The focus of the dissertation is on the performance of the yoiks, what the yoikers tell the audience and what the yoikers mean with their narratives. The results demonstrate that the verbal art of yoik includes both song and spoken messages. The analysis of the yoik tradition is couched within performance theory. The discussions of the performance give keys to understanding storytelling, oral history, verbal art and a means to recognize when a yoiksong, vuolle, begins or when it stops and why the performer yoiks its vuolle the way he or she does. I argue that an inside perspective in conjunction with performance theory, provides a highly fruitful method to research in yoik tradition. In order to understand the tacit knowledge in the performance, it has been highly relevant to discuss the seminal work by the Sami author Johan Turi and to compare his theories with Sami scholars like Israel Ruong, Nils Jernsletten and Harald Gaski. In the 1900s there were three broader documentation projects of yoik tradition in Sweden. The first one was conducted in the 1910s by Karl Tirén, who used the phonograph and wax cylinders. In the 1940s the Institute of Language and Folklore (ULMA/SOFI) undertook a documentation project and in the 1950s the Swedish Radio did so too. Now, it was now possible, with the modern technology, to analyse the yoik tradition in new ways. It enables re-listening to the stories that was told and to see them in a context where the performers’ artistic skill, together with their social background and their relation to their audience is made visible. It has been discussed if there was an epic yoik tradition in South Sami areas. One hypothesis says that epic yoik was found only in northern areas in close connection to Finnish culture. However, this study shows that there was an epic yoik tradition in southern Lapland and probably the last of these epic singers passed away in the 1960s. The yoikers presented here are all good representatives of an epic yoik tradition. Sara Maria Norsa, Nils Petter Svensson, Jonas Eriksson Steggo and Knut Sjaunja are my main informants in the archive material, where their performances are described with accuracy. This makes it possible to analyse the events they are participating in. They are all in fact telling their lives’ stories by describing reindeer herding. This dissertation demonstrates the yoik tradition in its context, and I show that the vuolle has a structure where one can recognize when it begins and when it ends. The yoik tradition is not only music or song, the story that is told is equally important. The way of presenting a vuolle is also a part of the yoik tradition and one has to consider both the spoken and the sung messages in order to understand what the performer means. In short, yoik must be recognized as verbal art or storytelling.

The purpose of this essay is to analyze accessibility too Sámi archives in Sweden today. A new proposal to change the archival legislation in Sweden was published 2019 but have not yet become effective. The proposal highlights that the archives’ purpose is access and that the Sámi archives are an important part of the cultural heritage. Recently, in 2023, a new search portal – Nuohtti - for digital Sámi archival materials was launched. The search portal links Sámi materials not just from Sápmi but all of Europe. The portal is managed jointly by the state archives in Norway, Finland, and Sweden. Both Norway and Finland have a state Sámi archive but in Sweden no one has that responsibility, Sámi archives are scattered at different institutions both governmental and privet ones. Grounded in postmodern archival theory and based on the theoretical perspectives: Power, knowledge, representation, and provenance this essay examines the concept of access too Sami archives and the possibilities and challenges that may arise. The study was conducted whit a qualitative research method using content analysis and semi-structured interviews. The source material consists of governmental reports, information material from the archives, debate articles, interviews, and the search portal Nuohtti.I interviewed three archivists at two archives. One interview with an archivist from the state archive Riksarkivet and one interview with two archivists from the Sami archive at Ájtte museum in Jokkmokk. The results show that a challenges with making Sámi archives accessible includes the lack of a state Sámi archive that gathers both archives and Sámi knowledge. It also shows that how Sámi archives are accessible is important both online and physical. The context to the records and ethical consideration is important to consider when making Sámi archives accessible. The new search portal Nuotti takes much of the difficulties into account and makes access easier to a wider audience.

This essay focuses on a comparative analysis of costume and makeup presented in the two drag queen road-movies To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything Julie Newmar! (1995) and The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994). These movies have similar settings with a group of three drag queens traveling across the country to participate in their big show. The primary main focus of this essay has been to analyze the costumes and makeup that are worn by the three main characters in their drag in each film and what it can say about gender and performativity presented in each film. A semiotic analysis was used as a method to analyze selected sequences and Bordwell and Thompsons (2017) segment about costume and makeup as a part of mise-en-scene was used. The results from each movie were later compared. Other theories that were applied were Judith Butler’s theory (2006) about gender performativity, Richard Dyer (1999) on stereotypes and Laura Mulvey's theory (1999) about the male gaze. The results show that Too Wong Foo focuses more on conforming existing women's gender roles with costumes that could be connected to luxury brands in the connotation, while Priscilla has a more exaggerated approach that was likened to shows on Broadway in the connotation.  The individual project was based on a folder from Samiskt informationscentrum (SIC) and resulted in two short animated movies about Sámi in Sweden and Sápmi.

