The Renaissance of the Arctic: Sámi Claiming Place in Modern Norway

The Sámi people of northern Scandinavia, Finland, and Russia are a remarkable group who have redefined the nature of power through an era of cultural revival. Norway is home to about half the Sámi population; and although most Sámi have assimilated into the larger Norwegian society, there are people in the far north who live in traditional ways through herding reindeer and other generational livelihoods. Though Sámi face enormous hurdles including global climate change, the loss of pasture to public and private economic development of the Arctic, and continued pressure to assimilate with the dominant national culture, recent years have shed light on cultural geographical hotspots—or places that have been culturally resilient and have seen cultural revival. Drawing upon field interviews and observation, the research articulates the ways in which Sámi communities preserve, develop, and revive their culture through asserting Sámi sovereignty over language, land, and leadership. My assessment includes the ways in which: Sámi communities have used traditional and cultural education and reintroduction of Sámi languages to claim place; physical and natural places have assisted in cultural revival and place making; and changes in leadership and shifts in political power have shaped the modern landscape of Sámi communities