Photograph: Saami family.

Saami

Arkhangelsk province, Aleksandrovsk district

1911

11,5 x 16,5

РЭМ 3287-8/3

The family patterns of the Saami conformed to their semi-nomadic lifestyle. The baby is strongly tied with strings in its cradle to avoid dropping out during a ride. The cradle stands vertically, but the baby is safely retained inside it. In the middle of the cradle, a metal buckle protecting the baby is fixed on straps. The daughter is wearing a “bandage”, traditional girls’ headgear where the richest ornament is on the back of the head and also has an amulet function. The mother and daughter are wearing the Saami footwear kangi. The father and son have on today’s machine-made clothing and footwear. The family’s photo is taken at a fishery: fresh-caught fish is hung aside for drying. Abstract by A.A. Zankovskaya