What does the Sámi costume mean för Sámi women in the area of Jokkmokk? This thesis consists of four interviews of Sámi women, born in different generations, where the purpose has been to find out their feelings an thoughts about the Sámi costume from Jokkmokk. The study also strives to examine changes that have taken place with the Sámi costume during the 20th century and until today. The costume has gone from being worn every day to becoming a festive garment, which means that the costume has become a symbol of the Sámi culture instead of an everyday garment. When the informants use the Sámi costume, they feel a sense of pride, belonging an community. The costume is both something that unites people but also separates them depending on the context. According to the informants there are certain criteria for a costume to be called traditional. For instance, it must have certain specific details an follow the color codes on the costume for male and female. The Sámi costume is constantly changing the design, for example through fashion and ideals.

This essay investigates sami thematics within the national school curricula of Sweden, Norway and Finland. It is a comparative essay with a focus on how the Sami are represented, using Olsen’s (2017) theoretical concepts of absence, inclusion, and indigenization. The essay is limited to studying sami representation within the subjects of social science, religion and history. Furthermore, the study aims to find possible causes of variation in the result. The results show that the Norwegian curricula have a broader inclusion of sami thematics compared to the Swedish and Finnish curricula. Additionally, the Norwegian curricula show more content of indigenization than that of the Swedish and Finnish curricula.

This master's thesis deals with the topic of Sámi poetry. The main aim of this work was to examine the history and development of lyric poetry written in North Sámi in Finland. Apart from that I also tried to find certain attributes or trends common in Sámi poetry. In this thesis I used the encyclopedic method. In the first part of the thesis I examine the North Sámi yoik from a literary perspective. Yoik is often considered to be the foundation of Sámi literature and also in this work it has turned out to be very important for Sámi literary development. The influence of the yoik can be seen through the whole history of Sámi poetry. In the next chapters I introduce important poets and their work from the end of the 19th century to present. I focus mainly on authors originating from the Finnish side of Sámiland. In addition to that I present some important historical and social events that had an impact on literature. In the final chapter, I briefly deal with the situation in publishing and translating Sámi poetry. Because my knowledge of North Sámi is very limited, I analyzed all the literary works presented in this thesis with the help of Finnish or English translations. In spite of that I managed to find some common trends in Sámi poetry. Keywords: Finland, Sámi literature, poetry, yoik, Northern...

Det folkvalda samiska organet Sametinget instiftades i Sverige 1993. Det var en viktig utveckling i samernas politiska mobilisering eftersom de inte tidigare haft ett nationellt representativt organ. Vid instiftandet blev organet både ett folkvalt parlament och en statlig förvaltningsmyndighet, vilket skapade konflikter mellan samernas vilja till ökat självbestämmande och statens strävan att kontrollera Sametingets verksamhet. I föreliggande kvalitativa undersökning undersöks därför de diskussioner som förelåg i den samiska tidningen Samefolket under Sametingets inrättande 1990-1994. Undersökningen visar dels hur ledande politiska representanter från de nybildade samiska partierna resonerade i frågan, dels hur andra samiska aktörer betraktade Sametinget. Vidare påvisar undersökningens resultat att diskussionerna förändrades under den undersökta perioden och att inre konflikter ökade till följd av Sametingets inrättande. Trots att en vision med Sametinget var att ena det samiska folket, visar föreliggande undersökning att organets tillkomst istället kom att splittra gruppen under den undersökta perioden. / The Sámi Parliament, a popularly elected Sámi organ was established in Sweden in 1993. This was an important process for the political advancement of the Sámi people, since they never before had had a nationally representative body. At the founding, the body became both an elected parliament and an administrative agency for the state. This created conflicts between the Sámi peoples' desire of increased independence and the goverment's need to control and rule. Therefore, the present qualitative study investigates the discussions that appeared in the Sámi magazine Samefolket during the Sámi Parliament's institutionalisation 1990-1994. The examination partly shows how the leading political representatives from the newly founded Sámi parties argued and partly how other Sámi actors regarded its institutionalisation. Furthermore, the results of the investigation suggest that the discussions changed during the investigated period and that the amount of conflicts increased following the institutionalisation of the Sámi Parliament. Even though the vision for the Sámi Parliament was to unite the Sámi people, the present study shows that the creation of this organ shattered the unity of the Sámi during the investigated period.

