Traditional Sami herbal remedies refer to the centuries-old healing practices of the Sámi people, the indigenous inhabitants of Sápmi, a region spanning northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. These remedies rely on the extensive botanical knowledge of local flora, including birch, juniper, cloudberry, lingonberry, angelica, and various lichens like reindeer moss. The Sámi have used these natural ingredients for treating ailments such as digestive issues, respiratory infections, skin conditions, and wounds, often preparing them as teas, poultices, tinctures, or salves. This traditional knowledge has been passed down orally through generations of Sámi healers known as noaidis.

• The Sámi people have used over 60 different plant species for medicinal purposes, with birch bark and juniper berries being among the most widely utilized.
• Sámi herbal knowledge was historically held by the noaidi (Sámi shamans and healers) and transmitted orally rather than through written texts.
• Reindeer moss (Cladonia rangiferina) was a cornerstone of Sámi medicine, used to treat coughs, fevers, and digestive complaints.
• Many Sámi remedies incorporated spiritual and ritualistic elements, blending physical healing with shamanic practices and nature reverence.
• Modern scientific research has validated several traditional Sámi herbal uses; for example, cloudberry and lingonberry are now recognized for their exceptionally high antioxidant content.
• Colonial policies and religious suppression in the 18th and 19th centuries nearly erased Sámi healing traditions, but recent cultural revival movements are actively restoring and documenting this knowledge.
• The Sámi Parliament and various indigenous organizations are currently working to protect Sámi botanical knowledge from biopiracy and ensure ethical recognition of their contributions to ethnobotany.