Saami Coffee Culture

Abstract

Saami coffee culture wasn’t as conceptually clear to me when I started my café in Lycksele in 2011. Even though I had support from the Indigee Indigenous Entrepreneurship program, I still found it difficult to start the business at first. But later, while I was in my café, I noticed how different people would sit and drink their coffee. Saami customers stood apart with their slow, ceremonial way of interacting with the coffee and with each other. Since then, I’ve studied our cultural history and spoken with many people, young and old, to better understand the essence of Saami coffee culture. I’ve learned that, wherever it occurs, Saami coffee culture is basically the same.