This text conducts an analysis of familial bear-human relationships in Sámi, Finno-Ugric, and Russian folklore, supplemented by material culture. It explores the image of the bear as a member of human and non-human communities and his roles in human society. This study draws from oral tradition from Sápmi, Finland, and Russia, focusing on the material and the theoretical framework it is presented in. Critical assessment of the approaches to the subject of bear-human relationships are a major part of this thesis. It attempts to adopt new frameworks more mindful of Indigenous perspectives and employs oral tradition as a primary historical source that, supplemented by archaeological evidence, can provide a clear view of past beliefs and practices. The main goal of this thesis is deconstructing past approaches to Indigenous knowledge and culture, with a special focus on Russian scholarship, and analysing human-bear relationships with Indigenous outlooks in mind. / Denna text genomför en analys av familjära relationer mellan björn och människa i samisk, finsk-ugrisk och rysk folklore, kompletterad med materiell kultur. Den utforskar bilden av björnen som en medlem av mänskliga och icke-mänskliga gemenskaper och hans roller i det mänskliga samhället. Denna studie bygger på muntlig tradition från Sápmi, Finland och Ryssland, med fokus på materialet och den teoretiska ram som den presenteras i. Kritisk bedömning av förhållningssätten till ämnet björn-mänskliga relationer är en viktig del av denna avhandling. Den försöker anta nya ramar mer medvetna om inhemska perspektiv och använder muntlig tradition som en primär historisk källa som, kompletterad med arkeologiska bevis, kan ge en tydlig bild av tidigare föreställningar och praxis. Huvudmålet med denna avhandling är att dekonstruera tidigare förhållningssätt till ursprungsbefolkningens kunskap och kultur, med särskilt fokus på ryskt forskningtradition, och att analysera relationer mellan människa och björn med ursprungsbefolkningens synsätt i åtanke.

