THEME EVENING: THE SÁMI ON OCTOBER 24 AT THE GEOMUSEUM IN MÜNSTER

The only indigenous people in Europe

The Sámi are the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Finland) and the Kola Peninsula in Russia. The indigenous Sámi population in the north speak Sámi, a Finno-Ugric language related to Finnish.
What do we know about the extraordinary traditions and history of the Sámi? What do we know about the injustices committed against them over the past centuries? The theme evening approaches these topics in lectures and moving images and opens up different perspectives.
Lectures from the Institute of Scandinavian Studies at the University of Münster: Prof. Dr. Roland Ludger Scheel talks about "Sagas/Sámi in pre-modern texts from Scandinavia". Alina Wehrmeister M.A. will take a look at the topic from the outside: "Modern perspectives on internal colonization". Finally, we will take a look from the inside: After speaker Eeva-Kristiina Nylander unfortunately had to cancel, we were able to win Áslat Holmberg for the theme evening at short notice. Over the past ten years, he has worked in non-governmental organizations, in the Sámi parliament, as an activist and in academia on Sámi and indigenous issues. He is currently President of the Sámi Council. He is a fisherman and has a master's degree in indigenous studies. Indigenous rights and indigenous knowledge are the focus of his work in various areas.

The 75-minute film "Eatnameamet - Our silent struggle" will be shown afterwards. The current documentary film by Sámi filmmaker Suvi West about the Finnish government's attitude to Sámi rights and self-government will be shown in the original version with subtitles.

The evening will be moderated by Mikko Fritze, Director of the Finnish Institute in Berlin.

The event will be held in German and English. In cooperation with the Arbeitsstelle Forschungstransfer (AFO) of the University of Münster as part of the Expedition Münsterland, the Finnish Institute and the Geomuseum Münster.