Mika Länsman is afraid that he will not see the extremely endangered snowy owl for a third time. Photo: Vesa Toppari / Yle

By Yle Sapmi

A fresh assessment of threatened species indicates an increasing loss of biodiversity in Finnish nature. Of the 22,000 species evaluated in the Red List of Finnish Species, 11.9% were classified as threatened, compared to 10.5% in the previous assessment. In early March when the Red List came out in Finland, a Sámi reindeer herder observed the snowy owl, an extremely endangered species, in the fell area of Ohcejohka (Utsjoki).

Text by Jouni Aikio, Yle Sápmi, Kaija Länsman, Yle Sápmi

You have probably seen it last time in a Harry Potter film. Reindeer herder Mika Länsman from Ohcejohka (Utsjoki) caught a glimpse of it in early March, in the middle of the beautiful white highlands of his home region.

«I was hauling hay to my reindeer. I was driving with the snowmobile when I suddenly sensed that there was something flying on my left,» reindeer herder Mika Länsman says.

«It was quite close, only 15–20 meters away. It flew in front of my snowmobile towards right, and settled some hundred meters away. It was a snowy owl.»

«I was really glad to see it,» Länsman rejoices.

The snowy owl is so threatened at present that there is a lack of good photographs on it. This photo was shot in 2012. Photo: Yle

Being a reindeer herder, Länsman moves often in the fell area, but it was only the second time in his life that he saw the snowy owl.

«It must be 15 years since I saw it for the first time. I was in the fell area, driving home from the roundup site in Skállovárri. There was a snowstorm. Suddenly, I saw a white bird flying ahead of me.»

«I wondered how that sea bird had ended up there in the highlands. But after some driving and thinking, I understood that it was not a sea bird but a snowy owl.»

Even snow conditions can threaten the snowy owl

Tuomo Ollila, Senior Officer of Metsähallitus, is checking the breeding grounds of another bird species. He tells that snowy owls are observed every now and then in the Sámi Area of Finland, but their number is not high.

Therefore, the snowy owl has again been included in the Finnish Red List as critically endangered [see https://www.environment.fi/en-US/Nature/New_estimate__every_ninth_specie…(49552)]. The Red List is a list of rare and endangered animal species that are in need of protection. In the list, the snowy owl has been categorized as critically endangered (CR).

«If the number of Norway lemmings is high, we will have 1–10 pairs of snowy owls breeding in Finland. The snowy owl stays in the CR category as it has not become completely extinct in Finland,» Tuomo Ollila says.

– At the beginning of March, I heard in Eanodat that someone had seen a snowy owl at a short distance, says Senior Officer Tuomo Ollila from Metsähallitus. Photo: Maiju Saijets / Yle

«We know that the number of snowy owls has also decreased internationally. The World Union for Conservation of Nature IUCN has moved it into the category of endangered species. It’s estimated that the number of snowy owls is at present considerably lower than 15 years ago.»

According to Ollila, it is difficult to give one clear reason why snowy owls are getting fewer all around the world.  Climate change may be one reason.

«Humans are not downright a threat to them. One thing that comes to my mind is the food situation. Maybe the number of Norway lemmings and voles has gone down,» Ollila reflects.

«It’s also possible that the snow conditions have changed so that the snowy owl has a hard time catching prey. It is, of course, a big bird, but it can’t dive through very hard snow.»

Might not see the snowy owl for a third time

As concerns the future of the snowy owl, all hope is not gone. According to Tuomo Ollila, Senior Officer of Metsähallitus, there were, last autumn, signs of the number of Norway lemmings and voles increasing, and they are, of course, what snowy owls feed on.

«Right now, we don’t know what will happen during this winter. We will know more in May when the snow melts. It’s possible that we’ll observe more snowy owls again.»

«At the beginning of March, I heard in Eanodat (Enontekiö) that someone had seen a snowy owl at a short distance,» Ollila says.

But Mika Länsman from Ohcejohka is afraid that he might not see the snowy owl for a third time in his life.

«Of course, it’s nice that I’ve seen it. It hasn’t vanished yet,» Länsman says.

Länsman is concerned about how climate change will affect northern species in general.

«Now that they’re talking about the world warming up, the change can, of course, be seen first here in the Arctic. I’m afraid that all the threatened animal species might disappear,» Länsman says.

Translated from Sámi by Kaija Anttonen

This story is originally posted by Yle Sapmi and translated and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region.

Andrey Zolotkov. Photo: Thomas Nilsen

Rosatomflot’s service base is not sized for all the planned new nuclear-powered icebreakers, says Andrey Zolotkov, who previously worked as engineer onboard one of the service vessels storing spent nuclear fuel.

By Thomas Nilsen

«So far, so good, but what if something goes wrong one day. Then questions will come in terms of why such operations take place within the city limits of Murmansk,» says Andrey Zolotkov, head of the autonomous non-commercial organization Bellona.

Before he started working for the nuclear safety watchdog group, Zolotkov worked for decades onboard «Imandra», a service ship storing spent nuclear fuel from the fleet of icebreakers. The vessel is berthed at Rosatomflot’s service base less than two kilometers north of the nearest blocks of flats in the Rosta district in Murmansk, a city with 300,000 inhabitants.

There are few cities in the world where more reactors’ maintenance work, change- and storage of uranium fuel, handling and storage of radioactive waste takes place within the boundaries of such big city.

«Look at the bases of the [military] Northern Fleet,» Andrey Zolokov illustrates. «There, all the maintenance and repair work with nuclear submarines take place outside and away from the towns where people are living.»

It is already crowded with vessels at Rosatomflot’s service base for nuclear-powered icebreakers in Murmansk. Photo: Thomas Nilsen

Every three to four years, the uranium fuel in the reactors of the icebreakers have to be replaced. Such high-risk operations are carried out with the most comprehensive safety precautions in the nuclear industry. Additionally, due to heat and high radiation, the fuel elements have to be temporarily stored for a few years before being transported away by train. At the base in Murmansk, such interim storage takes place onboard the two ships «Imandra» and «Lotta», as well as in spacial designed casks onshore.

An accident with release of radioactivity could reach densely populated areas in Murmansk long before anyone manage to trigger the emergency evacuation alarm.

«Considering the many new icebreakers coming the most risky parts of the nuclear maintenance operation should be moved further away from the city centre,» Andrey Zolotkov argues. He, however, underlines that there has never been any accidents at the service base.

Currently, Russia has four nuclear-powered icebreakers and one container carrier. Rosatomflot is the world’s only fleet of civilian nuclear powered vessels and when not sailing in icy waters, they are all moored at the quays in Murmansk.

The icebreakers keep the Northern Sea Route open for shipping and with the sharp increase in cargo predictedalong the north coast of Siberia in the years to come, the state-owned company both have several new and more powerful icebreakers under construction, as well as even more planned to be built during the next decade.

If funding is provided to built all icebreakers currently planned, and including those sailing today, the total number of nuclear-powered icebreakers could be more than doubled by the end of next decade.

According to an overview of the plans provided by Director of the Northern Sea Route Directorate, Vyacheslav Ruksha, the current icebreakers «Taimyr» and «Vaigach» will continue to sailuntil 2026 and 2027. The larger «Yamal» and «50 Let Pobedy» will sail at least to 2030 and 2039.

