Allemann, L. The sami of the Kola Peninsula : about the life of an ethnic minority in the Soviet Union / Lukas Allemann ; [transl. by Michael Lomax]. - Rovaniemi : University of Lapland Printing Centre, 2013. - 151 p. : ill., map, portr. ; 25 см. - (Senter for samiske studier, Skriftserie ; 19).

Lukas Allemann 3.2 Religion: Shamanism, Christianity, atheism In the pre-Christian beliefs of the Sami, shamanism, worship of the sun and moon and numerous natural occurrences played an important role. Each occupation, like fishing and hunting, was under the protection of a particular deity. An important role was also played by the many spirits that lived in lakes, in the air and on the ground. Especially important places of worship were sejd, large boulders that were consid­ ered sacred and to which offerings, for example, reindeer blood, were brought .75 The Christianization of the Sami began already in the sixteenth century, leading to a degree of cultural assimilation with the Russians already living on the Kola Pen­ insula. An important role was played here by the monastery of Pecenga (Petsamo), which was founded in 1550 .76 This explains also why for centuries the Sami's names have been russified .77 Like other peoples of the north, the Sami did not forsake their former beliefs with the arrival of Christianity. In everyday life this duality (dvoeverie) was seen as in no way contradictory .78 Due to the strong mixing with the Russian culture and the far-reaching changes brought about by the Soviet Union, shamanism today is - unlike for many peoples in Siberia - no longer relevant .79 Anna Jur'eva also testifies to this: В: [...] Я сейчас не помню, когда саами стали православными, но ведь были другие религиозные обряды до-православные, скажем. О: Нет, все время была православная церковь, все время была эта религия. В: Значит, шаманизм вас не касался никак? О: Нет. Были шаманы, были тоже шаманы. У саамов были, шаманили. Но религию не трогали, были. А я тоже выросла, в мое время уже не было шаманов. Это бабушка рассказывала, были шаманы. В: И сейчас это дело исчезло? 75 Cf.: Luk'jancenko 1994, 312. 76 Cf.: Luk'jancenko 1994, 310. 77 Cf.: Konstantinov/Vladimirova 2002, 11. 78 Cf.: Bol'sakova 2005, 36 f. 79 Cf.: Luk'jancenko 1994, 312. Senterfor samiske studier, Skriftserie nr. 19 34