The Sámi people are an indigenous people that live in the northern region of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia (O’Dowd 2015, 187). They have been subjects of oppression and abuse by the majority culture for centuries. The sámi people were recognized as an indigenous people by the Swedish government in 1977 (Kvarfordt et al. 2004, 11). In Norway, they were recognized in 1989 whereas in Finland that year was 1995 (Förenta Nationerna u.å; O’Dowd 2015, 202). Therefore, the national governments of Sweden, Norway and Finland are obliged to follow a range of international treaties regarding the sámi peoples’ rights as an indigenous people (FN 2021). Nevertheless, the UN and EU have criticized the same governments for un-dermining sámi rights. This paper intends to investigate the cultural rights of the Sámi people in school with a comparison between Norway, Sweden, and Finland’s educational system. More specifically, the paper examines how the school system of Norway, Sweden, and Finland can help preserve sámi culture. In doing so, the essay explores three different cultural aspects from a sámi perspective, namely: the possibility to learn a sámi language in school, to learn sámi handicraft, and to learn about reindeer husbandry. Furthermore, the essay explores how these aspects are approached in the different nations by analyzing national school law and regulation. The material is then analyzed through the concepts of enculturation and socialization. In short, enculturation deals with different processes that aims to preserve and appropriate one’s own culture whereas socialization deals with processes that aims to assimilate people into the main culture. The results of the study show that all three nations have tendencies of preserving sami culture depending on which aspect that is studied. For instance, all countries support sámi language education but to what degree, varies between the nations. In contrast, only the Swedish educational system explicitly supports education in sámi handicraft and reindeer husbandry. Even though the results indicate differences between the countries’ educational system they also in-dicate that their national law on the matter of sámi rights are mostly similar in writing. Finally,

For the first time, Mid-Late Holocene insect fossil assemblages were studied from inland northern Sweden, producing new evidence relating to both natural environmental changes and human impacts. The insect fossil assemblages from natural deposits indicated extensive woodland with old and dead wood and a deep litter layer of decaying matter. Human impacts became apparent from the 1st millennium AD, when the landscape around many sites became more open, with elements of heath. It is difficult to determine whether these changes were driven purely by human activity, indicating subtle landscape change as a result of periodic exploitation, or if natural influences were significant in creating this landscape structure. If connected with human use, then the impacts of periodic exploitation can be seen to be subtle and localised, but notable enough to leave tell-tale signs in the insect fossil record. These relatively subtle changes in the environment can be compared with the more severe effects found during periods of historically known permanent settlement, where extensively open and disturbed habitats are suggested in the insect fossil record. Species associated with arable and pasture land are restricted to the last few hundred years, in association with settled occupation. The climate signal in the insect fossil record has been weak, and use of the Mutual Climatic Range method (MCR) has not revealed evidence of climatic fluctuations during the Late Holocene period.

Det muntliga minnet om den gemensamma samiska historien finns skrivet i slöjdandet. Jag har i en materialundersökning undersökt de äkta slöjdmaterialens betydelse för den samiska slöjdtraditionens identitetsskapande egenskaper. Hur värderas uttryck för samiskt kulturarv utifrån olika kulturella erfarenheter av att vara same?

Sámi sacrificial sites were a central part of the Sámi pre-Christian belief. The Sámi saw the world from a holistic point of view where nature, humans and spirits were all connected. The interest for sacrificial sites have a long history and both older research and some more recent studies are available with new analysis methods. There are still unresolved questions regarding sacrificial sites such as those concerning how long the sacrificial sites have been used and what kind of continuity can be seen in the sacrificial practises. The aim of this paper is to analyse purpose, timespan and continuity of the sacrificial sites by combining a study of archaeological and historic material. The study concerns sacrificial sites that were separated from the living area and analyses the material from the two sacrificial sites, Unna Saiva and Viddjavárri. The study shows that the main purpose of the sacrifice was to gain wellbeing and good fortune in your everyday life as well as to maintain a good relationship with the nature and sprits. The overall timespan of the sacrificial practice was from the 6th and 8thcentury to 19thand 20thcentury with some traces to older and more recent dates. The continuity in the sacrificial practises can mainly be seen through the continuous purpose of the sacrifice and the continuity in selecting what parts of the animal to sacrifice.

