The Arctic University Museum of Norway (copyright)

The Turf Hut Model

By Cathrine Baglo

The disappearance of the Coastal Sámi As a cultural display category

On a shelf in the basement of the Arctic University Museum of Norway in Tromsø sits a model of a Sámi turf hut. The model is carefully made from wood, birch bark, turf and small stones, and unlike turf huts used a by nomadic Sámi reindeer herding communities, the model has stalls for livestock. According to the museum catalogue the model was made by “Sjur Olsen Korsfjord Talvik” for The General Exposition for Tromsø Diocese in 1870. Most likely it was based on the Olsen family dwelling in Fielvuotna (Korsfjord), a coastal Sámi community to the south of Áltá in the previous parish of Dálbmeluokta (Talvik). The term “coastal Sámi” was coined by missionaries in the early 1700s to describe people in coastal areas who spoke Sámi, lived on farms and attended church regularly. However, Sámi who subsisted on fishing and farming are known in historical sources since the 1500s.

According to the census for Talvik, 1865, Olsen was a 45-year old fisher and farmer who lived at “Guodegieddo” with his wife, five children, a maidservant, a fish- and farmhand and another fisher. He was registered as Sámi (lap) but spoke Norwegian (taler norsk). Ten years later, in 1875, the family were still living in Korsfjord, probably at the same place but now registered with a Norwegian name – “Sjurseng” – the grassland of Sjur. Olsen was still registered as “Lappish” and as speaking Norwegian, but this time the registrar has added under the heading remarks – “speaks Norwegian customarily” (taler norsk sædvanlig).

In my project, I have investigated how cultural assimilation processes along with an almost universal emphasis by the tourist industry, museums, scholars and others on the Sámi as reindeer herders, since the last part of the 19th century, led to a marginalization of the Norwegian coastal Sámi – much like the Inari Sámi in Finland and the forest Sámi in Sweden. Only herders with a nomadic lifestyle were considered to be ‘genuine’ Sámi. Those who were not became invisible in the policy field as well as in Sámi research and Sámi cultural display.

The point of departure has been two industrial expositions held in Tromsø in 1870 and 1894. At The General Exposition for Tromsø Diocese in 1870, coastal Sámi culture was a prominent part of the display. In addition to the reconstruction of a coastal Sámi dwelling place inhabited by a family from Unjárgga (Nesseby), various coastal Sámi objects were exhibited, such as Olsen’s turf hut model. However, when The General Exposition for Fisheries, Agriculture and Industry was held in Tromsø in 1894, the coastal Sámi as a display category was no longer present. Instead, the focus was exclusively on nomadic reindeer herding Sámi.

Emphasis on the Sámi as reindeer herders became a dominant practice in cultural displays both in Norway and abroad from the 1870s. Simultaneously, the coastal Sámi seem to have disappeared as a cultural display category, also at exhibitions outside Tromsø. Olsen’s model in the museum basement seems to speak to this marginalization – the museum was established in 1872 based on objects from the 1870 exposition. Through the act of not giving attention to coastal Sámi culture in displays, museums lent themselves to Norwegian assimilation policies. As an effect, the coastal Sámi have remained largely unknown among the Norwegian public, regarding both their historical identities and as contemporary societies.

Darfedáloža modealla

Riddosámiid jávkan kultuvrralaš čájáhuskategoriijan

Hildus Norgga árktalaš universitehtamusea gealláris Romssas lea modealla sámi darfegoađis. Modealla lea dárkilit dahkkin muoras, beassis, lavnnjiiguin ja geađggážiin, ja earuhus daidda darfegođiin maid johtti sámi boazodoalliservodagain leai, de leat modeallas hiŋgalat lihtariidda. Museakataloga jelgii lea “Sjur Olsen Korsfjord Talvik” ráhkadan dán Almmolaš čájáhusa váras Romssa gieldii jagis 1870. Jáhkehahtti lea ahte dat lea vuođđuduvvon Olsen bearraša orohagas, sii ásse Fielvuonas, riddosámi searvegoddi Álttá máddelis, ovdalaš Dálbmeluovtta girkoservodat. Doaba ”riddosámit” ráhkaduvvui miššonearain 1700 jagiid álgogeažis go galge čilget olbmuid mat ásse riddoguovlluin ja geat sámástedje, sii elle dállodoaluin ja manne dávjá girkus. Muhto sámit geain ealáhus leai guolásteapmi leat dovdosat historjjálaš gálduin juo 1500 jagiid rájis.