Three new 60 MW icebreakers are currently under construction at the Baltisky Yard in St. Petersburg. «Arktika» will be commissioned next year, while «Sibir» is scheduled for 2021 and «Ural» for 2022. The go-ahead for two more of the class were approved by Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on November 28th last year.

Then comes the giant Leader-class icebreakers, each with a propulsion power of 120 MW provided by two reactors of the RITM-400 type. Three such 209 meters long and 47,5 meters wide icebreakers are currently on the government’s tablefor how to meet the rising demand on the Arctic shipping routes.

Due to lack of own floating dock, maintenance on the hull of nuclear icebreakers are done in the central harbor of Murmansk, only a few hundred meters from the blocks of flats. Photo: Thomas Nilsen

The service base in Murmansk is also used for other maritime nuclear operation. Since last summer, the «Akademik Lomonosov» has been moored at the base while loading of uranium fuel and testing of the floating nuclear powered plant’s two reactors take place. The plant will be towed to Pevek in the Far East this summer, but will likely have to return to Murmansk when major maintenance work is needed in the future.

Two decommissioned nuclear-icebreakers, the [old] «Arktika» and «Sovyetsky Soyuz» are also currently laid-up at Atomflot.

Also, the base is the on location on the Kola Peninsula where spent nuclear fuel from the military fleet of nuclear-powered submarines can be reloaded to rail-wagons for transport out of the region. The special purpose vessel «Rosita» is shuttling between Andreeva Bay and Rosatomflot’s Murmansk base with the Cold War accumulated spent fuel elements. That work will likely continue  for at least five more years.

The train with the spent nuclear fuel drives straight through the city centre of Murmansk with its lethal cargo en route to Mayak, Russia’s reprocessing plant located in the South Urals.

«The mistake was made 50 years ago when Atomflot service base was created,» Andrey Zolotkov explains. In 1959, the Soviet Union had only one nuclear-powered icebreaker, the «Lenin».

«Now, it’s time to consider moving the most risky operations out of Murmansk.»

This story is originally posted by The Barents Observer and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region.

Anne Nuorgam, Heidi Eriksen and Kati Eriksen, fishers who fished in the River Vetsikko, rejoiced over the court decision. Photo: Vesa Toppari / Yle

The District Court of Lapland has acquitted all the defendants in the case that dealt with fishing in the river system of Tana.

Read in Russian | Читать по-русски

Text by Linnea Rasmus

The Sámi fishers that were accused of fishing without a licence and of a fishing violation in the Tana river system gathered in the Utsjoki Municipal Hall on Wednesday 6 March to hear the court decision in their case. The judgment was pronounced by the judge of the District Court of Lapland through video streaming from Rovaniemi.

Judge Esko Hohti started by citing the grounds of the decision. Every now and then, you could see the accused smile. This happened especially when the judge said that the defendants had a constitutional right to fish in their home rivers.

A few years ago, the new Fishing Act and the Tana Fisheries Agreement restricted the fishing rights of the local people. The four fishers who fished in the River Vetsikko and the one who fished in the River Utsjoki did not accept this. In the summer of 2017, they intentionally violated the Fishing Act in their home rivers in order to end up in court.

In court, the accused resorted to the constitution of Finland, pursuant to which the Sámi have a right to their own culture of which fishing is an important part. On 6 March, the District Court of Lapland confirmed that the accused did not commit a violation when they fished according to the old regulations and restrictions.

“The restriction of basic rights must be based on acceptable criteria. In this case, no acceptable reasons for restricting basic rights have been found.” This is what the decision of the District Court of Lapland says.

In its judgment, the District Court admits that the traditional fishing of the Sámi does not threaten the salmon populations in the rivers Vetsikko and Utsjoki, and, therefore, there is no need to restrict such traditional fishing the way the new regulations have done.

The accused were elated by the decision

Tears ran when Judge Esko Hohti finally pronounced the decision, according to which the accused fishers were acquitted.

«The court has now declared that we Sámi have rights to our culture. What a great feeling this is,» rejoiced Heidi Eriksen, who was accused of fishing without a licence on the River Vetsikko.

The defendants were elated in the Utsjoki Municipal Hall on 6 March 2019 when the judgment was pronounced. In the photo, the accused fishers Esko Aikio, Heidi Eriksen, Kati Eriksen and Anne Nuorgam. Photo: Vesa Toppari / Yle

Another fisher from the same river, Kati Eriksen, said that they initially thought that the court decision would mean nothing.

«But the realization that we were going to win the case evoked a lot of feelings: we had not done this and waited for a year and a half in vain,» Eriksen said.

Though victory felt good, it was just the first step in paving the way for Sámi fishing rights. The fishers now expect that the public prosecutor will take the case to the Supreme Court in order to create a precedent.

«Then, it will have an impact on the whole of Sápmi, or the Land of the Sámi, and not just on us five people. It will apply to everyone,» said Anne Nuorgam, who fished on the River Vetsikko.

Esko Aikio, who fished with a gill net in the River Utsjoki after the fishing period and was therefore accused of a fishing violation, has kept telling that this court decision is only the beginning of the proceedings of the case. Nevertheless, he also became glad when he heard the decision.

«I have to admit that it was a good feeling, though I also know that it was just the first phase of the victory,» Aikio said.

The fishers also consider a decision by a disctrict court important, though they still wait for the courts of appeal to confirm the fishing rights of the Sámi.

According to Esko Aikio, the decision may have an impact on how the authorities will interpret the present regulations as concerns the inhabitants of the area. He expects that the judgment will also bear on the sale of fishing licences by Metsähallitus in the summer of 2019 and on the readings of revisions to the Fishing Act in the Parliament of Finland.

Aikio also hopes that the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry would now discuss whether to change the fishing regulations concerning the tributaries of the River Tana so that the regulations would guarantee the basic and the human rights of the Sámi.

The prosecutor will appeal the decision

After the decision of the District Court, the parties have seven days to register their intent to appeal the judgment and thirty days to appeal. Prosecutor Anita Haapakoski intends to try to have the decisions changed in order to create a precedent.

«This is an extremely important and special decision,» Haapakoski said.

According to the prosecutor, it will be possible to appeal directly to the Supreme Court in order to create a precedent, if the defendants grant permission for it and the Supreme Court grants leave to appeal. If this does not happen, the prosecutor will appeal to the Rovaniemi Court of Appeal.

It may still take several years before the case has been closed.

Translated from Sámi by Kaija Anttonen 

This story is originally posted by Yle Sapmi and translated and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region

The Court of Lapland began hearing the case on illegal fishing in the Utsjoki Municipality Hall on 14 February 2019. Photo: Vesa Toppari / Yle Sápmi

At the Utsjoki Court, five Sámi have been accused of fishing offences. They base their fishing on their right to practice Sámi culture – a right pursuant to the constitution of Finland.

Read in Russian | Читать по-русски

Text by Linnea Rasmus

Fishing without a licence on the River Tana is the first criminal case in Finland in which the traditional rights of Sámi are used as justifying grounds for an offence.

In the summer of 2017, five people broke intentionally and as a protest the Finnish fishing regulations by not accepting the new fishing regulations. The four fishers who fished with a rod and a reel without a relevant fishing licence from Metsähallitus in the River Vetsikko are charged for fishing without a licence. The fisher who fished with a gill net in the River Utsjoki after the lawful fishing period is accused for a fishing violation.