Abstract Beaivi, Áhcážan (English, The Sun, My Father) is a complex, multidimensional work of poetry and art. The creator of this work, Sámi artist and poet, Nils-Aslak Valkeapää originally conceived of the work as a govadas-image drum, capable of conveying the totality of Sámi (earlier, Lapp) worldviews in its pages. Comprising 571 images and photos, and accompanied by a soundtrack of the poems, along with yoiks and natural sound, the work contains personal, seasonal, cultural, and cosmic cycles. The photos, from Western archives worldwide, comprise a kind of Sámi family album, while the Western translations without photographs serve more as guides to the Sámi original. In the absence of a strong Sámi literary cultural tradition, this researcher turned to the emerging theory of literary ecology to help interpret the work. Literary ecology uses an understanding of human-natural relationships to illuminate an understanding of literature in its overall cultural and natural context. While Sámi literature has been collected for centuries by Lappologists, Sámi scholars are only now beginning to create critical theories with which to interpret authored, creative literature. An examination of how nature has been used in the researcher's native New England — particularly nature writer Henry David Thoreau and nature poet Robert Frost — was used to establish the Western approaches to nature and culture. Native American literature, which is slightly in advance of Sámi literature in its native literary criticism — particularly poet-novelist Leslie Marmon Silko and poet-critic Paula Gunn Allen — provides another angle of vision with which to read Beaivi, Áhcážan. Following Nils-Aslak Valkeapää's lead in his theoretical and critical essay, "The Sun, the Thunder, the Fires of Heaven," this study also considers Sámi literature as part of a larger northern, native tradition. In distinct contrast to Western nature traditions, which see nature as apart from culture, Sámi native traditions see nature as a part of culture. Nils-Aslak Valkeapää has deliberately constructed Beaivi, Áhčážan as a shaman drum, and the shaman-poet deliberately uses the images on that drum as ways to interpret the past, the present and the future. In contrast to Robert Frost, who constructs his images and meanings through metaphorical association, Valkeapää constructs his meanings through metonymical attachment. These linguistic constructions are reflected further in the worldviews of both traditions. In the Western tradition, the wild sublime is seen as a site of transcendence, a way of achieving the immanent Godhead, while in the native tradition the same landscape serves as home and kin. The sun IS father, and spring IS sister. Despite the seeming simplicity of this perception, Nils-Aslak Valkeapää confirms its elegant complexity in a work of great creativity and subtle concealment. / Tiivistelmä Beaivi, Áhčážan (englanniksi, The Sun, My Father; suomeksi, Aurinko, isäni) on moninainen, moniulotteinen runo- ja taideteos. Sen luoja, saamelainen taiteilija ja runoilija Nils-Aslak Valkeapää teki tämän työn kuvahiseksi, jonka sisältö piirtää esiin saamelaisten maailmankuvan. Saamelainen teos sisältää 571 kuvaa ja runoa sekä kasetin, jossa runot, joiut ja luonnonäänet kuuluvat. Teoksessa on henkilökohtaiset, ajalliset, kulttuuriset ja kosmiset syklinsä. Valokuvat maailman arkistoista luovat saamelaisen perhevalokuvakirjan. Läntiset käännökset ovat vailla valokuvia ja toimivat enimmäkseen oppaina saamelaiseen alkuperäisteokseen. Vahvan saamelaisen kaunokirjallisen perinteen puuttueessa tukeuduin uuteen teoriaan, kaunokirjalliseen ekologiaan. Keskeistä kaunokirjallisessa ekologiassa on ihminen-luontosuhde, joka valaisee kaunokirjallisuutta kulttuurisessa ja luonnollisessa yhteydessään. Lappologien keräämää saamelaista kirjallisuutta on ollut jo pitkään, mutta vasta nyt saamelaiset ovat luomassa omaa teoreettista viitekehysään kirjallisuutensa analysoimeen. Perehtyminen siihen, miten luontoa käytetään Uudessa Englannissa — varsinkin luontokirjailija Henry David Thoreaun ja runoilija Robert Frostin teoksissa — auttoi minua perehtymään luontoon ja kulttuuriin liittyviin läntisiin näkökulmiin. Amerikan intiaanien kaunokirjallisuus, joka on hieman saamelaisten estetiikkaa kehittyneempi — varsinkin runoilija-romaanikirjailija Leslie Marmon Silko ja runoilija-kritiikko Paula Gunn Allen — antoi uuden näkökulman siihen, miten suhtautua teokseen Beaivi, Áhčážan. Kirjoitelmassaan "Aurinko, ukkonen, taivaantulet," Nils-Aslak Valkeapää itse olettaa, että saamelainen kaunokirjallisuus kuuluu myös laajempaan pohjoiseen alkuperäiskansojen perinteeseen. Kun läntisessä luonnonperinteessä luonto on