are the results of the project's language work. All materials presented below are free to use for everyone.
Content of the page:
Online self-study training of the basics of Skolt Saami
Overview of Skolt Saami Learning Resources
Skolt Saami learning materials
Bukva - Skolt Saami alphabet book
Jååʹttemneävv - Skolt Saami childrens' book
Online self-study training of the basics of Skolt Saami
Oummu rââst raaj project and the Sámi Education Institute have published a first ever free self-study online training in Skolt Saami basics, which anyone interested is free to participate in. The online training will be open until 31st of May 2029 and it is available in both Finnish and Norwegian.
You can find more information and instructions for participation here:
Finnish platform:
- Sámi Education Institute's education calender: https://urly.fi/49vm
- or Inari Municipality's webpage: Koltansaamen kieli - INARI.FI
Norwegian platform:
- Sámi Education Institute's education calender: https://urly.fi/49vn
- or Inari Municipality's webpage: Skoltesamisk språk - På norsk - INARI.FI
Overview of Skolt Saami Learning Resources
Oummu rââst raaj has made an overview which brings together key organizations, learning resources, and study opportunities for individuals who wish to learn or study the Skolt Saami language. The information is based on materials collected through the project in spring 2026. As courses, services, and available resources may change over time, readers are encouraged to verify current information with the respective organizations and providers. The overiview can be found as a PDF-file in Finnish and Norwegian below.
Koltansaamen kielen oppimismahdollisuudet FIN
Oversikt over skoltesamiske læringsressurser NOR
Skolt Saami learning materials
Skolt Saami learning materials published by the project are basic learning materials that are openly available to everyone. The materials are aimed at Skolt Saami early childhood education and comprehensive school education, as well as Skolt Saami language teaching in Finnish and Norwegian. The materials containing translations can therefore be found translated into both Finnish and Norwegian. In addition to early childhood education units and educational institutions, the materials can also be used for other non-commercial purposes, for example for private use.
The learning materials are divided into digital and physical materials. The physical materials are divided into memory games, books and booklets, and posters and other printed materials. Below you will find files that contain lists of links to the digital materials, as well as the physical materials as downloadable PDF files.
Fysical learning materials as PDF files
Memory games:
mueʹrj da heeđalm / berries and fruits
Books:
mieʹccjieʹlli pirstõk / forest animals drawings
mieʹccjieʹlli snimmõk / forest animals photographs
Posters and other printable materials:
njuäʹmmel huutt ǩiiʹtti / nursery rhyme for meals
saǥstõõllmõš / having conversations
ǩieʹzz ooccâmsiõrr / summer search game
kueʹllšeellmõš-plakatt / fishing poster
kueʹllsääʹn-plakatt / fish vocabulary poster
mueʹrj-plakatt / berries poster
TIÕRV!-plakatt / TIÕRV!-poster
Digital materials
Below you can find files that contain lists of links to digital learning materials that contain various Skolt Saami language exercises in both Finnish and Norwegian.
Digital learning material links (sääʹmǩiõll - suomi)
Digitale lærematerielllenker (sääʹmǩiõll - norsk)
More information
Lempi Lehtinen,
project worker Inari Municipality, Oummu rââst raaj project
lempi.lehtinen@inari.fi
- Edited 22.10.2025 10.50: picture on alfabeʹtt posterʹs "Ǯǯ kuʹvǯǯ" -page changed
- Edited 23.10.2025 15.40: saǥstõõllmõš poster, TIÖR, TIÖRV -> TIÕRV, TIÕRV
- Edited 18.3.2026 16.51: saǥstõõllmõš posters norwegian translations corrected
- Edited 16.6.2026 14:38: saǥstõõllmõš posters "Šiõǥǥ eeđed" translation corrected
- Edited 16.6.2026 14:38: nââmar 1-10 poster, čiččám -> čiččâm
Bukva
The project has produced a Skolt Saami alphabet book Bukva, which was published on Sámi National Day, February 6th 2026.
Bukva is a Skolt Saami children’s book which includes the alphabet used in Skolt Saami language with a word and a picture for every letter. With Bukva, children can get to know the letters and vocabulary of the Skolt Saami language and learn to read through an inspiring and interestingly illustrated book.
The author of the book is Taarna Valtonen, and the working group includes Kimberli Mäkäräinen, Mariann Bernhardt and Lempi Lehtinen. The graphic design was carried out by Oummu rââst raaj project with Lempi Lehtinen as the designer.
Bukva lij sääʹmǩiõllsaž päärnaiǩeʹrjj, mâʹst liâ puk sääʹmǩiõl bukva. Juõʹǩǩ bukva õhttvuõđâst lij sääʹmǩiõllsaž õuddmiârkksääʹnn da kaart. Ǩeʹrjj vieʹǩǩat paaʹrnid tobdstõõttâd sääʹmǩiõl bukvaid da ǩeeʹrjtemvuâkka di mättõõllâd lookkâd älšmõʹtti da miõl ǩieʹssi kaaʹrti vieʹǩǩin.
Ǩeeʹrj lij raajjâm Taarna Valtonen õõutveäkka tuâjj-jooukin Kimberli Mäkäräinen, Mariann Bernhardt da Lempi Lehtinen. Oummu rââst raaj -haʹŋǩǩõõzz tuâjjlaž Lempi Lehtinen lij tåimmam graaflaž plaaneeʹjen. Haʹŋǩǩõs lij ǩeeʹrj čõõđteei še.
E-book
Bukva is available for everyone as an e-book, free of charge. Below you can find Bukva as a PDF book. You can also find it from Google Play Books and Internet Archives, both links are below.