At the courts session held in mid-February in Utsjoki, the accused denied having conducted any violations. They base their statements on the constitution of Finland.

The constitution guarantees Sámi as an indigenous people the right to maintain and develop their culture. The inhabitants of Utsjoki who are now being charged for illegal fishing and a fishing violation base their deed on their claim that fishing is an essential part of Sámi culture.

«This is a unique criminal case. This justification has earlier been referred to in cases dealing with land and real estate rights and in other civil cases, but this is the first time when it is used in a criminal case,» says lawyer Markku Fredman, who represents the accused who have been charged for fishing without a licence on the River Vetsikko.

Prosecutor Anita Haapakoski confirms that the court case is special.

«I wonder whether there has ever been such a case in the criminal court. This is a unique situation,» prosecutor Anita Haapakoski says.

According to the prosecutor, it is a good thing that a court now has to weigh two consitutional issues: responsibility for the environment, which here mainly concerns the protection of the Atlantic salmon, and the right of the Sámi to practice their culture.

«We have no precedents on such cases, and, therefore, the court must decide whether there is a need for stting a precedent in, for example, the Supreme Court. The decision will tell that,» Haapakoski reflects.

The court decision will be heard through the Internet at the Utsjoki Municipal Hall at 9 a.m on 6 March.

Background

In the summer of 2017, five people from Utsjoki, Finland, fished in the tributaries of the River Tana without a proper fishing licence, and then reported themselves to the police in order to be charged. The lower court of Lapland began the hearing of the case in the Utsjoki venue on 14 February 2019.

Four fishers who fished in the River Vetsikko are charged for fishing without a licence. The fisher who fished in the River Utsjoki is charged for a fishing violation.

The accused claim that, in the charge, the Fishing Act has been interpreted in a way that is contradictory to the constitution.

Section 17 (3) of the constitution guarantees the Sámi as an indigenous people the right to maintain and develop their culture.

The decision will ge given on 6 March 2019. The fishers have announced that they are prepared to appeal to international courts in order to change the Finnish fishing regulations.

Translated from Sámi by Kaija Anttonen

This story is originally posted by Yle Sapmi and translated and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region

Thomas Nilsen on the border to Russia. Photo: Atle Staalesen

His newspaper is banned by Moscow, but Thomas Nilsen and the Barents Observer continue reporting in Russian.

By Atle Staalesen, The Barents Observer.

«With the current difficult international relations, we need more cross-border journalism, not less,»  says Thomas Nilsen, editor of the Barents Observer.

His online newspaper was this week blocked by Roskomnadzor, the state media authority, and Russian readers now need to apply VPNs to read the stories.

It is a major blow to cross-border journalism in the region, Nilsen underlines.

«With the dramatical changes we see in the Arctic, the rapid climate change and serious environmental problems, it is more important than ever to have newspapers on site that independently can report from the region.»

«And they should publish also in Russian,» he adds.

The online newspaper based in Kirkenes, Norway, has delivered daily news in both English and Russian since 2003. Thousands of stories about regional developments in the North have been made available to readers on both the Nordic and Russian sides of the border, as well as to broad international audiences.

That bilingual reporting on 28th January came under attack as Roskomnadzor in a letter demanded the removal of a story about Dan Eriksson, a homosexual Sami man from northern Sweden. The story is violating Russian law, Roskomnadzor argues and refers to Eriksson’s two suicide attempts.

Dan Eriksson lived through years of mental distress before he came to terms with his sexuality. He is today a happy man who works with mental health among young gay men.

The Barents Observer refused to comply and since Tuesday this week the website has been blocked on Russian territory.

Thomas Nilsen agrees that there are cultural and linguistic differences between the countries in the north and that this is affecting regional security, society, ecology and businesses.

Independent cross-border journalism is good for cooperation, he underlines.

«A very good way to avoid misunderstandings and conflicts is to support cross-border bi-lingual newspapers like the Barents Observer,» he says.

«What Roskomnadzor does by censoring and blocking the entire Barents Observer from our readers in Russia is the opposite and is not good for the high north, it is not good for Russia itself either.»

«With Roskomnadzor as a tool, it seems like Kremlin is isolating itself from the surrounding world.»

Nilsen makes clear that it is out of the question to halt publishing in Russian.

He does not exclude that the Barents Observer will take the case to court. But help is needed, he underlines.

«We would very much like to challenge Roskomnadzor in court, but we are a small newsroom with very little cash. We are now looking into options on how to bring this case to justice in a Russian court room.»

This story  is originally posted by The Barents Observer, February 20, and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region.

Жизнь может быть адом. Но она может быть и другой, когда есть возможность говорить о вещах, которые вызывают боль, и иметь смелость быть самим собой. Сегодня, после многих лет проблем с психикой и двух попыток самоубийства, саам Дан Эрикссон радуется жизни и гордится своей гомосекусальностью. Фото: Педер Лундквист

Саам Дан Эрикссон, который сегодня гордится тем, что является геем, знает, о чем идет речь. Большую часть своей жизни он прожил в отрицании своей истинной сущности, и ему пришлось пережить годы страданий и две попытки самоубийства, чтобы найти в себе смелость говорить.

Автор: Марианне Хофман

Сегодня он хочет помогать другим понять, насколько важно быть самим собой, не молчать и жить.

Дан Эрикссон родился в Арьеплуге и прожил первые годы своей жизни в Лайсвалле вместе с родителями и шестью братьями и сестрами. Когда ему было десять лет, его отец скоропостижно умер от сердечного приступа, и семье пришлось переехать, поскольку они жили в служебном доме — его отел работал на горнорудном предприятии.

«И мать, и отец родом из Арвидсъура — она из Стортреска, а он из Ньялляура. Поэтому, когда нам пришлось переехать из Лайсвалля, моя мать решила поселиться в Арвидсъяуре, и здесь я и остался жить».

Саамские корни Даэна уходят далеко в прошлое, но долгое время он не особо интересовался своим происхождением.

«Я рос не среди саамов и не ходил в школу с саамами. Я не говорю по-саамски, и я до сих пор чувствую себя не совсем комфортно в саамской одежде. Но сегодня я горжусь тем, что я саам. Я гордый саам-гей».

Сейчас Дан Эрикссон радуется жизни и крепко стоит на ногах. Но это не всегда было так. Поворотный момент настал, когда он наконец осмелился быть самим собой. Фото: Педер Лундквист

О своем детстве Эрикссон говорит, что был счастливым и непоседливым ребенком, который еще в воскресной школе заинтересовался пением.

«Мама не работала и хорошо заботилась о нас. Но проблемы у меня начались еще в юном возрасте».

В подростковом возрасте Дан обнаружил, что его больше интересуют мальчики, чем девочки. Это чувство был инстинктивным, и он пытался подавлять его как можно дольше.

«У меня было полно своих собственных предрассудков», — объясняет он.

Дан съехался с женщиной, и у них появилось  двое детей. У него была хорошая работа, и он занимался спортом.

В какой-то степени это работало. Но Дан чувствовал себя плохо. У него развились психические проблемы, и в этот период он страдал психозами, депрессией и социофобией.

