Current Situation and Endangerment
Northern Saami Today
Today, Northern Saami is the most popular of the Saami dialects at an estimated 25,700 total Northern Saami speakers and 20,000 L1 speakers (Simons & Fennig). It is an official language of the Finnmark and Troms provinces in northern Norway and of the municipalities Kautokeino, Karasjok, Nesseby, Tana, Porsanger and Gáivuotna. About 90 percent of Kautokeino and Karasjok residents speak Northern Sami. There are Northern Saami radio stations and television programs, and a Northern Saami newspaper called Ávvir ("Northern Sami"). Northern Saami language classes are taught from kindergarten to college (including at the Saami University College). Most importantly, children are still taught Northern Saami and continue to use the language in their adult lives ("North Sami").
Threats
Like many indigenous groups, not only is the Saami language threatened, but also their traditional lifeways. The Saami are perhaps best known for their reindeer herding, but this tradition may soon disappear. The lands traditionally used for herding are being developed into mines, roads, and windfarms. Forests are being destroyed by logging (Olden). Some of these developers have gone as far as dumping toxic waste from their mines into fjords with rich salmon fisheries traditionally used by Coastal Saami. Even conservationists pose a threat to reindeer-herders: the eagles, lynxes, and wolves conservationists want to protect are also the top reindeer predators in the area. Reindeer-herding used to be one of the most common occupations among inland Saami; now only 10% of Saami are herders (Vidal). As recently as March 2017, the Finnish and Norwegian governments attempted to pass fishing regulations limiting traditional Saami salmon-fishing lifeways. The video below describes the Saami's struggle to retain their traditional lands and lifeways in the face of modern industry.
Climate change also constitutes a huge threat to traditional Saami life. Reindeer herders have witnessed the effects of climate change first hand. Already, herding has become less profitable due to the lack of usable pasture ground. Now, herders must supplement their reindeer's dwindling food supply or risk reduced reindeer size (which is already occurring for many herders) (Gertz). The video below demonstrates how much the average temperature has risen in the short amount of time humans have been keeping track of the weather.
The greatest threats to the Northern Saami dialect come from the national level. The Saami have long fought with the Norwegian, Swedish, and Finnish governments over the issue of land rights. The Saami language has become associated in the mainstream culture with poverty; areas densely populated by Saami are the poorest economic performers in their respective countries. Though many Saami have made an effort to pass their language and culture to their children, few are L1 Saami speakers. The Saami are forced to learn the majority language if they want to interect with the majority culture. When a Saami marries someone from the majority culture, it is highly likely that their children will not learn Northern Saami, but will instead learn the majority language--whether Swedish, Finnish, or Norwegian (Magga & Tove).
Endangerment Scales
Kincade: Northern Saami is "endangered." Though the Saami community is making efforts to keep the language alive, the vast majority of Saami are bilingual. If a non-Saami and a Saami have children, it is likely that the children will speak only the majority language (Magga & Tove). If the Northern Saami community stopped putting effort into their language (starting Saami universities, legal action to make Saami an official language, etc.), the language would likely fade away.
Wurm: Northern Saami fits into the "potentially endangered" category. Saami areas are the most economically weak in their countries. Traditional Saami garb is often appropriated for tourism purposes. Though children still learn Northern Saami, as mentioned above, they usually will learn the language only if they are from a household in which both parents are ethnically Saami (Magga & Tove).
EGIDS: Ethnologue rates Northern Saami a 2 on the EGIDS scale, which means it is used both in mass media and government at the regional level. I agree with this rating. Northern Saami is used in media and in government, but only in certain places where the population of Saami is high--in Finnmark or Troms, for instance.