Velgi people
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 Velgi family, circa 1904 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 142,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Valkea | 93,000-124,000 |
 Nynorsk Ostlijord | 30,000-66,000 |
 Caledonia | 11,760 |
| Languages | |
| Velgi, Valkean, Nynorsk, Caledonian | |
| Religion | |
| Velgi shamanism, Christianity (Lutheranism) | |
The Velgi (Velgi: Vielge) are a Valkenic ethnic group who inhabit the Velgi region, which currently encompasses parts of Valkea, Nynorsk Ostlijord, and Caledonia. Official estimates place the total population of the Velgi at around 142,000 people, although unofficially the number may be higher. They traditionally speak the Velgi language, which are part of the Valkenic language family, but most Velgi speak in Valkean as their second language.
The traditional livelihoods of the Velgi mainly consist of subsistence hunting and fishing, fur-trapping, and animal husbandry. They are best known for reindeer herding, which provides many Velgi with their basic necessities such as food, clothing, and transport.
The Velgi have a significant presence in Valkea as an ethnic minority, particularly in the autonomous Velgi province. They were subject to forced assimilation and colonization by dominant cultures, particularly by the Valkeans in the 19th and 20th centuries. Valkenization policies peaked under Kansallist rule during the 1930s and 1940s, where the Velgi were forbidden from speaking their traditional languages, forced to attend Valkean-language schools, and adhere to Valkean customs and traditions. Furthermore, Velgi women were subject to forced sterilization programs, and thousands of Velgi were displaced by Valkean settlers. Currently, the governments of Valkea, Nynorsk Ostlijord, and Caledonia have committed themselves to revitalizing the Velgi culture and language.