«Хуже всего была социофобия. Я пытался понять, что со мной не так. Я задавался вопросом, понимают ли люди, что я гей, и когда видел на улице молодых парней, то ждал, что они будут называть меня вонючим педиком. Если у вас есть проблема, о которой вы не можете говорить, она будет расти и просто кружиться в вашей голове как спутник. Вот что это было для меня. В конце концов я уже не мог этого выносить. Я был напуган».

Дан пал духом и постепенно совсем перестал получать от жизни удовольствие. В конце концов он решил, что у него есть только один вариант — покончить с жизнью.

«Я думал об этом годами. Пытался решить, как это сделать. Иногда за рулем я думал, что если увижу грузовик, то выеду на встречку прямо на него. Или думал выйти на балкон и прыгнуть головой вниз прямо на асфальт. Или заплыть в море и утонуть. Это такая ужасная боль внутри, которую почти невозможно выразить словами».

Эти мысли привели к тому, что однажды, находясь в летнем домике вместе с семьей,  Дан принял много снотворного на ночь.

«Наступает такой момент, когда уже больше нет сил думать о детях и близких родственниках. Как можно это делать, когда ты сам слишком устал, чтобы жить с самим собой? Человек, лишающий себя жизни, — самый одинокий человек в мире», — говорит Дан.

Но жизнь на этом не закончилась. Сорокалетнего Дана доставили в больницу, и когда он проснулся в отделении интенсивной терапии, у него на уме было только одно желание.

«Я хотел сказать: «Я гей». Но не мог».

В ситуации, в которой находился Дан Эрикссон, ресурсов общества не всегда хватает.

«Когда я чувствовал себя хуже всего, терапевтов было недостаточно — терапия помогает, только если хочешь говорить. Мне не о чем было говорить, я даже не хотел жить. Но я бегал трусцой, даже когда мне было очень плохо. Бег вызывал у меня всплеск эндорфинов, и я чувствовал себя хорошо, когда потел и у меня подскакивал пульс».

Несколько лет спустя Дан предпринял новую попытку покончить с жизнью с помощью таблеток. На этот раз он был в одиночестве. Но сразу после приема таблеток он напоследок позвонил женщине, которая называет себя его лучшим другом: Эдит, которой сейчас 86 лет.

«Моей бывшей теще, совершенно фантастическому человеку. Она сразу поняла, что происходит, и организовала для меня помощь, чтобы я выжил».

Дану Эрикссону потребовались две попытки самоубийства, чтобы стать самим собой. После многих лет отрицания и проблем с психикой теперь он чувствует себя счастливым и хочет помочь другим понять, насколько важно быть самим собой. Фото: Педер Лундквист

Сегодня Дан живет один. У него биполярное расстройство, и, чтобы держать болезнь под контролем, ему необходимо принимать препараты лития, но он счастлив.

«Я сижу здесь только потому, что открыл рот и заговорил. Я знаю, что «счастливый» — это большое слово для многих людей, но не для меня. Я прошел через ад, но я рад тому, что пережил в тот период своей жизни. Это может звучать странно, но это так. Что это за жизнь, если не развиваться и не меняться?»

Супруга Дана не особенно удивилась, когда Дан сказал ей, что он гей. Они по-прежнему дружат.

«На самом деле она знала еще до того, как я сказал ей; женщины могут видеть нас мужчин насквозь и знать больше, чем мы думаем».

После этого Дан рассказал о своей сексуальной ориентации своим двум сыновьям, братьям и сестрам и друзьям.

Сейчас он рассказывает о своей ориентации всем, кто хочет знать, и выступает с речами о том, как важно не молчать и принимать себя.

Никто, ни один человек, не отреагировал так, как ожидал Дан Эрикссон, пока он набирался смелости рассказать о своей ориентации.

«Меня сдерживали мои собственные предрассудки. Но я не могу и не хочу быть кем-то, кроме как самим собой. Теперь я хочу использовать свой опыт и помогать другим, рассказывая историю своей жизни, выслушивая тех, кому нужно высказаться, и время от времени спрашивая людей, есть ли у них «мысли о самоубийстве».

Дан прошел через это дважды. У него не только были мысли о том, чтобы покончить с собой, но в его жизни также был близкий родственник, испытывавший подобные мысли. Его старший брат Андерс совершил самоубийство в возрасте двадцати четырех лет.

«Господи, сколько вопросов остается не отвеченными из-за самоубийства, и на скольких людей оно влияет. Испытываешь шок, ищешь причины, винишь себя. Но на самом деле решение принимает тот, кто его совершает самоубийство».

Сейчас Эрикссон работает волонтером в некоммерческой организации Suicide zero («Нет суициду»). Там он пытается говорить о суициде как о социальной проблеме, но его выступления носят глубоко личный характер.

«У меня нет текста выступления — я полагаюсь на опыт. Я не хочу останавливаться на том, что пережил. Я делаю это в честь брата, и потому что знаю, что многие находятся в ситуации, в которой был я. Согласно статистике в год в Швеции происходит 1500 самоубийств. Это четыре в день — намного больше, чем число погибших в дорожно-транспортных происшествиях. Мы должны говорить о самоубийствах, мы должны находить в себе смелость задавать вопросы и мы должны слушать».

Дан Эрикссон не считал свои саамские корни чем-то важным. Но сейчас он заинтересовался своим происхождением, и ему нравится выступать перед саамами на темы гомосексуальности и суицида. «Как на представителя саамского народа на тебя давит необходимость быть сильным и справляться со всем самостоятельно. Но нет ничего плохого в том, чтобы показывать, что иногда можно быть слабым». Фото: Педер Лундквист

У Эрикссона постепенно растет интерес к его саамским корням. Он считает себя саамом, но не думает, что это каким-то особым образом повлияло бы на его жизнь.

«Я саам и горжусь этим, но это не было и до сих пор не является чем-то очень важным для меня. Мой предыдущий опыт того, что значит быть саамом, касался в основном конфликтов — как внутренних конфликтов между саамами, так и конфликтов между саамами и остальным обществом. Мы должны договариваться о разном, поскольку в конце концов так много всего нужно принимать во внимание: власти, пастбища, экономику … И как на представителя саамского народа на тебя давит необходимость быть сильным и справляться со всем самостоятельно. Но нет ничего плохого в том, чтобы показывать, что иногда можно быть слабым».

В своих выступлениях Эрикссон любит обращаться к саамам.

«Я часть саамского сообщества, и я хочу быть катализатором перемен и вдохновлять это сообщество на обсуждение таких вопросов, как суицид и гомосексуальность. Но, в первую очередь, в своих выступлениях я хочу достучаться до мужчин — любых мужчин вне зависимости от их происхождения. По статистике именно мужчины чаще совершают самоубийства и, к сожалению, до них достучаться труднее всего».

Эрикссон хочет дать очень простой и короткий совет тем, кто испытывает трудности:

Говорите.

Совет тем, кто чувствует, что у кого-то есть трудности, также прост и короток:

Слушайте.

«Это невероятно важно. Мы должны говорить, мы должны слушать. Нам не обязательно понимать, но мы должны заботиться. И время от времени мы должны не бояться спросить: «Есть ли у вас мысли о самоубийстве?» Это сложно, но не говорить об этом опасно».

