A project to promote minorities, the Skolt
Sámi - a minority among the Sámi

Sponsored by the Department of Culture in Norway, Peacepainting had a project to promote the Skolt Sámi - a minority among the Sámi minority.

The Skolt Sámi are considered to be the indigenous people of the borderland area between present-day Finland, Russia and Norway, i.e. on the Kola Peninsula.

The project was therefore divided in three parts, where we had painting workshops and subsequent exhibitions in both Norway, Finland and Russia.

In Norway, the project to lift Skolt Sámi was located in Neiden.

In Norway, the Skolt Sami's turbulent history over a period of just over 150 years includes the loss of language and rights.

In the 1800s, the Skolt Sami in Neiden were subjected to a ruthless Norwegianisation policy. In a relatively short time, they lost their ancient rights to salmon fishing in rivers and in the sea and to reindeer husbandry. Then they lost their traditional way of life and language.

Group portrait of Skolt family. Photo: Ellisif Rannveig Wessel. — Group portrait of Skolt family.
Photo: Ellisif Rannveig Wessel.

Today, Skolt Sami is a living language on the Finnish side, only 20 kilometers from Neiden, but not in Norway. Also on the Russian side of the border, there are a number of Skolt Sámi families who have preserved their language and traditions.

Other Sámi groups such as the Northern, Southern and Lule Sámi received formal and statutory status in Norway, but the Skolt Sámi did not.

The two world wars and new borders between Finland and the Soviet Union forced the Skolt Sami to leave their original territory. In the period from 1826 to 1949, the Skolt Sámi were forced move between Russia, Norway and Finland several times. Until recently, it seemed that the Skolt Sami were on the verge of extinction as a separate ethnic group, but in recent years they have made a great effort to preserve and develop their traditions and culture..