How would they get there? The Norse got to Iceland in some of the best ships that existed in the world at that time.
How so? Sami are uralic and their historical range is as closer as Iceland as you can be without leaving the European continent.
The only thing you need is some of them to develop a maritime-oriented lifestile like that of Inuits, and then I suppose they could reach Iceland in ancient times by sailing off retreating glaciers (how ancient is Sami presence in Scandinavia, by the way?).
Considering snow foxes reached Iceland walking over the ice, getting to it in a pseudo-kayak wouldn't be too difficult.
This made me think: what about Inuit Iceland? In a world where the Vikings never went there, would the Thule people have made it to Iceland eventually? To Europe?
I'm pretty sure the Norse met Inuits in Greenland. And there's plenty of fishing and resources for the Inuits to use in Iceland. The Inuits wouldn't be helpless there, just because they'd been living in places a little bit colder...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Iceland
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Climate_of_Greenland#Geography_and_climate
http://www.southtravels.com/america/greenland/weather.html
Inuit is already plural (singular is Inuk). "Inuits" is like "Englishmens" (well or Basutos, but we won't go there)I'm pretty sure the Norse met Inuits in Greenland. And there's plenty of fishing and resources for the Inuits to use in Iceland. The Inuits wouldn't be helpless there, just because they'd been living in places a little bit colder...
Sorry, thanks.
The Inuit could still do fishing in Iceland.
The Norse were in Greenland first
True, but the Inuit culture relied a great deal on pack-ice to provide sustenance. Spear-fishing from a canoe in the north Atlantic winter is much more dangerous than sitting by a hole in the ice and waiting for a seal to stick it's head out.
Also, what would the icelanders say "Welcome small group of strange-looking people, please share our fishing grounds"?
When I first suggested it, you may recall I said "in a world where the Norse didn't get [to Iceland]". If the Norse get there first, the Inuit won't be able to take it over very well.