This story is originally posted by Arjeplognytt and translated and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region

Life can be hell. But if you can talk about the things that lie behind the pain and dare to be the one you are, life can take a turn. Today, after years of mental health issues and two suicide attempts, Dan Eriksson is a proud and happy gay Sámi. Photo: Peder Lundkvist

Dan Eriksson, who is a proud gay Sámi today, knows what it is all about.

He has lived most of his life in denial about his true self, and he had to go through years of mental ill-being and two suicide attempts before he found the courage to talk.

Today, he wants to help others understand how important it is to be the one you are, to talk and to live.

Dan Eriksson was born in Arjeplog and lived the first years of his life in Laisvall together with his parents and six siblings. When he was ten, his father suddenly died of a heart attack, and the family had to move, as they lived in miners’ housing.

«Both my mother and father came from Arvidsjaur, she from Storträsk and he from Njallejaur. So when we had to move from Laisvall, my mother decided to settle in Arvidsjaur, and this is where I have stayed.»

Dan’s Sámi roots extend far into the past, but, for a long time, Dan was not especially interested in his background.

«I didn’t grow up or go to school in a Sámi community. I can’t speak Sámi, and I still don’t feel completely comfortable wearing the Sámi dress. But today, I’m proud of being Sámi, I’m a proud gay Sámi.»

Dan Eriksson feels a joy of life and keeps his feet on the ground. But this has not always been the case. The turn came when he finally dared to be himself. Photo: Peder Lundkvist

When describing himself as a small boy, Dan Eriksson tells that he was a happy and wild boy, who became interested in singing already in Sunday school.

«Our mother was at home and she took good care of us. But I ran into trouble when still young.»

In puberty and in his teens, Dan found himself being more interested in boys than girls. It was an instinct he tried to suppress as long as possible.

«I was full of my own prejudices,» he explains.

Dan moved in with a woman, and they got two children. He had a good job and was active in sports.

It worked in a way. But Dan did not feel good. His mental health issues became worse and worse, and, during this period, he suffered from psychoses, depression and social phobias.

«The worst thing was the social phobia. I tried to figure out what was wrong with me. I wondered if people could see that I was gay, and when I met young boys on the street I expected them to call me a stinky faggot. If you have a problem you can’t talk about, it will grow and just go round and round in your head like a satellite. That’s how it was for me. Finally, I couldn’t take it anymore. I was terrified.»

Dan was in low spirits and his joy in life faded and disappeared. Finally, Dan Eriksson felt that he only had one alternative – to end his life.

«I thought about it for years. I tried to decide how to do it. Sometimes when I was driving I thought that if a saw a truck coming I’d steer to the other side, into it. Or I thought that I’d go out on the balcony and jump head first to the asphalt. Or swim out into the sea and drown myself. You feel this pain, you feel this terrible pain inside; it’s almost impossible to put it into words.»

As a result of these thoughts, Dan took an overdose of sleeping pills one night when he was at the summer cabin together with his family.

«You get to the point where you no longer have the energy to think about the children and your near relatives. How can you do that when you’re too tired even to live with yourself? A person who takes his life is the most lonely person in the world,» Dan says.

But life did not end there. Dan Eriksson was taken to hospital, and when he woke up in the intensive care unit, at the age of forty, he only had one wish in his mind.

«I wanted to say “I’m gay”. But I couldn’t.»

The resources of society are not always enough in the kind of situation Dan Eriksson was in.

«When I felt worst it wasn’t enough to have therapists – therapy only helps if you want to speak. I didn’t have anything to talk about, I didn’t even want to live. But I did jog, even when I was doing really bad. Running gave me a burst of endorphins, and it felt good to sweat and get my pulse up.»

Some years later, Dan made a new attempt to end his life with pills. That time, he was alone. But right after swallowing the pills he called a last phone call – to a woman she describes as his very best friend: Edit, who is now 86 years old.

«My ex-mother-in-law, an absolutely fantastic human being. She understood right away what was going on and got help for me so that I survived.»

It took two suicide attempts before Dan Eriksson began to live as the one he is. After years of denial and mental health problems, he now feels happy and wants to help others understand how important it is to dare to be oneself. Photo: Peder Lundkvist 

Today, Dan Eriksson lives alone. He has been diagnosed with bipolarity and needs lithium medication to keep his illness under control, but he is happy.

«I only sit here because I opened my mouth and started talking. I know that “happy” is a big word for many people, but not for me. I’ve gone through hell, but I’m glad about the things I experienced during that period of my life. This may sound weird, but that’s how it is. What kind of life would it be if you only lived a stagnant life and never developed and changed?»

Dan’s spouse was not especially surprised when Dan told her about being gay. They are still good friends.

«As a matter of fact, she already knew everything before I told her; women can see right through us men and know more than we think.»

After that, Dan told about his sexual orientation to his two sons, his siblings and his friends.

At present, he tells about his orientation to everyone who wants to know and gives speeches on how important it is to talk and to accept yourself.

No-one, not a single person, has reacted the way Dan Eriksson expected before he found the courage to come out.

«I was held back by my own prejudices. But I neither can nor want to be anyone else than the one I am. Now, I want to make use of my experiences and help others by telling my story, by listening to the ones who need to talk, and by asking every now and then people whether they have “suicidal thoughts”.»

Dan has been there twice. He has had those thoughts about ending his own life, but he also has experience of being a close relative to one with such thoughts. His older brother Anders took his life at the age of twenty-four.

«God, how many questions a suicide leaves behind, and how many people it affects. You’re shocked, you search for reasons, you blame yourself. But the decision is actually made by the one who commits it.»

At present, Dan Eriksson works as a volunteer in the non-profit organization Suicide zero. There, he tries to increase awareness of suicide as a social problem, but his speeches are deeply personal.

«I don’t have a manuscript; I rely on experience. I don’t want to dwell on what I’ve gone through; I do this to honor my brother and because I know that there are many who are in the kind of situation I was in. According to statistics, 1500 persons commit suicide in Sweden every year. It’s four per day, which is much higher than the death toll of traffic accidents. We must talk about suicides, we must find the courage to ask questions, and we must listen.»

Dan Eriksson has not considered his Sámi background an important issue. But he has now become interested in his origin and likes to direct his words to the Sámi as a group when giving speeches on homosexuality and suicide. – As a man in the Sámi community, you feel the pressure to be strong and to cope on your own. But it’s not wrong to show that you can be weak sometimes. Photo: Peder Lundkvist

Dan Eriksson’s interest in his Sámi background has grown gradually. He considers himself a Sámi, but does not feel that this would have influenced his life in a special way.

«I’m Sámi and I’m proud of it, but it has neither been nor is very important for me. My earlier experiences on what being Sámi meant were mostly about conflicts, both internal conflicts between Sámi, and conflicts between the Sámi and the rest of society. We need to agree on things, as there is, after all, so much to take into consideration: the authorities, the grazinglands, economy… And, as a man in the Sámi community, you feel the pressure to be strong and to cope on your own. But it’s not wrong to show that you can be weak sometimes.»

Dan Eriksson likes to direct his words at the Sámi as a group when giving a speech.

«I’m part of the Sámi community, and I want to be a catalyst for change and inspire to discussion on both suicide and homosexuality in this community. But, above all, I’d like to reach men with my speeches, any men, wherever they have their roots. Men are overrepresented in suicide statistics, and, unfortunately, the most difficult ones to reach.»

