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- Öhman, May-Britt, 1966-, et al.
(author)
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Sámi Land Free University : An invitation to centre Indigenous Peoples expertise and knowledge in an online open access university
- 2023
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Conference paper (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This roundtable aims at presenting what the platform Sámi Land Free University (SFU) has achieved so far and to invite to a conversation on what SFU may achieve in the practice of decolonising research and education, while inviting interested to join forces for courses and joint or shared research over the colonial borders.Over the last four decades, Indigenous Studies (IS) has been developed as an academic discipline within several settler colonial states and within colonial academia, the strongest presence in North America, Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand. So far Sweden is lagging behind. Yet, IS mainly turns the gaze towards the Indigenous peoples, while to achieve decolonization and long term sustainability, as well as good relations, there is a need for a 180 degrees shift in vision. What if there were several universities that centre Indigenous knowledges and expertise, as point of departure, while researching and teaching for the benefit of all?In 2015, the SFU [www.samelandsfriauniversitet.com ] was created by Lule and Forest Sámi, Dr May-Britt Ӧhman with a vision and challenge of the mind to include the Sámi community and international Indigenous collaborations, having its base on the Swedish side of Sábme. SFU has co-hosted symposia and workshops. We now envision moving on, producing free to access online educational content, inviting earlier and new collaborators. Methods adopted are supra-disciplinary, giving voice to academics, artists, and practitioners of Indigenous ways of knowing and being, while also inviting other scientific methods. Commentator: Kim TallBear, Univ of Alberta, Faculty of Native Studies1 May-Britt Öhman, Lule and Forest Sámi, with Tornedalian heritage, SábmeCentre for Multidisciplinary Studies on Racism, Uppsala UniversityExperiences from the last 7 years with the platform Sámi Land Free University – what has it done for my – and others – thinking and acting?Introductory presentation on how the Sámi Land Free University came about as a website in 2015, followed by a Facebook page, a youtube channel, and some of the activities that has taken place, as well as some thoughts on possibilities to move ahead.There are so far very little opportunities for Sámi to study our own history, culture, traditions, epistemologies at universities in Sweden. There are even less opportunities to have a place in academia for Sámi who are open with their Sámi identity. Hence, there is a need for a place to gather, to develop courses, and proposed ways to make this happen, as the (settler colonial) academia so far gives very little space to Sámi perspectives in Sweden. Yet, Swedish legislation states that the Sámi are a people, with rights, and that Sámi history, culture and tradition shall be taught to pupils in school and secondary school.Furthermore, at universities, there is almost no teaching on Indigenous peoples culture, history, traditions, around the world, while the settler colonial perspectives are taught in all university courses.Thus, there is a need for a Sámi university, on Swedish side of Sábme, that will provide both Sámi and other Indigenous peoples history, traditions, culture, expertise, perspectives - the question is mainly how to organize this.2 Frances Wyld, Martu woman (Aboriginal People of the Pilbara region of Australia) living on Kaurna land, Dr of CommunicationJustice and Society, University of South AustraliaAll good thing are wild and free: the wild winds that carried me to Sámi Land Free University.NAISA introduced me to the international cross fertilization of ideas within Indigenous research and education, specifically it created the opportunity to collaborate with Sámi Land Free University as an Australian Aboriginal scholar. The collaboration has included 6 visits to Sweden and Sápmi for symposia and workshops, publications, and freelance work on a climate change and Indigenous sustainability project. I am a storyteller; I write in the moment inspired by nature. I watch the news reporting on the damage done by wild winds on the weekend. The reporter is in front of a house where a tree has fallen onto it, the house is on my road. At the same time, through my open door, I hear the whine of the chainsaw cutting into this majestic ghost gum tree. Only weeks ago, I was riding my bicycle along the same road with a wild sense of freedom as my birds, the Rainbow Lorikeets who live in the avenue of trees, flew alongside me. Sámi Land Free University has given me the same sense of freedom to work as a decolonising scholar within Critical Indigenous Studies, gaining international perspectives and walking on two lands that are both rich is stories. The collaboration has given me opportunities, and now in the spirit of reciprocity, I lend my skills as a curriculum developer to create content for this grassroots university in another land inhabited by Indigenous people who have much in common with my own people, with knowledges to share for a sustainable future.3 Anna Kajsa Aira and Laila Susanna Kuhmunen, Jokkmokk in collaboration with Alma Linke NilsenDuv gábdde - Du gákti - Din kolt – Your Sámi dressWe are Sámi artisans, duojár. Anna Kajsa makes handicraft – duodje - in the Lule Sámi tradition, Jokkmokk area. Laila Susanna works within the North Sámi duodji tradition of the Karesuando area. We both live in Jokkmokk/Jåhkåmåhkke, a Sámi metropolis. Sámi heritage is passed down from generation to generation.The traditional Sámi dress – gábbde/gákti/kolt - reveals one’s geographical area and is an important link to one’s roots and history. Many Sámi now reclaim their culture by wanting to wear the dress, but there is a gap of one generation in the transmission of knowledge about how to make them. Our project “your Sámi dress” is about providing this knowledge, both by making the gábbde for children and young people, for rent, and through making a digital platform with instructions and advice. It is just as important to be able to wear your gábbde as it is to handle it respectfully. While there is a university in Sweden for textiles and fashion, there is no such for Sámi culture. We think maybe our work could find a place within the SFU, and thereby receive more support. 4 Henrik Andersson and Hampus Andersson, Gällivare Forest Sámi villageExperiences of and reflections on the needs for education and higher education for and about Sámi reindeer herdersReindeer husbandry is carried out on Sámi territories, on almost 50 percent of the territories of the colonial state of Sweden. It is is a tradition – a way of life – as well as a basis for livelihood, income, since several hundred of years. It is acknowledged as a national interest, to be protected, since 1987.Yet, the knowledge and expertise of reindeer herding is mainly passed within the families. Learning demands spending time together with the older generations, from early childhood. As the school system requests pupils to be in school, this often come into conflict with the need to learn. Furthermore, for a reindeer herder, there are an increasing set of other skills than the actual herding – which is complex enough- that are of importance; economics, law, animal health, and one’s own history and culture etc. In school, secondary school, and at universities, there are no opportunities to study reindeer herding with the other skills thereto related. Another aspect of the education system’s lack of teaching on reindeer and reindeer herding, is that when persons within the reindeer herding meet with all parts of society – health care, police, teachers, social care, etc, they have to carry the burden of constantly educating them, and also facing discrimination and racism. Henrik , 42 years old, and Hampus , 20 years old, are two generations reindeer herders within the Gällivare Forest Sámi village, Flakaberg group. They will share their experiences and reflect on the need for education and higher education for Sámi reindeer herders. 5 Susanne Spik and Gun Aira, Jåhkåmåkke in collaboration with Alma Linke NilsenLule Sámi culture and language on university level ? Experiences, reflections and ideas Gun Aira is a Lule Sámi teacher and Susanne Spik, is an entrepreneur and innovator. Both live in Jåhkåmåhkke, and are active within reindeer herding. Both have attended university – teacher’s education- at a Swedish university, in the 1980s. The Lule Sámi language and culture origin in the Lule River valley. Due to the by the Swedish state forced relocation of several North Sámi families, from the Karesuando area during in the 20th century, along with fierce Swedification politics, both the language and culture have become sidestepped. While there is a Lule Sámi centre on Norwegian side, there is no such on the Swedish. In general, there is vastly more support to Sámi culture and language in Norway, than in Sweden. We will present our experiences, reflections and ideas on how SFU could be of use to promote Lule Sámi language and culture, and wish to develop this with the others and the audience.
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