Álbmotrehkenastima mielde Dálbmeluovttas jagis 1865 leai Olsen guolásteaddji ja eanandoalli ja eamidiinnis son ásai “Guodegiettis”, viđa mánáin, bálvváin, guolástan- ja gieddebargoveahkkiin ja nubbe guolásteddjin. Registaris son leai sápmelaš ja son dárustii. Logi jagi maŋŋá, 1875, de orui bearaš ain Fielvuonas, jahkehatti seammá báikkis, muhto dál sus leai Norga namma registaris -”Sjurseng” – Sjurs rásášeanan. Registar mielde Olsen leai ain čállen sisa sámiin ja ahte son dárustii, muhto dál lea dat guhte čálii registara lasihan bajilčállosa vuollái- “hupmá dárogiela dábálaččat” (taler norsk sædvanlig). Mu prošeavttas mun lea suokkardan movt kultuvrralaš assimilerenproseassat ovttas measta universála deattohemiin turismaindustriijas, museain, dutkiin ahte sámit leat boazobargit 1800 jagiid loahpageažis dagahii ahte norgga riddosámit šadde ravdabeallái- sullii nugo anársámit Suomas ja vuovddihat Ruoŧas. Dušše boazosámit geat ledje johtti olbmot árvvoštallojuvvo leat albma sámit. Sii geat eat lean dat šadde oaidnemeahttumat politihkas ja maiddái sámi dutkamis ja kulturčájáhusain.

Dan ahte deattuhit sámiid leat boazobargit šattai geavatlaččat ráđđejeaddji kulturčájáhusain sihke Norggas ja olgoriikkain 1870 jagiid rájis. Seammás orrot riddosámit jávkan kultuvrralaš čájáhuskategoriijan, maiddái čájáhusain olggobealde Romssa.

Vuolggasadji lea leamaš guokte industriija čájáhusa mat ledje Romssas jagiin 1870 ja 1894. Dan almmolaš čájáhusas Romssa girkoservvodagas jagis 1870 leai sámi riddokultuvra váldooassi čájáhusas. Earret dan ahte ođđasit hukset riddosámi ássanbáikki mas bearaš Unjárggas ásai, de čájehedje maiddái riddosámiid dávviriid, nugo Olsena modealla darfedálus. Muhto dalle go almmolaš čájáhus guolásteamis, eanandoalus ja industriijas čájehuvvui Romssas jagis 1894, de sámi riddoguovlu ii šat lean čájehankategoriija. Dan sadjái leai fokus duššefal johtti boazosámiin.

Dan ahte deattuhit sámiid leat boazobargit šattai 1870 jagiid rájis geavatlaččat deháleamos kulturčájáhusain sihke Norggas ja olgoriikkain. Seammás orrot riddosámit jávkan kultuvrralaš čájáhuskategoriijan, maiddái čájáhusain olggobealde Romssa. Olsen modealla musea gealláris orro čujuheami dán marginaliserema guvlui – musea vuođđuduvvui jagis 1872 dávviriiguin 1870 jagi čájáhusas. Go musea ii čalmmustahttán sámi riddokultuvrra čájáhusain de luoikkai musea iežas norgga assimilerenpolitihkkii. Boađus das lea ahte riddosámit leamaš meastá apmasat norgga álbmoga gaskkas, sihke sin historjjálaš identitehta ja dálá áiggi servodat.

Teavsttat leat jorgaluvvon dávvesámegillii girječálli John Erling Utsis ja Camilla Brattland, Norgga árktalaš universiteahttamusea, lea divvon daid.