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Saami
Today |
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The
Saami educational assimilation policy continued until the
mid-twentieth century. As social theory changed and the Saami
presence became more acceptable within the Norway, Sweden and
Finland, the anti-Saami language rules were softened. Starting in
the 1960’s, the Saami began to assert themselves strongly. Their
presence was seen in political and social venues throughout
Fenno-Scandia. With the changes in the Saami political assertions,
came a change in Saami well-being. Today the political and
societal standing for Saami individuals is at its greatest in all
of history. There are Saami schools, social organizations,
businesses, and political parties. The Saami language is on track
to be recognized as an official language on all government
documents that pertain to Saami issues. (Nystad, 2002) The
standard of living for Saamis is nearly equal to that of their
fellow Scandinavian citizens. Though the situation has changed for
the better, many things have yet to be resolved. Land claims and
hunting rights issues are continuously worked and reworked for the
Saami. Though the three Nordic countries have made great strides
for Saami rights, they are technically all in violation of certain
United Nations (UN) mandates. (UN, 1995) Many of these rights the
Saami feel should have been granted already.
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Saami
Today |
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The
Saami have increased their international presence greatly since
the 1960’s. In the last ten years this presence has become a
major force in indigenous politics and human rights. They have
interacted with other indigenous groups, and on all levels of
national and international organizations. They have done so
perhaps more effectively than almost any other indigenous nation.[4]
They have done so in a unique way in comparison to other ethnic
minorities. |
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The
Saami have never been a cohesive ethnic group. (The Kola Lapps,
2001) The contemporary pan-Saami movement was created out of an
ethnic artificiality. There were only minor indications of such
things as pan-Saami culture prior to the 1960s. The one exception
to this may be the Saami movements earlier in the twentieth
century. Karl Nickul points out, “There was Lappish collective
action prior to mid 1920's but stopped then because of the
negative attitude of the authorities.” (1977, 75) The Saami
elite found it necessary to create such a paradigm (with the help
of non-Saami) to legitimate and authenticate their land, resource,
intellectual, and cultural claims. (Conrad, 1999, 1) By creating
such an artifice the Saami movement has been able to increase
their presence. It is an effective tool for presenting a cohesive
front in the struggle for self-determination and political
interplay., “It [successful Saami political organization] must
have a complete political action program-one that is almost
ideological in scope-that can unite the Saami community in
support....To a great extent, the Nordic Saami have been able to
accomplish this with the establish of national and pan-Nordic
organization to represent their collective interests…”
(Sillanpää, 1994, 228) |
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The Saami participate in
and/or sponsor many transnational conferences and alliances.[5]
“The Sami (Lapps) of
Sweden, Norway and Finland have also been active on the
international scene, both at United Nations meetings and as
founder members of the World Council of Indigenous Peoples.”
(Burger, 1987, 60) Saami work closely with the Inuit Circumpolar
Conference (ICC), Russian Association of Indigenous Peoples of the
North (RAPON), and other indigenous groups. Before the current
‘International Decade of the World’s Indigenous Peoples’ was
even conceived, Saami were leading at international conferences
and forums.
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