In her dissertation Master of Education and Master of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies Erika Sarivaara examines the revival of the Sámi language carried out by people who do not match the Sámi definition. In addition, she examines their experiences of their position on the edge of Sámi culture.

The study focuses on revivers of the Sámi language who have learned a language once lost by their families and use it now as their mother language. Sarivaara refers to these people as Sámi without a status because regardless of their Sámi roots and language they are not official members of the Sámi community – they do not have the Sámi status. Only those who have been entered in the Sámi Parliament's electoral register have that status. Having the Sámi status is considered to be language-dependent; you can be Sámi if you regard yourself as one and if you or at least one of your parents, grandparents, or great-grandparents has learned the Sámi language as the first language.

According to the study, Sámi-speaking Non-Status Sámi are worried about the future of the Sámi language.

– They have assumed an active role in reviving and transferring the endangered language. They pass the language on to next generations by speaking it to their children or grandchildren. They are fully committed to promoting and reviving it. Everything they do and experience attests to this, notes Sarivaara.

The Non-Status Sámi experience their identity and position in the Sámi community in a variety of ways: Each story brings out a unique voice and a unique way of finding a place just barely within the confines of Sámi culture. In the research material, two groups stand out with differing ideas about Sámi identity: Integrating Sámi without a status and conscious Sámi without a status.

– The first group have integrated into the Sámi community through language. Their Sámi roots have inspired them to start Sámi language studies. After the initial boost their language studies and usage have been motivated by living in the Sámi community, says Sarivaara.

The second group, the conscious Sámi without a status, on the other hand, consider themselves to be Sámi through their Sámi roots.

– They identify with the Sámi community. For them, the Sámi language represents a cultural continuity: They feel that the language connects them to the chain of generations, Sarivaara notes.

According to the research, conscious Sámi without a status consider their situation problematic because they do not have the official Sámi status. It is essential to note that inclusion in the electoral register of the Sámi Parliament is important in terms of Sámi identity.

– The interviewees feel that exclusion from the electoral register is “an open wound” that challenges their identity and right to their own history. The exclusion is most likely caused by a narrow interpretation of the Sámi definition. The definition includes self-identification, Sámi as a first language, and Sámi roots, which clearly do not suffice to meet the criteria of Sámi status, the author says.

Erika Sarivaara’s cross-disciplinary work encompasses indigenous peoples, sociolinguistic and educational research. The material consists of 10 interviews and questionnaire material collected by means of an ethnographic documentary movie. The research has been conducted in Finland. The material was collected between 2007 and 2011. The research was conducted through the method of narrative inquiry, which brings out the voice of the interviewee. Utilizing a range of materials and various research methods has enabled the author to examine the phenomenon multidimensionally.

The study is part of the sociolinguistic research project Sámegiela Sirdáseapmi Iešguđet Konteavsttas (Transfer of the Sámi language in various contexts) managed by Sámi allaskuvla (Sámi University College) in Kautokeino, Norway. That project, in turn, is part of the more extensive project Speak Locally – Reach Globally. Globalization Processes – Language, Literature and Media, which is project no. 783 of the International Polar Year (IPY).

Information on the Public Examination of the Dissertation:
Master of Education and Philosophy Erika Sarivaara’s dissertation Sámi without a Status. On the Edge of Sámi Culture (Statuksettomat saamelaiset. Paikantumisia saamelaisuuden rajoilla ) will be placed under a public examination in the Faculty of Education at the University of Lapland on Wednesday 13 June 2012 in Fellman Hall (street address: Yliopistonkatu 8, Rovaniemi). The opponent is Professor Tere Vadén from Aalto University and the custos is Professor Kaarina Määttä from the University of Lapland. Welcome!

Information on the doctoral candidate:
Erika Katjaana Sarivaara (born 1976 in Posio, Finland) graduated from Ivalo Upper Secondary School in 1995. She became Master of Education in 2001 at the University of Lapland and Master of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies in 2005 at the University of Tromsø, Norway.

Erika Sarivaara has functioned as a teacher of pedagogy in 2005–2007 and as a doctoral scholarship student in 2007–2012 at Sámi allaskuvla in Kautokeino, Norway.