The advice Dan Eriksson wants to give to those who have difficulties coping is short and clear:

Talk.

The advice to those who have a feeling that someone has difficulties coping is equally short and clear:

Listen.

«It’s incredibly important. We must talk, we must listen. We don’t need to understand, but we must take care. And every now and then we must dare to ask: “Do you have suicidal thoughts?” It’s difficult, but it’s dangerous not to talk about it.»

Translated from Swedish by Kaija Anttonen

This story is originally posted by Arjeplognytt and translated and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region

PHOTO: Peder Lundkvist.

Opinions on the impact of a planned test field for wind power on Uljabuouda Fell, Sweden, are divided.

Text by Marianne Hofman

According to the power company Skellefteå Kraft, the wind farm will strengthen Arjeplog’s reputation as a cold-climate test area. According to the local property owners, the field will bring an uglier scenery and disturbing light conditions and noise to the area. The result will be increased disturbance to reindeer herding, says the reindeer herders’ Maskaure Sámi Village.

Skellefteå Kraft AB has applied for changes in the licence the company has for its wind farm on Uljabuouda Fell.

At present, the permit allows the company to run twelve wind turbines, each with a maximum height of 125 meters. Now the company wants to develop, together with Vattenfall and other partners, the wind farm into a test field that will contribute to the development of wind turbines, element systems, components and sensors suited for a cold climate. There is no such a comprehensive test field in Europe.

In accordance with the application, the company wants permission to dismantle some of the existing wind turbines and replace them with new ones. It also wants to change the maximum total height of the turbines from the present 125 meters to 330 meters.

According to Skellefteå Kraft, the turbines can largely be operated within the framework of the present licence. As concerns noise and the natural environment, the company considers the impact of the changes in operation as insignificant. The landscape will change, but the company considers the impact from small to moderate, writing in the application that the effects are assessed as small because they only apply to a small number of people.

As concerns lighting, there will be a visible change. Today, each wind turbine is equipped with a blinking red light of intermediate intensity. However, turbines that exceed the height of 150 meters must be equipped with a blinking light of high intensity. According to Skellefteå Kraft, the impact of the new lighting is assessed as limited because of the long distance between the turbines and habitation.

As concerns reindeer husbandry, Skellefteå Kraft states that the wind farm brings it negative effects today but that, compared with the present operational situation, the change will just increase them slightly.

However, this view is not shared by the Maskaure Sámi Village, which expressed their concern for an increased negative impact in consultations earlier. According to the herders, the problems that the wind farm creates today will be exacerbated as a result of increased operations.

In the consultations, the herders even took up the psychosocial situation. A representative of the Sámi Village was concerned for the herders’ possibility of continuing reindeer herding in the area, but also about the Uljabuouda Wind Farm contributing to a development where more wind turbines could be erected in other herders’ villages.

PHOTO: Marianne Hofman

The municipality of Arjeplog says that the place-specific resources such as the geographical area and the cold climate, as well as researched natural and cultural landscape should contribute to sustainable development and growth; futhermore, the municipality states that the initiative of establishing a research station for renewable energy is in line with such a development.

The permanent inhabitants of the village Bellonäs have criticized the plan in a letter to the executive board of the municipality.

“Skellefteå Kraft has profited on the construction of hydroelectric power in Arjeplog without paying for it, making Skellefteå the richest municipality in Sweden at the expense of Arjeplog.

You are now planning to give away our great scenery and natural environment for free. We who live in the municipality might feel slightly better about this if we got something, for example cheaper electricity, as compensation.”

The Stibma Road Maintenance Association is also critical to the plan, saying that the description of the environmental impact that the first licence for a wind farm on Uljabuouda was based on was incorrect. The association also states that damage has already been done, but demands that a new decision request that the noise level should be monitored through measurements that include the noise of adjusting the turbines to the wind direction. The association also demands that the sycronization of the lights of the turbines function.

The 27th of December 2018 was the last day for submitting statements on the issue to the Environmental Permit Office of the County Administrative Board.

Translation from Swedish by Kaija Anttonen

This story is originally posted by Arjeplognytt and translated and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region.

Marja Helander ja su ”Bassi ja čilgetmeahttun”-govva Viidon sieiddit -čájáhusas. Govva: Ritva Torikka / Yle

Ritva Torikka / Yle

Viidon sieiddit -čájáhus lea oassi dieđalaš- ja dáiddalaš prošeavttas, man boađusin leat dáiddadujiid lassin girji ja musihkkaskearru.

Siidamusea Viidon sieiddit -čájáhusas leat dáiddaduojit Marja Helanderis, Ailu Vallesja Stina Aletta Aikios. Sanna Valkonenja Jarno Valkonenleaba prošeavttas mielde dutkin ja Jarno Valkonen lea dahkan maid čájáhussii muhtin govaid ja videoid.

Čájáhusain ja olles dieđalaš ja dáiddalaš prošeavttain dahkkit hálidit boktalit olbmuid smiehttat makkár lea min oktavuohta luondduin dálá áigge ja makkár dat lei sápmelaččain ovdal.

Prošeakta lea ožžon ruhtadeami Koneen säätiö -ruhtarádjosis.

Stina Aletta Aikio, Jarno Valkonen ja Sanna Valkonen. Govva: Ritva Torikka / Yle

Jurdda vulggii soljjuin

Viidon sieiddit -prošeavtta leaba bidjan álgui dutkiguovttos Jarno Valkonen ja Sanna Valkonen.

– Jurdda vulggii das, go Marja Helander hálai ruvkkiid váikkuhusain ja das, ahte sápmelaččat leat fuolas ruvkkiin iežaset orrunguovlluin, muhto liikká geavahit ovdamearkka dihtii silbasoljjuid, Jarno Valkonen muitala.

Soai bovdiiga mielde dáiddáriid ja nu sii huksegohte dán prošeavtta.

Jarno Valkonen hálida muittuhit, ahte maiddái lássa-, plastit- ja bábergohpaid materiála boahtá luonddus. Govva: Ritva Torikka / Yle

– Sámi árbevirolaš áddejupmi luonddus vuolgá báikkálaš luonddu árvvus atnimis ja dasa čatnaseami bealušteamis. Josmat mii smiehttat dálá máilmmi, mas mii leat šiittekeahttá mielde golaheami, diŋggaid ja eará váikkuhusaid bokte, de livččiigo sámi árbevierus ávdnasat 2010-logu ođđalágan gaskavuođa gávdnamii eatnamiin.

Valkonen hálida muittuhit, ahte buot mii mis lea, boahtá luonddus. Danin ii mihkkige galggašii leat dušše ovtta geardde geavaheami várás. Maiddái lássa- ja bábergohpaid ávdnasat bohtet luonddus, muittuha son.

– Sáhtašeimmetgo mii fuobmát dan, ahte dathan leat áibbas seamma láhkai luonddu ávdnasat.

– Jos mii atnit árvvus báhkkeguvssis dan oktavuođa lundui, de sáhtašeimmetgo mii eará materiálaidge oktavuođas atnit árvvus dan seamma ášši, jearrá Valkonen.