Kukka Kiprianoff reading Bukva at the book release in Äʹvv Skolt Saami Museum, Joni Gauriloff on the left. Photo: Äʹvv Skolt Saami Museum.
Bukva is available free of charge to the use of early childhood education and schools, as well as Skolt Saami children and families, around Finland and Sør-Varanger municipality. It is also available to be borrowed from libraries around Finland and Sør-Varanger bibliotek, the library in Kirkenes. In addition, the book is published as an e-book available for everyone free of charge.The books were distributed to distribution places in spring 2026, so please check for yourself whether the books are still available at the time.
📍 DISTRIBUTION PLACES, FINLAND:
Inari Municipal Library
📚 Available for loan at the Inari Main Library and for order in any library in the network of Lapin kirjasto (Lapland Library).
🎁 Free copies available at the Inari Main Library.
Rovaniemi City Library
📚 Available for loan at the Rovaniemi Main Library and for order in any library in the network of Lapin kirjasto.
Oulu City Library
📚 Available for loan at the Central Library Saari and for order in any Oulu City Library.
🎁 Free copies available at the Central Library Saari.
Helmet libraries, Helsinki capital region
📚 Available for loan at the Helsinki Central Library Oodi and for order in any library in the network of Helmet libraries in the Helsinki capital region.
📍 DISTRIBUTION PLACES, NORWAY:
Äʹvv Saaʹmi Muʹzei (Äʹvv Skolt Saami Museum), Neiden
🎁 Free copies available at the Äʹvv Skolt Saami Museum.
Sør-Varanger Library, Kirkenes
📚 Available for loan at the Sør-Varanger Library.
Jååʹttemneävv
The project published it’s second Skolt Saami children’s book in August of 2026 called Jååʹttemneävv (=Transportation equipment).
Jååʹttemneävv is a Skolt Saami childrens book, which presents different vehicles and transportation equipment from a kicksled to an airplane. The book includes photos and the Skolt Saami names of the vehicles, as well as poems and rhymes related to them.The author of the book is Kimberli Mäkäräinen, and the working group includes Lempi Lehtinen, Markus Juutinen and Taarna Valtonen. The graphic design was carried out by Oummu rââst raaj project with Lempi Lehtinen as the designer. The book is published by the Oummu rââst raaj project of the municipality of Inari. The project is funded by the EU's Interreg Aurora programme.
Jååʹttemneävv lij sääʹmǩiõllsaž päärnaiǩeʹrjj, kååʹtt čuäjtõõll jeeʹresnallšem jååʹttemneävvaid čiõhččâmǩeâlkast jarplaaʹne. Ǩeeʹrjest lie kaartid jååʹttemneävvain da tõi nõõmid, di lookkõõzzid da tiivtid tõin.Ǩeeʹrj lij raajjâm Kimberli Mäkäräinen, koon lââʹssen tuâjj-jooukast lie Lempi Lehtinen, Markus Juutinen da Taarna Valtonen. Oummu rââst raaj -haʹŋǩǩõõzz tuâjjlaž Lempi Lehtinen lij tåimmam graaflaž plaaneeʹjen. Aanar kååʹdd haʹŋǩǩõs lij ǩeeʹrj čõõđteei še. Haʹŋǩǩõõzz teäggteei lij EU Interreg Aurora -programm.
The book is available for everyone as an e-book, free of charge. Below you can find Bukva as a PDF book. You can also find it from Google Play Books and Internet Archives, both links are below.
Free copies of Jååʹttemneävv are available around Finland and Sør-Varanger municipality. It is also available to be borrowed from libraries around Finland and Sør-Varanger bibliotek, the library in Kirkenes. The books were distributed to distribution places in summer 2026, so please check for yourself whether the books are still available at the time.
📍 DISTRIBUTION PLACES, FINLAND:
Inari Municipal Library
📚 Available for loan at the Inari Main Library and for order in any library in the network of Lapin kirjasto (Lapland Library).
🎁 Free copies available at the Inari Main Library.
Rovaniemi City Library
📚 Available for loan at the Rovaniemi Main Library and for order in any library in the network of Lapin kirjasto.
🎁 Free copies are available upon request from the service desk in the main lobby of the Rovaniemi Main Library.
Oulu City Library
📚 Available for loan at the Central Library Saari and for order in any Oulu City Library.
🎁 Free copies available at the Central Library Saari.
Oulu univercity library
📚 Available for loan at the Oulu univercity library.
Helmet libraries, Helsinki capital region
📚 Available for loan at the Helsinki Central Library Oodi and for order in any library in the network of Helmet libraries in the Helsinki capital region from September onwards.
📍 DISTRIBUTION PLACES, NORWAY:
Äʹvv Saaʹmi Muʹzei (Äʹvv Skolt Saami Museum), Neiden
🎁 Free copies available at the Äʹvv Skolt Saami Museum from 28.8.2026 onwards.
Sør-Varanger Library, Kirkenes
📚 Available for loan at the Sør-Varanger Library from September onwards.
Skolt Saami keyboard stickers
To type in Skolt Saami on a computer, you need to download a separate keyboard layout. You can find one on divvun.no, for example. To make it easier to write in Skolt Saami, the project has produced keyboard stickers, which are now available for free throughout Finland and the Skolt Saami areas of Norway.
There are two types of stickers – smaller ones that suit all keyboard layouts, and larger ones that are compatible with specifically the Skolt Saami keyboard layout called “Nuõrttsääʹmǩiõll”, installable from divvun.no/keyboards.
The parties distributing the stickers are listed below. Get yours from your nearest one! Note that the stickers were distributed to distribution places in 2025, so please check for yourself whether they are still available at the time.
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