The Nordic model and multiculturalism: the case of Sámi sport

Abstract

The Sámi are the indigenous people of the North Calotte, living in Sápmi (land of the Sámi, which covers the north parts of Norway, Sweden, Finland and north east of Russia). This paper examines the role of Sámi sport with reference to the Nordic model – centred on the welfare state and social democracy – and draws on Norwegian and some Swedish empirical data. Theoretically, I combine Bourdieu’s field theory with two possible trajectories of post-colonialism: neo-traditionalism and biculturalism. Methodologically, I lean onresearch into Sámi sport, sport organization and state policy. The analysis shows that on a state level, Nordic sport policy towards Sámi sport corresponds to the neo-traditionalist perspective, that the revitalization of indigeneity is an issue primarily for the indigenous peoples and not for the entire population of the nation state. However, there are several nuances. First, the situation for Sámi sport is better in Norway than in other countries of the Sápmi region. Second, the experiences reported by representatives of local sport clubs show a bicultural, integrated approach to sport organizations.

Notes

1. ILO is the International Labour Organization and is a specialized agency of the United Nations.

2. The situations in Finland and Russia are somewhat more complex and not outlined here.

3. The analysis is limited to two countries of Sápmi, due to the very fact that, to my knowledge, there is a total lack of research contributions into Sámi sport on the Finnish side (Koski et al., forthcoming).

4. There is no state support in Russia, the fourth country covered by Sápmi.

5. There were two more clubs, both established relatively recently in two larger cities, and both ceased functioning relatively quickly (field notes from visit to SVL-N administration).

6. Some of the information about sport clubs and sports in the municipalities are based on internet sites of the municipalities (which include information about culture services for the local population; and links to sport clubs), and internet sites of the sport clubs. They are all anonymous here.

7. The focus is due to the saturation of data combined with author’s in-depth knowledge of the specific contexts.

8. Krogh is and Klemetsen was athletes in Norwegian national teams, both with Sámi heritage.

9. Some claim that Sámi first skied, and that skiing therefore is Sápmi’s national sport (Birkely 1994). A counter argument is that skiing was practised – according to rock carvings – long before Sámi ethnicity developed (Hansen and Olsen 2004). In other words, the (common?) ancestors of both Sámi and Norwegians practised skiing. Leaving this debate to one side, the point of the current situation is in the quotation of the Sámi parliament president.

10. There is one important exception to this strong statement; the so-called Kautokeino riot of 1852.