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Reclaiming Forest Sámi - Land Rights, Identity and Culture in Sábme

This roundtable gathers Forest Sámi perspectives on and experiences from protecting land rights, reindeer herding, identity and culture.

A government inquiry on the Sámi tax lands 1922, states that the forest Sami made up more than half of the Sámi population in the 16th century, when Finland still belonged to Sweden. Norstedt (2018) shows that the Forest Sámi landscape was divided into taxlands in the 17th century, they had land of their own, as farming landholders did. In the 17th century, fishing was most important for subsistence, combined with hunting, reindeer herding and plant gathering. As each household had control of its taxland, resources were used flexibly. During the winter season, surplus pastures and hunting grounds were leased to reindeer-herding Mountain Sami. In the 19th century, the Swedish state stole – erased - the taxlands, and attempted at eradicating Forest Sámi livelihood. During the 20th century, Forest Sámi were considered to be in the way for industrial exploitations, and the Mountain Sámi culture was promoted as the true Sámi culture, along with extensive reindeer herding. Forest Sámi who did not continue with reindeer herding, were forced into assimilation, Swedification, and Finnisation, in Finland (Sarivaara, 2012).

Three presentations, three on reclaiming Forest Sámi identity, and one on the protection of existing Forest Sámi reindeer herding and we invite other Forest Sámi and Indigenous communities to share own experiences and to discuss possibilities for further collaboration.

Organised in collaboration with the Sijddaj máhttsat project, led by Dr May-Britt Öhman, Uppsala University.

Chair: Henrik Andersson, Gällivare Forest Sámi village

Discussant : Professor Bodil Petersson, Linnaeus Univesity

Ms. Ellinor Blom Lussi, Lund University and Dr. Per Lindström Lussi, Linnaeus University

Constructing a Boat and Re-constructing an Identity: The Revitalisation of the Forest Sámi Haupe

This is a daughter-father exploration of how a Forest Sámi family identity can be re-constructed at adult age. So far little effort has been put into understanding how cultural identity is built amongst Forest Sámi whose identities were concealed, due to state promoted assimilation policies. For the Forest Sámi, on Swedish side, the assimilation- and Swedificationprocess, started from the late 19th century, with reindeer herding legislations and in particular since 1928, when the Swedish state decided that the Sáminess was tied to Mountain reindeer herding ( Åhrén 2008; Stoor 2020). Displaying (Forest) Sámi identity became linked to both shame and loss of opportunities, such as owning land, or getting positions in workplaces. This forced many Sámi to conceal their identity and “become” Swedish, while hiding their Sámi identities and cultural practices from their children and grandchildren (Öhman 2021).

This paper presents the exploration and re-construction process of our Forest Sámi family identity. We build on the work by Lindström Lussi (2023) where the construction of the Forest Sámi Haupe – boat - was revived. Utilizing the notes from conversations and text messages between family members from the period the boat was designed, constructed and built, we explore how a cultural identity is being scrutinized and reformed when questioned by the self, the family and the society.

We find that the Haupe revitalisation project facilitated a process that has irrevocably reshaped, and continues to reshape, the family identity and relationship, whether it is a Construction, Reconstruction, Revitalisation, or Conveying of Forest Sámi identity today.

Suzanna Asp (Lule Sámi Artist)

ÁHKO JÅRRÅT Sitespecific artistic research as method to heal & revitalize Forest Sami identity

Can site-specific Indigenous artistic research practice contribute to processes of healing from intergenerational trauma caused by assimilation and separation of Sami children from their parents?

Muv namma l Suzanna. I am Forest Sámi from Lule Sámi area. I remember names of places where I have never been. I start going there, staying for longer and longer periods of time.

Through examples from my own artistic research practice as well as examples from other Sami artists I will show inspiring methods of strengthening Forest Sami identity and contribute to storytelling which in great parts have been erased by colonization and assimilation. »Báhko jårråt« means »Words falling« in Lule Sami language. To be in a place is to be surrounded by language. My great grandmother, was taken from her family and placed at an Arbetsstuga, an institution for children meant to assimilate Forest Sami and Tornedalians children. By tracing her and our ancestors walks, on maps and on the land, I have gotten closer to my family history and closer to my Mother tongue. I hold words in my hand. I return the racist and colonial words that hit my grandmother and create space for the Lule Sami language to thrive.

UNDRIP ART 13:1 reads: “Indigenous peoples have the right to revitalize, use, develop and transmit to future generations their histories, languages, oral traditions, philosophies, writing systems and literatures, and to designate and retain their own names for communities, places, and persons.”

My presentation forms part of a proposed artistic research project.

Elle Eriksson, Flakaberg group, Gällivare Forest Sámi village

Forest Sámi reindeer herders’ fight the “green” transition to continue traditional practices

The so called ”green” transition is commonly justifying environmental destruction of Indigenous territories. Sámi reindeer herders fight every day to be able to continue their traditional practices. In this presentation, forest Sámi reindeer herders of the Flakaberg-group in Gällivare Sámi community (Sweden) discuss how their reindeer herding is affected by cumulative land pressures due intrusions by the Swedish society, with special attention on the exploitations wind power and forestry. They will also argue for different future sceneries that might occur depending on which way the transition goes.

The presenters are members of the Flakaberg-group and collaborators that are engaged in their fight. With a historic background, focus is last 20 years. Most of the presenting community members are tradition bearers, they hold traditional expertise.

Our findings show that the reindeer herding is negatively impacted by cumulative land pressures. The members belong to a forest Sámi community which means that they are always in forest landscapes with their reindeers and thus forestry have a huge impact on their conditions. Additionally, a wind power industry with 57 turbines have been given permission to operate in the main reindeer calving area of the group, which will likely have dire consequences.

The conclusions are important because the Flakaberg-group are under immense pressure and this session helps bringing awareness to their situation. Moreover, by discussing possible future trajectories, knowledge and experiences will be shared between Indigenous peoples.

Sara V. Gustafsson,  Lule Boden Sámi association member

How do we reclaim our Forest Sámi culture?

My Forest Sámi family is from Suobbat, Norrbotten county, my grandmother was from Flakaberg. I am just starting to reclaim our history and culture. At 46 years old, it is hard work, but I want my children to know our story, our culture. I am member of the Lule Boden Sámi association, and I take part in activities and courses to learn our culture that was hidden from me. I don’t have the language, the yoik, the reindeer herding. I feel cut off. I will share a few of my thoughts and reflections, and my own work to reclaim my culture. It is so close, but still so far away.