Govva Jarno Valkonen ja bargojoavkku videoinstallašuvnnas ”Luonddukultuvrralaš leahkin – rásseráidu. Eallin lea moivi”. Govva: Ritva Torikka / Yle

Mii sámiid dálá eallinvuogis lea čalmmustahttinveara

Ailu Valle ja su bargojoavku, mas leaba mielde Raquel Rawnja Aqqalu Berthelsen, lea dahkan prošeavtta ja čájáhusa jietnamáilmmi. Dan sáhttá gullat čájáhusas ja dat almmustuvvá maiddái skearrun.

Valle muitala, ahte go son oaččui bovdehusa searvat mielde Viidon sieiddit -prošektii, de son smiehtai oanehaš ovdalgo mearridii vuolgit mielde.

– Dieđusge go mun gullen dan, ahte dat soaitá leat oalle kontroversiealla fáddá, de dien láhkai mun gárten gal veháš áigge smiehttat duosttango mun vuolgit mielde dasa. Dat sáhttá leat dakkár ášši mii bohciidahttá máŋggalágan jurdagiid. Muhto go dat ollašuvai, de gal dat mu mielas šattai hui buorre, lohká son.

Ailu Valle hálida čalmmustahttit, ahte sámiin lea ain iežaset doaladumit ja eallinvuohki. Govva: Ritva Torikka / Yle

Valle smiehtada, ahte sámiid oktavuohta luondduin lea áiggiid mielde rievdan. Sámit leat dán áigge seamma láhkai go buot earátge dán ekonomalaš vuogádagas oassin ja sámiin leat buot seamma fievrrut ja teknologalaš rusttegat go earáinge. Su mielas lea guittotge mihtilmas, ahte sápmelaččain leat ain árbevirolaš ealáhusat sihke doaladupmi ja áddejupmi luonddus.

– Ja maiddái dakkár eallinfilosofiija. Ja dat lea namalassii, maid mun hálidan buktit ovdan. Das sáhtášii leat hui olu ávki go smiehttá dálá birasfuola áigodaga; dálkkádatrievdan ja buot diekkár lea nu garas. De sáhtášeimmet figgat eallit vehá eanet seastevaččat, evttoha Valle.

Ailu Valle joavkkus čájáhusa jietnamáilmmi leaba leamašan dahkamin maid Aqqalu Berthelsen ja Raquel Rawn. Govva: Ritva Torikka / Yle

Golaheami kultuvra

Marja Helander mielas luondu ja buot dat, mii dálá eanaspáppa alde dáhpáhuvvá lea hui miellagiddevaš fáddá. Son lea smiehttan ođđasiid ovdamearkka dihtii dálkkádatrievdamis ja golaheamis.

Viidon sieiddit -čájáhusas sus leat govat, main leat ovdamearkka dihtii ruvkkit, ruskkat ja eará luonddu ávkkástallamat. Go son lei dahkan govaid dán čájáhusa váras, de son fuobmái loahpas, ahte buot dáin govain lea oalle ahkidis dovdu.

– Moadde beaivve ovdal čájáhusa rahpama ihkku smihtten, ahte in mun sáhte ná diktit leat, mun ferten dahkat mannu čáppa gova vel. Dakkára, mii bohciidahttá doaivvu. Danin mun dasto dahken dákkár čáppa gova. Mun jurddašin, ahte dan namma livččii “Bassi ja čilgetmeahttun”.

Govas son lea geavahan rási iežas áhči rásseherbários, rássečoakkáldagas. Dan láhkai sus leat mielde maid ovddit sohkabuolvvat, muitala Helander.

”Oalle láhkai máilbmi hálida min dasa mielde, ahte álo oastit ođđa diŋggaid, ođđa telefovnnaid ja mat dal de leatge.

– Elle-Máret Näkkäläjärvi, čájáhusguossi”

Maiddái Marja Helander smiehttá dan, ahte olggosguvlui sámiid eallinvuohki orru leamen seammalágan go oppalohkkáige olbmuin Davviriikkain. Son smiehttá maid dálá golahankultuvra ja čujuha Ozas-jovkui, mii maid lea hálidan boktalit olbmuid jurddašit liigegolaheami.

– Mun iešge smiehtan golahankultuvrra, ahte maid dat dahká lundui. Dan sáhttá várra juohke okta smiehttat, mun iešge, ahte mo sáhtašii buorebut doaibmat, lohká son.

Helander hálida guittotge addit olbmuide friijavuođa dulkot iežas dáidaga iešguđege láhkai. Son lohká iežas geahččalan maŋimuš áiggiin guođđit saji, ahte olbmot sáhttet ieža smiehttat.

– Juohke okta sáhttá dulkot nugo hálida. Mun ain jo geahččalan leat fálakeahttá hirbmat čielga cealkámušaid, amas šaddat dakkár “statementtat” dat barggut.

Boktala jurddašit, lohká čájáhusguossi

Elle-Máret Näkkäläjärvioahpásmuvai Viidon sieiddit -čájáhussii ja dat buvttii sutnje máŋggalágan jurdagiid. Čájáhusa govat guoskkahit su. Dat leat earáláganat, go maid son lei vuordán.

– Go namma lea “Viidon sieiddit”, de vurden, ahte lea siiddiid birra sáhka. Muhto de, go mun gehččen dáid govaid, ahte mii lea dálá olbmo ipmárdus. Maid dat bálvala. Nu galhan duot várrage leat oalle lahka duohtavuođa. Boktalit goit jurddašit.

Viidon sieiddit -čájáhusguossi Elle-Máret Näkkäläjärvi lohká čájáhusa boktalit jurddašit. Su duogábealde Marja Helander govva. Govva: Ritva Torikka / Yle

Näkkäläjärvi smiehtada golaheami ja dan maid dat buktá mielddistis. Ruvkkiin bohtet metállat, maid juohke okta dárbbaša dálá áiggis, go leat biillat ja telefovnnat ja nu ain. Min buohkaid maŋis bohtet ruskkat, maidda dárbbašuvvojit ruskabáikkit.

– Leago dat dat, maid mii bálvalit vai leago dat dasto eará? Nugo ráinnas áibmu oidno dás ja vuovdi, luondu, mii ii leat nuoskkiduvvon. Nu, ahte mii dat lea maid mii bálvalit?

– Oalle láhkai máilbmi hálida min dasa mielde, ahte álo oastit ođđa diŋggaid, ođđa telefovnnaid ja mat dal de leatge, smiehttá Näkkäläjärvi.

Čájáhus gierdá áiggi

Sámemusea Siidda amanueansa Áile Aikiolohká, ahte su bargun dán prošeavttas leamašan láhčit saji čájáhussii. Su mielas čájáhus buktá máŋggalágan jurdagiid ja gierdá maid áiggi: dan sáhttá fitnat máŋgii geahččamen ja juohke háve dat bohciidahttá earálágan jurdagiid.

Siidamusea amanueansa lohká, ahte Viidon sieiddit -čájáhus buktá juohke háve ođđa jurdagiid, go čájáhusa manná geahččat. Govva: Nadja Mikkonen / Yle

– Čájáhus lea boađus prošeavtta dáiddalaš oasis. Dat galggašii suokkardallat ja evttohit, mii lea dat dálá sieidi. Mii lea min sieidi ja mii ja makkár lea min gaskavuohta lundui otnábeaivve, go mii eat šat eale luonddus.

– Stuorimus oassi sámiin ii šat eale ealáhusain, mat gusket njuolga lundui. Mii eallit hui guhkkinge luonddus, de mii lea min gaskavuohta dan lundui otná beaivve, jearrá Aikio.