Further information:
Erika Sarivaara, tel. +358 45 1241 656, erika.sarivaara(at)samiskhs.no
Press copies of the thesis are available at the University of Lapland, Communications and External Relations: tiedotus(at)ulapland.fi or tel. +358 40 571 1960

Publication data and sale:
Erika Sarivaara: Statuksettomat saamelaiset. Paikantumisia saamelaisuuden rajoilla (Sámi without a Status. On the Edge of Sámi Culture). Dieđut 2/2012. Sámi allaskuvla: Guovdageaidnu (Kautokeino) 2012. ISBN 978-82-7367-024-3. ISSN 0332-7779. Orders: www.samiskhs.no

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Doavttirgrádabargu: Stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččat sámegiela gáhttemin

Sámegiela ealáskahttit, guđet leat virggálaš sápmelašstáhtusa haga, atnet fuola sámegiela áitatvulošvuođas ja atnet árvvus sámivuođa. Erika Sarivaara doavttirgrádadutkamuš buktá ođđa geahččanguovllu ságastaladettiin sámivuođas ja dan rájáin.

Sámi allaskuvlla dutki, pedagogihka ja filosofiija magisttar Erika Sarivaara guorahallá doavttirgrádadutkamušastis sámegiela ealáskahttima sápmelašmeroštallama olggobeale olbmuid gaskkas. Son guorahallá seammás stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččaid vásáhusaid sápmelašvuođa birra.

Stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččat leat olbmot, geain ii leat Suoma sámedikki válgalogahallama stáhtus. Vaikke sis leat sámi máttut ja sii máhttet sámegiela, stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččain ii leat virggálaš lahttovuohta sápmelaš servošis dahjege nuppiiguin sániiguin sápmelašstáhtus. Sápmelašstáhtus oaivvilda olbmuid, guđet leat merkejuvvon sámedikki válgalogahallamii. Álgoálbmot máilmmis geavahuvvo sullasaš dáhpáhusain ovdamearkan doaba Non-status Indians.

Dutkanjoavkun leat sámegiela ealáskahttit, guđet leat oahpahallan sámegiela. Dutkamuš guorahallá áššiid mat váikkuhit rávisolbmuid giellaoahppamii.

Dutkamuša bohtosis boahtá ovdan, ahte sámegielat stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččat atnet fuola sámegiela áitojuvvon dilis.

– Stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččat leat váldán aktiiva rolla áittojuvvon giela, sámegiela ealáskahttimis. Sii sirdet sámegiela buolvvas bulvii mánáidasaset dahje áhkkubiiddaseaset bokte. Sámegielat stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččat leat čatnašan ovddidit sámegiela dili. Dát rolla boahtá ovdan sin doaimmain ja vásahusain, Sarivaara dadjá.

Sápmelaččat, guđet leat stáhtusa haga, vásihit identitehtaset ja sajádaga sápmelaš servošis máŋggabealagit: juohke muitalus buktá ovdan iešguđetlágan jiena ja vuogi sámivuođa rájáid siskkobealdi.

Dutkanmateriálas leat guokte joavkku, integrerejeaddjit ja diđošteaddjit, guđet leat oktavuođas iešguđegeláhkai sápmelašvuhtii.

– Integrerejeaddjit dovdet iežaset leat oassin sámi servodaga sámegiela máhttima vehkiin. Sin sámi ruohttasat leat boktán beroštumi ealáskahttit sámegiela. Sápmelaš servošis eallin lea movttiidahttán oahpahallat ja geavahit sámegiela, dutki muitala.

Nubbi joavku, diđolaš stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččat fas dovdet iežaset sápmelažžan sámi ruohttasiid dihtii:

– Sii identifiserejit iežaset leat oassi sámi servodaga sámi máttuideaset bokte. Sámegiella mearkkaša sidjiide kultuvrralaš joatkaga. Sii čatnasit sámegiela vehkiin joatkit sámivuođa buolvvas bulvii, Sarivaara cealká.

Dutkamuša bohtosa vuođul diđolaš stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččaid sámivuođa dovdu lea problemáhtalaš váilevaš stáhtusa geažil. Sámedikki válgalogahállama lahttovuođas lea mearkkašupmi dutkanjoavkku sápmelaš identitehtii. Virggálaš dohkkeheapmi sápmelašvuođa lahttun doarjjošii olbmo identitehta.

– Jearahallon olbmuide sámivuohta ja sámegiella mearkkašit olu. Sii vásihit válgalogahallama olggobeallái ráddjema ”rabas hávvin”. Sin identitehta ja vuoigatvuohta iežaset duogážii biddjojit servodaga dáfus jearaldatvuložin ja dat bávččagahttá. Go sámivuohta ii dohkkehuvvo, de dagaha dat čuolmmaid olbmo gullevašvuhtii. Sii gártet bealuštit ja ákkastallat sámivuođaset. Váilevaš servodatlaš doarjagis beroškeahttá stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččat nagodit ealáskahttit sámegiela iežaset motivašuvnna ja persovnnálaš givrodaga dihtii. Dutkamuš čájeha ahte giela ealáskahttima ii sáhte bissehit. Sámegiela oahppan suddje sámivuođa ovttaskas olbmo ja servodaga dásis.

