This doctoral thesis analyses the efforts made by Sámi women since the 1970s and 1980s to redefine and reshape the patriarchal culture. Elsa Laula-Renberg, a Sámi activist and politician, was the first to create the atmosphere for Sámi women to begin evaluating their positions and roles in a modernized and advancing society, along with giving women the political and structural tools to address their concerns regarding increasing social and economic inequalities. During the last years, women’s place in Sámi tradition has been re-evaluated through several legislative policies and women are now considered as a central part of Sámi life. However,Sámi women still fight to bring their issues to the political and social stage as new expressions of what it means to be a Sámi woman and a female reindeer herder.