On the Inari Sámi language - Anarâškielâ and connected topics, published on the 28/01/2026

Of the Sámi languages, I have only learned with the intention of speaking the language - Northern Sámi to some degree. The other Sámi languages absolutely do interest me. I have been in areas where the Lule Sámi, Ume Sámi and Kemi Sámi languages were historically spoken, as well as being in large areas of where the Northern Sámi language is historic. I have learned about aspects of and some of the vocabulary of these languages, but am only largely familiar with Northern Sámi in terms of being able to speak it to some degree. 

Another Sámi language I have always found particularly interesting, and have intended to one day learn, is Inari Sámi, known in that language as Anarâškielâ. Inari Sámi is spoken by some hundreds of people, primarily living around Lake Inari in Northern Finland, known in Finnish as Inarijärvi. The area around this lake is also diverse in terms of Sámi languages, as both Northern Sámi and Skolt Sámi are also spoken around Lake Inari, and historically bordered the Inari Sámi language. To the south, forms of Sámi language, sometimes closer to Inari Sámi, sometimes closer to Skolt Sámi, and in some senses closer to the Finnic than to Sámi languages - were spoken what is known as the Kemi Sámi language. This language became extinct sadly, although efforts are underway to revive it. 

The Inari Sámi people did not historically herd reindeer as many other Sámi groups did, but tended rather to be hunters and fisherfolk living around Lake Inari. Their language, traditions, mythology and history, also differs in some ways from that of other Sámi peoples. Upon lake Inari there is a sacred island, known as Ukonsaari in Finnish, meaning the "island of Ukko", Ukko being the Finnish god of thunder, considered by many to be an ancient figure of creation, comparable to aspects of the "one God" or "Great Spirit". In Inari Sámi, this island is referred to as Äijihsuálui, with the primary thunder god figure being known as Äijih in Inari Sámi, which is equivalent to Northern Sámi áddjá - "old man", in much the same way that Ukko in Finnish also means an "old man". This island served as a sacred site, likely for thousands of years, into recent times. Access to the island is, from what I understand, limited, which is perfectly understandable given the sacred importance of the island. From what I understand Äijih also has a wife in Inari Sámi spirituality, although I do not know her name in Inari Sámi. Another deity I am confident I know the name of is Pieggalmai meaning "wind man", which seems to be an honorary title for the deity, from the Inari Sámi words pieggâ - "wind" and almai - "man". This deity is in some ways akin to the Finnish deity Ilmarinen, a god associated with with, the ether, with fire and with smithery, romance and creation, a deity who I feel a connection with.  Of course, the Inari Sámi will have many other legends and historical facts about Lake Inari which I am not aware of, and, generally speaking, I am unaware of the finer details of how Inari Sámi belief and religion might differ from that of other areas. I did have a dream once, when in Finland, about a Sámi magic wand made of reindeer antler, so I would be curious about whether or not this might be something connected to the Inari Sámi, although perhaps it would be better to propose this by asking whether or not "magical objects made of reindeer antler" exist in Inari Sámi culture.

Like other Sámi languages, the vocabulary of Inari Sámi reflects the mythological and ancient landscape as it pertains to the Sámi, their traditional understanding of the cosmos, and to their ancestors. As with other Sámi languages, many of the words found in Inari Sámi seem specific to the ancient people of a specific region, to the ancestors of different Sámi groups, and do not have an etymology within Uralic. Some examples of such words in Inari Sámi, include čerrih - meaning an "arctic tern", oppuu meaning an "eagle owl", and suálui meaning an "island". Some of these words appear to connect to ancient ancestral peoples of the Arctic, whose precise identity and languages are unknown. The Kven and Meänkieli languages, and likely others, also preserve parts of these particular ancient Arctic linguistic substrate influences.

Other nature words in Inari Sámi include čääci - "water", kyeli - "fish", tuáršu - "mallard duck", uárree - "squirrel", veški - "copper", njäähi - "burbot fish", kuobžâ - "bear", ruáhu - "reed", njuhčâ - swan, Northern Sámi njukča, the lenition in the Inari Sámi form is a feature of Eastern Sámi languages; kuosâ - "spruce tree", peeci - "pine tree", supe - "aspen tree" and sieđgâ - "willow tree", whilst the general word for a tree is muorâ, and tuodâr - "mountain" or "tundra", etymologically related perhaps to Paleo-Siberian words, and to Finnish tunturi, Northern Sámi duoddar and ultimately to Icelandic tindur, Norwegian tind and to the "Dent" place-names in Northern England. 

I have visited, as I mentioned, areas where Kemi Sámi was spoken, which was arguably closer to Inari Sámi than to Northern Sámi. It would be extremely interesting to hear and to understand an Inari Sámi perspective on how the Inari Sámi and Kemi Sámi relate to one another, and to better understand how both groups relate to the speakers of Northern Finnish, Meänkieli, and particularly Kven. 

I hope that this article was an interesting read, it is dedicated to the Inari Sámi and to their ancestors, to all the living things and spirits in their lands, and their wisdom.