Sámivuođa olggobeallái gullan konkretiserejuvvo sámedikki sápmelašmeroštallama lágalaš dulkoma bokte. Dat lea ráddjen máŋggaid sámisogalaččaid virggálaš sámivuođa olggobeallái. Sápmelašvuođa kriteraid berre guorahallat viidát iešidentifikašuvnna ja sámi máttuid bokte, dutki árvvoštallá dutkanbohtosa ja riikkaidgaskasaš dutkangirjjálašvuođa vuođul. Sámivuođa dáfus gávdno stuorra vejolašvuohta, dasgo dutkamuš čájeha kultuvrralaš ja gielalaš givrodaga stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččaid bokte. Danin stáhtuskeahtes sápmelaččaid ii berre oaidnit sámivuođa noađđin muhto baicce doarjjan.

Dutkanilbmanupmi lea máŋggabealat ja maiddái dutkanjoavku lea heterogena. Dutkanboađus laktasa sápmelaččaid historjái ja daidda proseassaide maid sogat, bearrašat ja ovttaskas olbmot leat vásihan iešguhtege áiggis ja báikkis. Sámivuođa siskkobealdi lea kultuvrralaš ja historjjálaš girjáivuohta muittuha Sarivaara. Dutkamuš speadjalastá postmodearna áiggi, mas ovdamearkan rievdan olmmošvuoigatvuođaid dilli váikkoha otná sámivuhtiii. Olbmot leat ain eambo diđolaččat identitehtaset ja servodatlaš ovddasvástádusaset birra.

Erika Sarivaara áigeguovdilis máŋggadieđalaš dutkamuš gullá eamiálbmogiid, pedagogihka ja giellasosiologiija dutkanárbevieruid ollisvuođaide. Dutkanmateriálan leat jearahallamat ja etnografalaš dokumentafilmma vuođul čađahuvvon jearahallanskovvedutkamuš. Sarivaara dutkamuš lea dahkkon Suomas. Dutkanmateriála lea čoggon jagiin 2007–2011. Dutkamuš lea ollášuhtton narratiiva metodain, mas jearahallon olbmuid jietna beassá gullot. Máŋggaid materiálaid ja earálágan dutkanmetodaid geavaheapmi lea dahkan vejolažžan olbmuid vásáhusaid máŋggabealat guorahallama.

Sarivaara dutkamuš gullá giellasosiologalaš dutkanprošektii Sámegiela sirdáseapmi iešguđet konteavsttas, man jođiha Sámi allaskuvlla giellasosiologiija professor Jon Todal. Prošeakta gullá riikkaidgaskasaš polárajagi (International Polar Year IPY) -prošektii nummir 783 ”Speak locally – reach globally. Globalization Processes – Language, Literature and Media”.

Dieđut nákkosdilálašvuođas:
Pedagogihka ja filosofiija magisttar Erika Sarivaara nákkosgirji Statuksettomat saamelaiset. Paikantumisia saamelaisuuden rajoilla dárkkistuvvo Lapin yliopisto pedagogalaš dieđagottis gaskavahku 13. geassemánu 2012 Fellman-sáles (Yliopistonkatu 8, Roavvenjárga) diibmu 12.00. Vuostenákkáhallin lea professor Tere Vadén, Aalto-yliopisto. Kustosin (doavttirgráda dilálašvuođa gohccin) lea professor Kaarina Määttä, Lapin yliopisto. Buresboahtin!

Dieđut nákkáhallis:
Erika Katjaana Sarivaara (r. 1976 Posio, Suopma) lea čállán studeantan Avvila logahagas jagis 1995. Son lea válmmaštuvvan pedagogihka magisttarin jagis 2001 (Lapin yliopisto). Son lea čađahan riikkaidgaskasaš magisttardutkosa Master of Philosophy in Indigenous Studies jagis 2005 Romssa universitehtas.

Erika Sarivaara lea doaibman pedagogihka lektorin jagiid 2005–2007 ja nákkosgirjestipendiáhtan jagiid 2007–2012 Sámi allaskuvllas Guovdageainnus.

Lassedieđut:
Erika Sarivaara, t. +358 (0)45 1241 656, erika.sarivaara(at)samiskhs.no

Prentosa dieđut ja vuovdin:
Erika Sarivaara: Statuksettomat saamelaiset. Paikantumisia saamelaisuuden rajoilla. Dieđut 2/2012. Sámi allaskuvla: Guovdageaidnu (Kautokeino) 2012. ISBN 978-82-7367-024-3. ISSN 0332-7779. Diŋgojumit: www.samiskhs.no