Sámi silversmith and art craftsman Petteri Laiti | Ásllat-Mihku Biehtár

Handicraft artist Petteri Laiti was born in 1950 on the Inarijoki River at Kuolna, Utsjoki. He is one of the pioneers of Sámi handicrafts. Laiti has received the proficiency of craftsmanship as a heritage of his family. ”My father was a craftsman and he made functional items such as sledges, sleighs and reindeer collars for reindeer herders and my mother has mastered the textile work making among others Sámi silks, belts and headwear”, Laiti says.

Petteri Laiti tells, that he has grown with woodchip pile as his father made handicrafts at home. “Before there was no separate workshops, but the work was done inside of a house or at the yard”. Laiti has graduated as a silversmith in 1984 and after that he founded atelier/shop Samekki in Inari. Now when the master will retire, his son Sami Laiti will continue his work. Sami has studied the field at Sámi Education Institute in Inari.

Laiti is one of the best known Sámi artisans in Finland and he masters a variety of traditional Sámi crafts. Laiti has specialized in gnarl- and horn-work and in knives, but he has also developed handicraft use for different materials of reindeer. His silver work is known for the way he combines silver with the materials and shapes of traditional Sámi handicraft, creating something new. His gnarl- and Sámi silver-work have been at display in numerous exhibitions in Finland and abroad.

Petteri Laiti: ”It is important to understand and know the content, message and purpose of an item. Traditional products have been developed from their shape and decoration as a high-quality and living folk art by knowing how to use the features of different materials. This folk art must be allowed to live and serve the society.”

Anniversary Exhibition at Sajos

Petteri Laiti received his diploma from the civil school of Inari 50 years ago in 1965. The building is located opposite Sajos, across the road 4, and today also the workspaces of Laiti are found from the building. Therefore the exhibition is natural to build to Sajos, where it can continue its journey.
The exhibition is not a sales exhibition, but regarding to Laiti, he receives orders. Ordered crafts will be produced either by Petteri or Sami.


Summer opening times of Sajos:

Sajos info:                Mon-Fri at 9-17
Restaurant Lyeme:    Mon-Fri at 10–16

Duodji shop:             Mon-Fri at 10-17
Sámi library:             Mon-Tue at 13–19, Wed-Thu at 10–17, Fri at 10–16

The Sámi handicraft workshops of Sajos are open from the 1st of July till 14th of August, weekdays from 11 till 17.

The Anniversary exhibition of Petteri Laiti is open from the 26th of June till 30th of September, during the opening times of Sajos.

More information:
Riitta Orti-Berg, Cultural Secretary, The Sámi Parliament, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , tel. + 358 (0)10 839 3103, www.samediggi.fi

Johanna Alatorvinen, ma. Marketing Manager, Sámi Cultural Centre Sajos, This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , tel. +358 (0)10 839 3109, www.sajos.fi