This licentiate thesis investigates the case and the syntactic position of the direct object in South Saami. The focus is on plural direct objects, which have Differential Object Marking, a phenomenon in which the case alternates between different types of direct objects. In South Saami, some direct objects carry the accusative case form in the plural, while others only carry the plural marker. This variation of suffix displayed on the direct object is contingent on definiteness; definite direct objects consistently display the accusative case form in the plural while indefinite direct objects, specific and nonspecific alike, lack accusative morphology. In addition to case marking, the study presents an analysis of the alternation of the syntactic position of some direct objects. Definite and indefinite specific direct objects can be realized in two positions: as the complement of the verb or in a position as specifier of the light verb projection. By contrast, indefinite nonspecific direct objects obligatorily surface in the complement position of the verb. This variability in syntactic position of some direct objects is analyzed by means of a Specificity Operator, adjoined to the DP-level of every specific NP, definite and indefinite. The operator moves as an instance of quantifier raising in order to take scope over Existential Closure (EC). EC binds NPs in its domain and give them an existential reading. Therefore, when the Specificity Operator raises, it anchors the DP it is adjoined to in a domain, which is unbound by EC and therefore facilitates a specific interpretation. The operator, void of phonological content, can raise alone to the specifier of vP as an instance of covert movement. The operator can also Pied-pipe the DP it is adjoined to, which results in overt movement of the DP. Indefinite nonspecific direct objects lack the Specificity Operator and therefore they remain in-situ in the VP, where they are bound by EC. In addition to its theoretical value, the thesis will be of use for teachers, students and others with an interest in a better understanding of the case form and the position of the direct object in South Saami. / Daennie licentiaatetjaalegisnie gïehtjedem guktie Åarjelsamien direkte objeekth gelliengiertesne kaasushgïetjieh åadtjoeh. Manne gelliengiertem veeljeme juktie åarjelaemien gïele Differential Object Marking åtna. Naakenh direkte objeekth dam giehtjiem -idie guedtieh, mij ackusatijvem gelliengïertesne muana. Jeatjah direkte objeekth barre låhkoegiehtjiem -h guedtieh, mij ajve gelliengïertem muana, menh ij kaasusem. Dan åvteste direkte objeekti kaasushaamoeh molsedieh. Mov gïehtjidimmie vuesehte ahte definijte direkteobjeekth gelliengiertesne dam ackusatijvegïehtjiem. Eah indefinijte direkte objeekth dam gïethjiem utnieh, valla barre gelliengierehaamoem utnieh. Manne vielie gïehtjedem gusnie, dennie raaje- sisnie, leah dej direkte objeekti sijjieh. Gaavneme ahte joekehtsh leah aaj ovmessie direkte objeekti gaskoeh. Definijte jïh indefinijte specifijke direkte objeekth utnieh göökte sijjieh gusnie maehtieh jïjhtedh, valla indefinite ovspecifijke direkte objeekth utnieh ajve aktem sijjiem gusnie maehtieh årrodh. Gaajhkh dah golme ovmessie direkte objeekth maehtieh maadthsijjesne årrodh goh verben komplemeente, valla definijte jïh indefinijte specifijke direkte objeekth maehtieh aaj aktene vP:n specificeerijisnie jïjhtedh. Manne daam joekehtehtem jïh vuesehtem mannasinie naemhtie jis. Mov innovasjovne lea akte specifijkeoperatovre. Dïhte lea adjungeradamme fïerhten DP:se mij lea definijte jallh indefinijte specifijke. Dïhte operatovre iktesth bæjjene DP:n sistie vP specificeerijen sïjse, men dïhte maahta aaj dam DP:m buektedh Pied-pipingen tjïrrh. Dïhte specifijkeoperatovre bæjjene juktie edtja baataridh Existential Closuren (EC) jaksoste. Gosse operatovre bæjjene, dïhte dan sov DP:m dïbrehte akten domeenese, gusnie specifijke guarkoe daerpies sjædta. Dah direkte objeekt mah eah specifijkeoperatovrem utnieh tjoerieh baetsedh VP:n sijse, jïh dannasinie EC dejtie veadta. Dannasinie existentielle guarkoem åadtjoeh. Daate tjaalege vihkeles lingvistihke teorijese, valla aaj lohkehtæjjide, learoehkidie jïh jeatjide guhth sïjhth buerebe guarkedh mij kaasusidie lea direkte objeekten jïh gusnie, dennie raajesisnie, dïhte objeekte jæjhta. / I den här licentiatavhandling undersöks kasusformen hos de direkta objekten och deras syntaktiska position i sydsamiskan. Fokus ligger på direkta objekt i pluralis, vilka uppvisar fenomenet differentiell objektsmarkering, som innebär att vissa direkta objekt bär ackusativsuffixet i plural medan andra endast bär pluralsuffixet. Denna variation i objektsmarkering är känslig för definithet. Definita direkta objekt har accusativändelsen medan indefinita, både specifika och icke-specifika direkta objekt, saknar den. Utöver själva realiseringen av kasussuffix undersöks också de direkta objektens syntaktiska position. En analys presenteras som definierar olika typer av nominalfraser och skiljer definita och specifika direkta objekt från icke-specifika direkta objekt. Den första typen uppvisar variation i sin syntaktiska placering och har möjligheten att dyka upp både i komplementställning till verbet och i en den lilla verbfrasens specificerare, det vill säga vid gränsen för den lexikala fasen. Indefinita icke-specifika direkta objekt, som utgör den andra typen, kan bara uppträda i en position som komplement till verbet. På basis av den analys som inkluderar min innovation Specifikhetsoperatorn, vilken är adjungerad till alla definita och specifika direkta objekts DP-nivå, kan de två positionerna förklaras. Specifikhetsoperatorn flyttar alltid till vP:s specifierare som en kvantifierarinteraktion, där Specifikhetstoperatorn får räckvidd över Existential Closure (EC) och förankrar sin DP i en domän där en specifik tolkning blir nödvändig. Detta är en typ av osynlig flytt. Flytten kan också vara synlig. I det fallet sker medfraktning (Pied-piping) när Specifikhetsoperatorn tar med sig den DP den är adjungerad till när den flyttar till vPs specifierare. Direkta object som saknar Specifikhetsoperatorn stannar i positionen som komplement till verbet och binds därför av EC, vilket leder till att de får en existentiell tolkning. Bortom sitt värde för lingvistisk teoribildning kommer avhandlingen också att bli viktig för lärare, studenter och elever såväl som för andra med ett intresse av att bättre förstå vilket kasus som uppträder på sydsamiska direkta objekt och dessa objekts position i satsen.

