Do waters and rivers have a voice in ongoing environmental governance and politics? Many Indigenous Sámi and Indigenous communities consider the rivers, salmon and other species in the rivers to have an autonomy of its own, but does this imply that they also have legal right? How can Indigenous stewardship and Indigenous Knowledge contribute to current challenges of river management in Sápmi and elsewhere? These questions and more will be investigated through river dialogues and Sápmi community visits to Romssa/Tromsø, Olmmáivággi/Manndalen, Álta/Alta and ending with a two-day symposium in Deatnu/Tana. The program is open to participation upon registration and a participation fee (see registration form).
River Dialogues Across Sápmi (funded by the Research Council of Norway) move across and engage with the history of Sámi and Indigenous relations with rivers and their contemporary challenges in term of climate and biodiversity and management systems. Between the 23rd and 27th of June, the project offers in-depth studies and discussions centred on a few chosen rivers across Sápmi from Tromsø/Romssa, Norway, and ends up in a site-specific public and community based two-day workshop in Deatnu/Tana June 26-27. The workshop brings together scholars and artists from the Nordic Countries and Australia, led by two research projects at UiT The Arctic University of Norway: the SUN project (funded by Formas, Sweden) and the Sharing Our Knowledge project (NFRF, Research Council of Norway). The final workshop will be embedded in ongoing research and local partnerships along the Deatnu/Tana watershed, based on established relations in the network of the SUN, Sharing Our Knowledge and other relevant projects. The design of the workshop – as one mobile intervention in different rivers and communities' engagement with the ongoing environmental challenges on/in the river and how local knowledge is mobilized to address the effects of the global crises on climate and biodiversity change. This multi-site conference will include river dialogues on five chosen watersheds which are all located in Sámi areas.
The participation fee covers accomodation and meals. Deadline: 1st of June 2025.
Monday, June 23: Arrival to Tromsø.
13:00 Reception at Árdna, the Sámi house, UiT Arctic University of Norway campus
16:00 The Sámi presence within Polar history, by conservator Ann Kristin Balto, Norwegian Polar Institute and Polaria. Venue: The Fram Centre
Tuesday, June 24: On the Road to Riddu
08:30 Departure by bus from Tromsø (pick up to be announced)
12:00 River dialogues Olmmáivággi/Manndalen. Lunch at the Centre for Northern Peoples
18:00 Arrival to Alta
Wednesday June 25: Alta River
10:00 World Heritage Rock Art Centre in Alta – guided tour by the archaeologists from the World Heritage Centre on the outdoor rock art.
12:00 Lunch at Alta museum - World Heritage Rock Art Center. Sámi historian Katri Somby lectures on the Alta River Conflict.
13:00 Introduction to the repatriated Sámi objects and the program of community involvement, by Sámi scholar and conservator Eva Johansen from the World Heritage Centre. Guided tour in the indoor exhibition.
15:00 Departure to Karasjok. Stops by the Alta river on the way guided by Katri Somby.
17:30 Arrival Karasjok
Thursday June 26: River Dialogues Day 1
09:00 Visit the Sámi parliament of Norway
11:00 Departure by bus to Utsjok
12:00 Arrival (local Finnish time), check in Ohcejohka/Utsjoki river hotel (Village Valle) Deatnu/Teno/Tana
14:00 Screening of the film “Home River”.
15:00 Public meeting with local Sámis who have gone to court to fight for local fishing rights. River dialogue with local traditional knowledge holders regarding the situation of the watershed. With Steinar Pedersen, Kati Eriksen, Esko Aikio, Anne Nuorgam, Aslak Holmberg and others.
18:00 Dinner by the river, hotel Village Valle
20:00 Side event in collaboration with Ellos Deatnu (“Long live the river”)
River storytelling with local knowledge holders (Maria Sofia Aikio, Beaska Niillas, Aslak Holmberg and others)
Friday June 27: River Dialogues Day 2
Times are in local Finnish time
10.00 River dialogues I – Sharing knowledges across borders and disciplines. Talk with Professor Harald Gaski and postdoc Michael Charlton from the Sharing our knowledge project. Other participants TBA. Moderated by associate prof. UiT Camilla Brattland (Sharing our knowledge and RecoSal projects).
11:30 River dialogue II Connecting rivers across Oceans by Dr Erin O’Donnell in dialogue with Dr. Amy MacCoy, Dr. Janne Lahti, Linnaeus University and University of Helsinki, and Dr. Sami Lakomäki, University of Oulu.
13:00 Lunch
14:00 *River dialogues III When the river no longer is allowed to sing
Sámi historian Steinar Pedersen and local fishermen (TBC) discuss on the consequences for the communities of the lockdown of salmon fishing in Deatnu/Tana. In dialogue with Maddison Miller TBC(Darug); University of Melbourne. Moderated by Assoc. Prof. Solveig Joks, Sámi Allaskuvla/Sámi University of Applied Sciences and Prof. Britt Kramvig, The Arctic University of Norway.
16:00 Coffee break
17:30 *River dialogues IV We are still here – and we hear the river calling
Dialogue between indigenous scholars and artists from Australia and Sápmi on the need to tell new stories that bring together Indigenous and western ecological knowledges to foster healthy Country outcomes in land management and research. Zena Cumpston (Barkandji) and Maddison Miller (Darug), University of Melbourne. From the Deatnu river, the local writer/artist Mary Somby and writer/artist Niillas Holmberg (Sápmi, TBC). Moderated by Prof. Gunlög Fur, Linnaeus University and postdoc Lindsay Doran, University of Eastern Finland.
19:00 River dialogues V Storytelling event and sharing of food on the riverbank of Deatnu (optional).
Saturday June 28th
Departure from Utsjoki to Inari/Ivalo