NEWS Sami women will in various ways stand at the centre of attention during the 2017 Sami Week. According to Michael Lindblad, chairperson of Umeå Sami Association, Såhkie, and researcher in pedagogical work at Umeå University, the programme for the Sami Week pays attention to Sami women as visionaries, political bodies, bearers of culture, and knowledgeable and renewing powers.
“This year, when we are celebrating the hundreth anniversary of the first joint Sami congress in Trondheim in 1917, it feels important to pay special attention to women, both those of the past and the present. The initiative to the first congress was taken by Elsa Laula Renberg from the Dikanäs-Tärnaby region, and proved to be an incredibly important contribution to the Sami people,” says Michael Lindblad, chairperson of Umeå Sami Association.
“In many ways, Sami women form the basis of Sami culture and connect history with the future. Older Sami women are well respected and honoured, and women such as Mother Earth and three strong goddesses have a stronghold also in Sami mythology where they represent birth, life and the Living.”
“Over the course of the nine-day-long festival, a fair few cultural events and in-depth seminars take place, in which many women are involved. It all starts with Maj-Doris Rimpi’s exhibition and Amanda Kernell’s film Sameblod, and it ends with Marja Helena Mortensson Fjellheim’s fabulous concert.”
“It means that we are gathered, it gives us an opportunity to reflect upon times past and a chance to talk about the future. The questions Elsa Laula Renberg raised on structural racism against the Sami is unfortunately still highly topical, even if it’s currently more a case of structural discrimination aimed at individuals.”
“The events organised in 2017 will highlight past, contemporary and future times, and will mainly focus on women,” concludes Michael Lindblad.
Caption: Brurskankens Sami Women's Association in 1917, on the back from the left Lisa Barrock, Brita Brantfjeld, Sofie Mathiasen, Malla Vesterfjeld, Kristine Stinnerbom. Seated: Elsa Laula Renberg, Ellen Lie, Ellen Olsen, Gunhild Granefjeld. Seated at the front: Anna Andersen, Maria Pedersen. Source: kvinnofront.nu.
Editor: Anna Lawrence