No one is more Sami than others
All Sami cultural expressions are equally important. But that does not mean that the Sami Parliament cannot have an electoral system that reflects a diverse people.
The constituency Ávjovárri recently lost one mandate in favor of southern Norway in the Sami elections. Thus, the discussion about the distribution of mandate flared up. Is it reasonable for Sami outside the core areas to gain more power over Sami politics in the north?
Behind numbers and stools are a much deeper question: Who has the right to define what is real Sami culture, and who is « Sami enough »?
Many people feel that they are not perceived as full Sami because they do not joke, speak the language or do reindeer husbandry. That their Sami identity is worth less. But this is not just about emotions. It is largely about recognition.
Sami culture is more than joik and reindeer
There is a pattern in the debates: The cultural expressions that are still visible in public, language, joik and reindeer husbandry are most often highlighted as the most important. It is understandable. These are strong and proud expressions that have been preserved because they were least affected by the Norwegian policy.
At the same time, many other Sami traditions have become invisible. Storytelling tradition, boatbuilding, duodji, sharing culture, old preservation methods, natural medicine and Sami lifetime that do not include reindeer, all this is also Sami culture. That someone has lost one expression does not mean that they have lost everything.
Being the same today looks different. Some sew gákti by hand, others buy thread and use sewing machine. Some socks to the natural religion, others go to church. Some ski, others are running shoots. It does not make them more or less Sami.
We must stop competing in Sami
The research policy did not hit everyone equally. Reindeer herding Sami retained languages and traditions longer than other Sami. But the research hit broadly, and many not only lost the language, but also the right to define their own identity.
Therefore, it is important to be vigilant when some traditions are highlighted as more « real » than others. Growing a few expressions as a core and ignoring the rest can help to make Sami culture narrower, not stronger. It threatens the very diversity we try to protect.
We don’t have to be the same to belong. Sami culture has always been developing, and that development must be given room in the political system as well.
To preserve Sami culture, we must stop measuring who is the most Sami. The only thing we should measure is whether our system is able to highlight the entire people’s voice.
