Lappmark

Lappmark is an outdated Swedish term for areas inhabited by the Sami (Lapp) people. Etymologically, "Lappmark" corresponds to the Norwegian name " Finnmark " ("Lappe" and " Finne " were often used synonymously).

"Lappmark" could either be used synonymously with " Lapland " or collectively for the entire Sami settlement area, which in addition to the actual landscape ( landskap ) Lapland also included parts of Västerbotten , Jämtland and Härjedalen . In this sense, the term corresponds to the Sami name Sápmi . Special legal regulations applied to the Lappmark in the Swedish Empire until the early 20th century.

Furthermore, the term “Lappmark” in the plural stood for subdivisions of the Sami settlement area. The catchment area of ​​a river and the surrounding areas belonged to a Lappmark (rivers have long been the most important transport routes in impassable Lapland). The Sami settlement area was divided into the following six Lapp brands:

• Åsele-Lappmark on the Ångerman River
• Lycksele-Lappmark on the Ume River
• Pite-Lappmark on the Pite River
• Lule-Lappmark on the Lule River
• Torne-Lappmark on the Torne River
• Kemi-Lappmark on the Kemi River

literature

• Lappmark . In: Theodor Westrin (Ed.): Nordisk familjebok konversationslexikon och realencyklopedi . 2nd Edition. tape 15 : Kromat – Ledvätska . Nordisk familjeboks förlag, Stockholm 1911, Sp. 1220 (Swedish, runeberg.org ).