Representing Cultural Difference. Reindeer Herding as a Signal of Ethnic Boundary in the Exhibitions of Two Sámi Museums

Nordic Sámi museums have been established with the aim of reclaiming Sámi heritage and strengthening Sámi cultural identity. Museums are significant places for representing ethnic groups and boundaries, and Sámi museums play an important role in defining Sámi ethnicity. This article discusses the construction of Sámi ethnicity in the permanent exhibitions of two Sámi museums, Siida in Finland and Ájtte in Sweden, focusing on the display of reindeer herding. In which particular ways do these exhibitions represent reindeer herding and the Sámi as reindeer herders? The article suggests that representations of reindeer herding contribute to the construction of an ethnic boundary, while having relevance also for the internal conflicts among the Sámi.