WHY DO THE SAMI CELEBRATE 17TH OF MAY?

By Elin Kåven

Every year around 17 May, the same thing comes up: Criticism of Sami people who celebrate the day.

Many Norwegians believe that Sami should not dress in gákti (n.b. the sami traditional costume) or carry the Sami flag, because it is not Sami Day, – it is the Norwegian national day! And it is often pointed out that the Sami have their own day to celebrate.

If only it were that simple…

Although we call 17 May “Norway’s national day”, its origin is the day when the constitution was signed. “Constitution Day”.

While Sámi People’s Day, 6 February, is the Sámi national day, since we celebrate the Sámi nation – which is spread over 4 countries. We don’t have our own country.

As we know – Norway, Sweden, Finland, Russia are partly in Sápmi (the country where the Sami live) – and these countries control the area where the Sami live.

All four countries were well aware that the Sámi lived on the land they divided between them, when they created the borders that divided Sápmi.

Their plan at that time was to get us to stop being Sami, and make us become like them. Since then, there have been laws, rules and norms that have prevented us Sami from preserving our way of life.

For us, May 17 is also a reminder that Sapmi was divided into four, and our people were separated by borders, making it harder for us to continue our way of life. And at the same time, make it easier to colonize us and dissolve our culture.

So for some Sami, this celebration is a paradox. Why should we celebrate something that has wronged us?

But the Sami, like all other citizens, still have the rights and duties that come with these four countries. The Sámi who live on the Norwegian side of Sápmi follow the Norwegian laws, and are affected by all decisions made by the Norwegian government.

We also get the benefits of a peaceful country, clean nature, democracy and all the other great things that come with living here.

Is it therefore not logical for us to celebrate the Norwegian constitution as much as all other Norwegian citizens – since we are part of it every day?

The celebration of this day can also be a sign that we are actually integrating more. We express that we value Norwegian society so highly, that we want to celebrate it. The Sami way of celebrating is to wear a gákti, for example.

But every year we read stories about Sami people who wear gákti, and experience something degrading or unpleasant.

If you look back at history, the Sami actually have many reasons NOT to celebrate this day, such as:

– When the borders between Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia were set, the Sámi land and people were divided, which made it difficult to maintain the Sámi way of life.

– The dark history of oppression and colonization through up to 500 years.

– Colonization is still happening today.

– A large part of Norway’s population still does not know our common history.

– The state of Norway allows nature and therefore our way of life to be destroyed, for example with wind turbines and mines. Our culture will not survive without wild, pure nature.

– Norway’s laws prevent us from living in a traditional way.

– When we celebrate Norwegian Constitution Day, we are in a way celebrating our own oppression.

We are criticized for wearing gákti and carrying the Sami flag on this day. In almost all discussions about the Sami, we hear the phrase: “The Sami should be grateful for everything they get from Norway, and stop complaining”.

Well, that’s exactly what the Sami who celebrate May 17 do. We celebrate and appreciate all the good this country can offer us. We stop complaining, and show up for the celebration.

The Sami paragraph is the nickname of Article 108 of the Constitution, which reads as follows: “It is the responsibility of the authorities of the state to facilitate the conditions for the Sami people, as an indigenous people, to safeguard and develop their language, culture and social life.”

I am Sami from Norway. Not necessarily Norwegian. But I live in Norway, since Norway owns the land we live on. Norway is part of Sápmi. And it is our responsibility as an indigenous people to take care of the land, our culture and our values.

And that includes areas of land over which Norway rules.

Se the original article here: https://www.ifinnmarkdebatten.no/hvorfor-feirer-samene-17-mai/o/5-81-2029849

Other links:

Grunnlovsdagen: 

https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/17._mai_(grunnlovsdag)

Om samer: 

https://snl.no/samer

Samenes nasjonaldag: 

https://snl.no/samenes_nasjonaldag

Kolonisering av Samer: 

https://snl.no/samene_i_tidlig_nytid

https://www.nrk.no/sapmi/xl/det-var-ulovlig-a-vaere-agnete-1.14181910

Ødeleggelse av natur: 

https://www.nrk.no/dokumentar/xl/nrk-avslorer_-44.000-inngrep-i-norsk-natur-pa-fem-ar-1.16573560

Sameparagrafen: https://www.regjeringen.no/no/tema/urfolk-og-minoriteter/samepolitikk/midtspalte/konsultasjonsplikt-i-samiske-saker/id86931/