”Viidon sieiddit”-čájáhus lea oaidnimis Sámimusea Siiddas boahtte giđa rádjai.

Ritva Torikka Yle

Dát reportáša almmuhuvvui álggus Yle Sámis ja almmuhuvvo fas dás dego oassi Eyes on Barentsas, ovttasbargu ođasorganisašuvnnaid ja bloggariid gaskkas Barentsguovllus

PHOTO: Ritva Torikka/Yle. Marja Helander and her photograph “Sacred and mysterious” at the exhibition Viidon sieiddit – The New Dimensions of the Sámi Relationship to Nature.

A group of Sámi artists want locals to reflect on their present relationship to nature and what this relationship looked like for Sámi people in the past.

Text by Ritva Torikka

Viidon sieiddit – The New Dimensions of the Sámi Relationship to Nature, a new exhibition now available for the public at the Sámi Museum Siida in Inari, Finland, asks what kind of forces we worship to today. The exhibit is part of an art and research project, which will, in addition to works of art, yield a book and a record.

The exhibition Viidon sieiddit consists of works of art by Marja Helander, Ailu Valle ja Stina Aletta Aikio. Sanna Valkonen and Jarno Valkonen, in turn, contribute as researchers, and Jarno Valkonen has also created a few photographs and videos for the exhibition.

The project has been funded by the Kone Foundation.

PHOTO: Ritva Torikka/Yle. Stina Aletta Aikio, Jarno Valkonen and Sanna Valkonen.

The idea was born out of Sámi brooches

The Viidon sieiddit project was launched by researchers Jarno Valkonen and Sanna Valkonen.

«We got the idea when Marja Helander talked about the impact of mining and how the Sámi are disturbed by the prospect of increased mining in their home region, but still use, for example, silver brooches,» Jarno Valkonen explains.

The two researchers invited artists to join them and began to build up the project.

«The traditional Sámi view of nature arises from respect for the local environment and from protecting the natural conditions. For example, if we think of the world today, we undoubtedly participate in consumption, through goods and other impacts. Therefore, we can ask whether the Sámi tradition could provide a basis for a new kind of relationship with the earth in the 2010s.»

Valkonen wants to remind us that everything that we have comes from nature. Therefore, we should not use anything just once and then dispose of it. He notes that even the materials for glass and paper cups come from nature.

«It would be good if we realized that they are also natural materials.»

«If we appreciate the connection between the environment and a cup made from the burl of a birch, maybe we could also appreciate the same link as regards other materials,» Valkonen says.

What to spotlight in the present Sámi way of living

Musician Ailu Valle and his team, which has also consisted of Raquel Rawn and Aqqalu Berthelsen, have created the soundscape of the project and the exhibition. The visitors can listen to it in the exhibition, and it will also come out as a record.

Valle tells that when he was invited to join the project he had to think about it a while.

«When I heard the theme, I realized that it could arouse controversy; therefore, I had to reflect for a while on whether to join the group. The project can arouse many kinds of thoughts. But now that we’ve completed the exhibition, I really think we succeeded well,» he says.

PHOTO: Ritva Torikka/Yle. Ailu Valle wants to spotlight that the Sámi still have their own sources of livelihood and ways of living.

According to Valle, the relationship the Sámi have with nature has changed over time. At present, the Sámi are part of the economic system just like everyone else, and the Sámi use the same vehicles and technological devices as others. But according to Valle, it is still typical of Sámi to practice traditional livelihoods and to have a connection with and understanding of nature.

«Plus a certain philosophy of life. And that is exactly what I want to spotlight. The Sámi view can turn out to be beneficial when we think of the present period of environmental concern: climate change and all those issues are so difficult. We really could try to live a bit less wastefully,» Valle suggests.

Consumerism

Marja Helander finds nature and everything that is happening here on the earth extremely interesting. She has reflected a great deal on, for example, the news on climate change and consumption.

In Viidon sieiddit, she introduces the public to photographs that represent, for example, mining, waste and other ways of exploiting nature. After taking and completing the photos for this exhibition, she realized that all the images carried a rather gloomy feeling.

«A few days before the opening, at night, I decided that I couldn’t let it be like that; I had to create one more positive photo too. Something with a feeling of hope. That’s why I made this beautiful picture and called it “Sacred and mysterious”.

In the photo, Helander has used his father’s herbarium, or collection of plants. For her, this means that earlier generations also contribute to her photography.

Marja Helander also feels that, for a non-Sámi, the Sámi way of living may seem very similar to the way in which people in the Nordic countries in general live. She also reflects on consumerism, referring to the Sámi band Ozas, which has also wanted to make people reflect on overconsumption.

«I, too, reflect on consumerism and the impact it has on nature. I suppose everyone, including me, could think a bit more about how to do things in a better way,» she says.

Nevertheless, Helander wants people to interpret her art freely, the way they want. Lately, she has tried to leave room for people to figure out things themselves.

«Everyone can interpret my works as they wish. I try not to provide too clear explanations; I don’t want my works of art to turn into “statements”.

Exhibition visitor: “Inspires me to think”

Elle Máret Näkkäläjärvi was at the opening of the Viidon sieiddit exhibition in early October, and the exhibit made her think about many things. The photographs made an impression on her. They were different from what she had expected.

«When the name of the exhibition is Viidon sieiddit (“Extended sacred sites”), I expected to see photos of sacrificial sites. But these images made me think about the view we have today. What we worship today. I guess they come very close to truth. At least they inspire me to think.»

PHOTO: Ritva Torikka/Yle. According to Elle Máret Näkkäläjärvi, a visit to the exhibition inspired her to reflect on many things. Behind her, a photograph by Marja Helander.

Näkkäläjärvi reflects on consumption and its effects. «Mining provides us with metals that everyone needs today, in our cars, phones, etc. We all create waste for which we need dumps.»

«Is that the thing that we worship, or maybe something else? For example, the clean air we see in this work, and the forest and the environment which have not been polluted. So, what do we actually worship?»

«The world intensively tries to engage us in buying new things all the time; new phones and all those things,» Näkkäläjärvi reflects.

The exhibition worth several visits

Curator Áile Aikio from the Sámi Museum Siida says that, in this project, her role was to provide facilities for the exhibition. She feels that the exhibit gives rise to a range of thoughts and is also durable in a way: you can visit it many times, and it will give you new ideas every time.

PHOTO: Nadja Mikkonen/Yle. Curator Áile Aikio from the Sámi Museum Siida says that Viidon sieiddit will give a spectator new ideas during every visit to the exhibition.

«The exhibition is the result of the artistic part of the project. Its purpose is to reflect on and suggest what kind of siedis, or sacred forces, we worship today. What is our sieidi and our relationship to nature now that we no longer get our living from nature.»

«A majority of the Sámi no longer earn their living from livelihoods that are directly connected with the environment. We can live far removed from nature, so what is our relationship to the environment today?» Aikio asks.

Viidon sieiddit – The New Dimensions of the Sámi Relationship to Nature is available for the public at the Sámi Museum Siida in Inari until spring 2019.

Translation from Sámi by Kaija Anttonen

This story is originally posted at Yle Sapmi and re-published as part of Eyes on Barents, a collaborative partnership between news organizations and bloggers in the Barents region.