Tavastians
Coat of arms of the historical province of Tavastia | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Pirkanmaa, Kanta-Häme, Päijät-Häme, Central Finland and Kymenlaakso | |
| Languages | |
| Finnish (Tavastian dialects) | |
| Religion | |
| Lutheranism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other regional subgroups |
The Tavastians (Finnish: hämäläiset; Swedish: Tavaster) were an ancient Finnish tribe that inhabited the historical province of Tavastia (Finnish: Häme). In Russian sources, they are called Yem (Емь) or Yam (Ямь), but the term later disappeared from the Russian language after Finland was incorporated into the Swedish realm. The Tavastians are often noted for their conflicts with Novgorod.
The Tavastians are also a modern subgroup of the Finnish people, distinguished by their use of Tavastian dialects.