Gákti

Gákti is the Northern Sámi word used by non-Sámi speakers to refer to many different types of traditional clothing worn by the Sámi in northern areas of Norway, Sweden, Finland and the Kola Peninsula in Russia.

[citation needed] The traditional Sami outfit is characterized by a dominant color adorned with bands of contrasting colours, plaits, pewter embroidery, tin art, and often a high collar.

The colours, patterns and decorations of the costume can signify a person's marital status and geographical origin.

Traditionally the gákti was made from reindeer skin, but in modern times, wool, cotton or silk are more common.

If a married couple divorce, and the ex-husband still continues to use the Sami costume made by his ex-wife, he states by this that he wants her back.

A goldwork collar of a traditional Sámi woman's gákti. This gákti has a metal embroidery collar with pewter or silver thread and traditional Sámi silver buckles .
A pattern of a metal embroidered collar for a traditional male Sámi gákti from Åsele, Västerbotten , Sweden . The metal thread most commonly used for the embroidery is Pewter .
Two Finns dressed up in fake gákti outside of Rovaniemi , Finland . Though at first glance authentic to non-Saami people, the patterns on these gáktis are not traditional anywhere in Sapmi .