kulttuurista erillään, saamelaisessa ja muissa alkuperäisperinteissä luonto ONkin kulttuuri. Nils-Aslak Valkeapää on tarkoituksella rakentanut Beaivi, Áhčážan šamaanin kuvahiseksi ja lukee šamaanirunoilijana tietoisesti kuvahisen kuviota ymmärtääkseen menneisyyttä, nykyisyyttä, ja tulevaisuutta. Robert Frost rakentaa kuvioita ja merkityksiä metaforilla, kun taas Valkeapää rakentaa niitä kuvilla. Nämä kahdenlaiset rakenteet heijastuvat myös Valkeapään ja Frostin maailmankuvissa. Läntisessä perinteessä maiseman uljauden kautta voi siirtyä tuonpuoleiseen, jossa jumala on havaittavissa, mutta alkuperäiskansojen perinteessä sama maisema on sekä koti että suku. Aurinko ON isä, ja kevät ON sisar. Tämän havainnon yksinkertaisuudesta huolimatta Nils-Aslak Valkeapää vahvistaa sen hienon moninaisuuden luovassa ja syvällisessä teoksessaan. / Čohkkáigeassu Beaivi, áhčážan (eŋgelasgillii The Sun, My Father; suomagillii Aurinko, isäni) lea máŋggabealát, máŋggaolat dikta- ja dáiddagirji. Dan lea ráhkadan sámi dáiddár ja diktačálli Áillohaš, Nils-Aslak Valkeapää. Son dagai dán duoji govadassan, man siiddut sisttisdollet sámi máilmmeoainnu. Dát sámi girji sisttisdoallá 571 gova ja divtta sihke kaseahta, mas gullojit divttat, luođit ja luonddujienat. Girjjis leat peršovnnalaš, áiggálaš, kultuvrralaš ja kosmihkalaš gearddit. Čuovgagovat, mat leat čoggojuvvon máilmmi arkiivain, dahket das sámiid bearašgovvagirjji, muhto oarjemáilmmigielat jorgalusain eai leat čuovgagovat ja dat leatge eanaš ofelažžat sámegielat girjái. Go nana sápmelaš čáppagirjjálaš árbevierru váilu, ráhkaduvvui veahkkin ođđa teoriija, čáppagirjjálaš ekologiija. Guovddážis čáppagirjjálaš ekologiijas lea olmmoš-luondu — gaskavuohta, mii čilge čáppagirjjálašvuođa kultuvrra ja luonddu oktavuođas. Lappologat leat juo guhká čoaggán sámi njálmmalaš girjjálašvuođa, muhto easkka dál sámit ieža ráhkadit iežaset teorehtalaš kritihkaid, maiguin sáhttet analyseret iežaset girjjálašvuođa. Dat ahte oahpásmuvai dasa, mot geavahit luonddu dutki ruoktoguovllus Ođđa Englánddas, Amerihkás — erenoamážit luonddugirječálli Henry David Thoreau` ja diktačálli Robert Frost'a girjjiin — veahkehii dutki beassat sisa oarjemáilmmi oainnuide luonddus ja kultuvrras. Amerihká indiánaid čáppagirjjálašvuohta, man sii ieža leat teoretiseren veháš guhkkelebbui go sámit — erenoamážit diktačálli, románagirječálli Leslie Marmon Silko ja diktačálli-kritihkar Paula Gunn Allen — attii ođđa oainnu dasa, mot gieđahallat girjji Beaivi, áhčážan. Čállagisttis Beaivi, "terbmes, almmidolat" Nils-Aslak Valkeapää ieš navdá, ahte sápmelaš čáppagirjjálašvuohta gullá maiddái viidát davvi, álgoálbmogiid árbevirrui. Go oarjemáilmmi luondduárbevierus luondu ja kultuvra leat sierra, sámi ja eará álgoálgosaš árbevieruin luondu LEA kultuvra. Nils-Aslak Valkeapää lea eaktodáhtos ráhkadan Beaivi, áhčažan`a noaiddi govadassan ja noaidediktačálli lohká eaktodáhtos govadasa govvosiid vai áddešii doložiid, dálážiid ja boahtteáiggi. Robert Frost ráhkada metaforaiguin govvosiid ja mearkkašumiid, go Valkeapää nuppe gežiid ráhkada govain merkkašumiid. Dát guovttelágan ráhkadusat vuhttojit maiddái guktuin máilmmioainnuin. Oarjemáilmmi árbevierus ebmos, villa meahcci lea das, gos mannet ráji rastá duon ilbmásii, doppe gos ipmil lea lahka ja oidnosis, vaikko álgoálgosaš árbevierus seamma eana lea ruoktu ja sohka. Beaivi LEA áhčči, giđđa LEA oabbá. Vaikko dát fuobmášupmi lea áibbas ovttageardán, Nils-Aslak Valkeapää nanne fiinna máŋggaláganvuođa dán kreatiiva ja čiekŋalis girjjis.

This thesis is about the process of reconciliation between the Church of Sweden and Sápmi. By giving a historical retrospective, the process ends up in a context that can show why a reconciliation is desirable.  The reconciliation process began already in the 1990s, but a major change was taken in 2006 when an inquiry on the Sámi issues within the Church of Sweden was made.  This thesis examines the current reconciliation process from three perspectives.  The first perspective is to examine to whom the reconciliation process is directed. The second perspective is about the conflicts in the land and water issue, which the Sámi consider to be an important issue, but the issue is not included in the reconciliation process. The third perspective is to investigate what the Church of Sweden means by an increased Sámi presence in the church life. The historical relationships that stretch back many hundreds of years through research and storytelling. The documentation shows how the Church's approach and actions have negatively affected the Sámi population.  For this, the Church of Sweden has now apologised and is developing a ten-year action plan to strengthen the Sámi presence in the church life.