This essay examines how local literature from the region of Västerbotten in Sweden can be used in the teaching of values in the Swedish upper secondary school. A postcolonial perspective is used in an analysis of three novels and two short stories from the region. The works in focus of this analysis is The Tar Still(1953) by Sara Lidman,The march of the musicians(1978) by P O Enquist, Hash(2002) by Torgny Lindgren and two short stories from Beasts and Other Stories (2015) by Stina Stoor.The analysis focuses on how the construction of center and periphery is constructed in these stories. Then it is discussed how the concept of center and periphery can be used in the teaching of values. The result shows that the use of language, the attitude towards different geographical places and the constant negotiations of power in relationships, are areas where these novels and short stories relates to a postcolonial writing tradition. The values system in the Swedish school contains writings about cultural identity and democratic values that can be addressed through teaching local literature using a postcolonial perspective. These themes are to be found at different levels in these stories, in the stylistics as well as in the plot. The essay uses theories by Louise Rosenblatt, Martha Nussbaum and Gunilla Molloy to discuss the possibilities with this sort of literary teaching. Representation and a broadening of literary experiences is discussed as two of the foremost advantages with this type of local literary teaching.