A word from the director regarding the Sámi culture, appropriation, and our show.
Who are the Sámi?
Sámi (sometimes spelled Saami) are the Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia and the Kola Peninsula of Russia. Their traditional homeland is called Sápmi, which stretches across what are now northern Norway, Sweden, Finland, and part of Russia. They have lived in this region for thousands of years—long before the modern nation-states existed.
Are Sámi in Frozen?
Unlike the fictional people of Arendelle or the Hidden Folk, the Sámi are a living, contemporary people with vibrant communities, traditions, languages, artists, musicians, and political institutions.
The Sámi are not a third population within the fictional world of Frozen. They are one of the real-world cultures that helped inspire the artistic vocabulary from which that fictional world was built.
How is this reflected in our version of Frozen?
Arendelle and the Hidden Folk both carry traces of Sámi influence without either one being “the Sámi people.” Think of it as a shared visual ancestry.
We have the real world: Sámi culture, alongside Norwegian/Scandinavian architecture, folk art, landscape, clothing, music, etc., and we have the fictional world of Frozen: a Nordic-inspired culture that has developed its own visual language. The different expressions of that language are Arendelle, which is settled, architectural, civic, formal, and the Hidden Folk, which represent the natural, ancient, spiritual, and magical aspects of our fictional world.
These two communities look different, but they come from the same northern landscape and therefore share some visual ancestry. We’re treating Sámi influence as part of the roots of our world, not as a costume we’re putting on one group of characters. This idea reinforces one of the central ideas of Frozen: things that appear divided are more connected than they initially seem.
How do we avoid cultural appropriation?
The question isn’t simply, “Did this originate with the Sámi?” If we eliminated everything with Sámi influence, we’d actually be erasing an important source of Frozen‘s aesthetic. Instead, I think it’s important to ask, “Are we drawing inspiration from an artistic principle, or are we reproducing a culturally specific object/symbol and assigning it a fictional meaning?” That distinction matters.
I’m comfortable with things like geometric repetition, color relationships, materials, relationship to landscape, organic forms, weaving-inspired pattern structures, reindeer imagery where appropriate, and visual motifs. I’m also comfortable with using the Sámi written language for the four seasons (as we are) to depict their exact meaning.
I’m much more cautious about specific identifiable Sámi religious symbols, sacred or spiritual imagery, traditional garments reproduced as costumes, ceremonial objects, or assigning a new or different meaning to symbols that have an actual Sámi meaning. My caution also applies to the use of accents to caricaturize behaviors and beliefs.
Further, the Hidden Folk do not represent the Sámi. The Hidden Folk are entirely fictional. Arendelle is entirely fictional. Sámi people are real. Both of our fictional cultures exist within a world whose creators drew inspiration from the cultures and landscapes of northern Scandinavia, including Sámi culture. We’re acknowledging that influence without pretending that either group is Sámi.
If you are interested, here are some key facts to know about Sámi:
- They are not one homogeneous group. There are several Sámi groups and around ten distinct Sámi languages, each with its own dialects and traditions.
- Many—but not all—have historically practiced reindeer herding. Reindeer are an important cultural symbol, but many Sámi have traditionally been fishers, hunters, farmers, craftspeople, and now work in every profession imaginable.
- Their traditional clothing is called the gákti, often featuring distinctive colors and patterns that can indicate family or regional identity.
- Music is an important part of Sámi culture. A traditional vocal style called joik is one of Europe’s oldest continuous musical traditions. Rather than simply singing about a person or place, a joik is often described as evoking or embodying its subject.
- The Sámi have also faced centuries of discrimination and forced assimilation. Governments in Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Russia often discouraged or prohibited Sámi languages, traditions, and land use. Today there are ongoing efforts to revitalize Sámi languages and protect Indigenous rights and cultural heritage.
When Disney began developing Frozen 2, they worked closely with representatives from Sámi organizations through a collaboration called the Verddet (“the advisory group”). Sámi advisors reviewed elements of the story, music, costumes, language, and cultural references to help ensure respectful representation. This collaboration was unusual for a major animated film and became a model for working with Indigenous communities.
For the Broadway musical of Frozen (which is based primarily on the first film), the world is still broadly inspired by northern Scandinavia. You can see echoes of Sámi influence alongside Norwegian folk art, stave churches, fjords, and other Nordic traditions. The key point is that the show’s setting is a fictional world inspired by several real cultures—it is not intended to depict the Sámi themselves.