This is an undergraduate study which examines the availability of guidance counselor services given in Sámi languages in the Sámi administrative areas in Sweden. The questions at issue are:  How available is guidance counselling in the Sámi languages in Sweden's 25 administrative areas? What are the counsellors' views regarding Sámi clients being able to speak their own language during a session?  The administrative areas were selected since they have an obligation to offer certain services in Sámi languages. The areas are located in 25 Swedish counties and a survey with questions regarding the availability of guidance counselling in the Sámi languages was distributed to the counsellors employed therein. None of the counsellors has ever used a Sámi interpreter, is able to speak a Sámi language, and the majority haven’t identified a need for it with their clients.  The result is analysed with a critical discourse method and the theories of stigma, hegemony, Othering and ethnocentrism are used. The analysis shows that Sámi people are being Othered and that the guidance counsellors are operating from an ethnocentric view, which can lead to stigma and hegemony in guidance sessions with Sámi clients.

The aim of this thesis is to describe surname patterns and changes of surname among the Sami of Sweden. It presents the results of three studies. The first is a survey of the present-day stock of surnames (family names) among the Sami community, based on the 2005 electoral register for the Swedish Sami Parliament. It investigates the proportions of names deriving from different languages, and the commonest names in each group. The same study was carried out for different areas, showing that the northernmost parts of Sweden have a Sami name stock significantly different from that of the majority population. Further south, the stock of names is less marked, but no area is without Sami elements. The second study, based on archival material, concerns changes of name by Swedish Sami to newly formed surnames, over the period 1920–2004. It examines not only the names adopted, but also the ones replaced; how the name stock has been affected by different patterns of name change; and, as far as possible, who the name changers were. The study shows that, for a long time, names derived from Sami and Finnish were replaced with names formed from Swedish. This may be largely because of the stigma once attached to Sami ethnicity. More recently, Sami-language names seem to have been retained to a greater extent, possibly owing to the improved status of the culture. The third study looks at name changes in favour of names marked as Sami in character. The data consist in part of archive materials, but above all of interviews with three Sami informants who have themselves adopted Sami-language surnames. This study presents the informants’ thoughts on ethnicity and changes of name. In addition to the author’s own studies, the thesis includes a review of earlier research on Sami surnames, hereditary and non-hereditary, and a list of individual surnames with literature references regarding their origins and meanings. In the thesis, name changes are studied as a single, overall process, with an emphasis on the role of names in society, in particular as ethnic markers.

The Sami in Sweden have lived on and managed their lands since time immemorial. The strong connection to the environment and nature has given them centuries of knowledge that is still applicable to this day. With the help of their ancestral knowledge the Sami have preserved their Indigenous land. With constant work towards sustainability and extractive projects of natural resources for renewable energy that takes place in Sápmi, the question is raised of who is included in the transition towards sustainable development and who the transition is for. The purpose of this study is to investigate and get a deeper understanding of Sami perspectives on sustainability and the connection to their rights. Applied methodology for this qualitative study is semi-structured interviews with nine Sami, followed by a thematic analysis of the collected empirical data. This was done to understand and analyse perceptions of sustainable development and how it relates to Sami inclusion and Sami rights, using frameworks of colonial governmentality and green colonialism. The findings suggest that a differentiation can be made concerning how the Sami perceive actions for sustainable development and the concept of sustainable development. Further, the Sami view their inclusion in policy-making and implementation in regards to questions of sustainable development in Sweden as being somewhat low or not applied at all. In relation to environmental sustainability this study shows that the implementation of Sami rights varies depending on the context, but that it is generally experienced as insufficient, and that rights are often applied to the economic units of the samebys, and not all Sami, creating a division within the Sami community. The results also show a perception of lack of political will and a neglectance to include and implement Sami rights, as state interests are prioritised. The societal and institutional conditions for the Sami to claim their rights and require inclusion within sustainable development prove that the theories of colonial governmentality and green colonialism are applicable to the current situation in Sápmi.