It is first and foremost their occupation which distinguishes the various Sámi groups from one another. The Coastal Sámi, who constitute a big part of the Sámi population, live along the coast and in the fjords – not least in Finnmark and Troms.
Previously, the coastal Sámi made a living from farming and fishing, but hunting and some reindeer herding were also important in securing a livelihood. Most had a small smallholding with cattle and sheep, which provided the family with milk, meat and wool. Wild berry picking was an important part of the family economy. Most grew potatoes, turnips and rhubarb for their own consumption. They hunted grouse, hare, fox and seal. Grouse might be used for bartering or were sold to the local merchant.
Women had the main responsibility for the land and the animals, while the men fished in the fjords or might be gone for long periods during the seasonal fisheries. The smallholding rarely provided sufficient winter fodder for the animals, and most people therefore also harvested grass from outfields. In addition, seaweed and kelp boiled with fish waste were commonly used as animal fodder.
The women of the coastal Sámi were renowned for their textile work. Most of them kept sheep, and so carding, spinning, weaving, needlework and knitting became an inevitable part of their work. They wove big blankets called grener, which among other things were used to cover the winter tents of the reindeer herders. They wove vadmel (a coarse wool cloth), made bed linen, ribbons and belts, and made komager (smooth leather boots), skaller (traditional reindeer fur moccasins), as well as pesker and bellinger (jackets and leggings made from reindeer fur and skin).
The coastal Sámi generally built their own boats. Smaller boats were sufficient for local fishing, but for the major seasonal fisheries larger vessels were required. Most of the boats were lost during the evacuation and destruction in the Autumn of 1944, and after the war there was a serious shortage of boats. Buying a boat was expensive, and in Porsanger many continued to build their own.