Indigenous Peoples in the Barents cooperation Anna Prakhova June, 26-27, 2008, Murmansk «The models of CPC: BSR and Barents region» BEN-East project

From the history of exploration of the Kola Region The Murmansk Region forms the North-Western administrative unit of the Russian Federation. It is situated on the Kola Peninsula and its borders are washed by the Barents sea at the North and White Sea at the North East. Its land frontier borders with Norway and Finland in the West and the Republic of Karelia in the South.

Lujavri from the Google Lakes: Imandra, Umba, Lujavr, Sejdjavr Mountains: Khibiny, Lovozerskie Lujavri

Lovozero/Lujavr - Village and Lake view from helicopter

The first Russian settlements Varzuga and Umba appeared along the White Sea coast “Tersky bereg” in the 15th century. At the time there was a town called Kola, which was founded in the estuary of the Kola Bay. In the Middle Ages, there were three states fighting for the right to control these Northern territories: Sweden/Finland, Denmark/Norway and Russia. Sweden/Finland collected taxes from the Saami People until the middle of the 18th century, Russia and Denmark/Norway – until the beginning of the 19th century. An increase in the number of population was first observed at the end of the 19th century. It was brought about by a special colonization policy set by the Tsar for Russian peasants, Norwegians and Finns to the Barents coastal area “Murman”. Also Komi and Nenets reindeer herders with their own reindeer flocks migrated over the White Sea to the Eastern areas of the Peninsula due to a tough epidemiological situation there. The population of the Saami has remained largely the same over the last three hundred years – approximately 2,000 individuals.

The impact of regional exploration on the Kola Saamis In the year 2002 Saami people population was 0,15 % from all population of the region. There were 1565 Saami in 1979 and 1769 in 2002 (All- Russia Census 2007: 6) All these processes have had a big

The Indigenous Peoples’ Year in the Barents Co-operation – the Year 2005 Motto of the Year: Learning By Cooperating Goals of the Year: Care and Responsibility for Our Common Homeland Mutual Respect and Understanding Admittance of the Cultural Diversity Peoples to Peoples Co-operation

WGIP – Working Group of Indigenous Peoples in BEAR 1993 established 1995 Advisory Status 2005 Harstad Declaration 6 members (4 Saami, Nenets, Vepsian) Regional Council – 1 Regional Committee Secretaries (Advisor in Norwegian Barents Secretariat, Kirkenes and Head of BIPO in Lovozero) CSO 1st meeting of the Year

BEARBEAR

Self-determination Trondheim, First meeting –Saami National Day (Saami Parliament in Russia) 1956 Saami Council (ECOSOC UN) 1973 Saami Parliament in Finland 1989 Saami Parliament in Norway 1993 Saami Parliament in Sweden 1993 – UN Indigenous Year UN Indigenous Decade, SP Council Second UN Indigenous Decade 2005 – Indigenous Year in the Barents cooperation September 13, 2007 UN Declaration on the Rights of IP August 9 – the Day of Indigenous Peoples in the World

Saami symbols August 1986, XIII Saami Conference Astrid Bol, artist Anders Fjelner ( ), poem “Children of Sun” Isak Saba , Unjarga/ Varangerbotn

Factors to preserve the language Russian language as native (1995)- 80 % of Saami Number of speakers Language environment Types of activities Rebirth of language Mixed marriages Language policy of the State Prestige of language Presence of written language Role of mass-media (ref: Vakhtin, Golovko, 2004: )

Language environment Russian language is only “concurrent” for Saami language in Kola. Davvin-saami language and international cooperation over the state borders are increasing and influence language situation.

the Saami People are divided between four different countries. “The Stone of the Knowledge” in Kautokeino, Norway and 4 Saami from 4 States. The new building of the Saami University will be ready there in 2009.

Football is all ages, and we restoring and combining with new forms. Saami football is one of the main events at the Summer Festival in Lujavri (2d or 3d Sunday of June before “the Saami Air Force” will take on its wing). 1 st left - Match in Karasjok 2007 – again 2:2; friendship is winner! 2d upper – penalty; 3d down –our “Dasaev” - best goalkeeper Maria Kalmykova.

Twin-municipalities cooperation is natural part in BEAR/ National Culture Centre in Luajvri/Lovozero. Its reconstruction was financed by MFA Norway and Sweden, Nordic Council of Ministers, Norsk Barents Secretariat, Karasjok kommune. Opening of the Kola Saami Radio in its building – june 2005.

The established state borders have not taken into account the interests of Saami People living in “siidas” (Saami villages), which corresponded to the territories of traditional land use. If traditional trades are secured and preserved then language has more chances. Fishing, hunting and reindeer husbandry, “hard” and “soft” handicraft – these trades were always considered as traditional for Saami people. Nowadays only reindeer husbandry is remain, but it is in serious crisis to diminish. The rest of activities officially recognized as amateur activities, or hobby. But last September the Saami handicraft trade mark was officially registered in Russia.

Reindeer husbandry Saami type of reindeer husbandry 1890 th komi-izhemtsy 1930 th collectivization 1960 th enlargement 1970 th sovkhoz 1990 th cooperatives 2000 th ancestral communities (obschina) 1993 World Reindeer herders Union 1997 Association of RH in Russia 2008 Association of RH in Murmansk region

Radio-connection: village-tundra

The basis of Kola Saamis’ social organization – “siida”, “sijt”, “obschina”, “ancestral community” The family has always been the basic unit of the Kola Saamis’ social organization. Some families joined together for performing common tasks – fishing and hunting, taking care reindeer etc. The main goal of the community is to provide all members with food, and that is why fairness and solidarity are the main principles of the community/sijta. The obschina unites people on the basis of common culture and language, on the basis of activities aimed at future and based on common economic interests. Each community /sijt has got their own territories, where only members of community can hunt, fish, pick berries. Every member of the community is aware of the territory borders and the communities know about neighbouring borders. Unity and security are the basis of the sijta life. Rights on hunting lands, pastures and fishing waters are divided between families in accordance with necessities and the size of family. Most important decisions need the presence of the representatives of all the families. In the 19th century “siita” were spread out on the whole of the territory of the Peninsula, with exclusion of the “Tersky bereg”, which was inhabited by the Pomory.

“The new” is usually an almost forgotten “old” thing. “obschina” /”sijt” is a form of special legal organizational unit Federal Law “About the general principles of the organization of the obschinas (ancestral communities) of the Indigenous Peoples of the North” enables getting access to traditional forms of production and uniting family incomes for preserve their native language and the cultural heritage. from ”the paper” to “the reality” and to the implementation a“trip” is not short and easy;

Feeling of motherland is strong Saami Language is used at home, on festivals, and surely on nature, especially in reindeer husbandry, fishing.. Speaking native language gives a feeling of home, feeling of motherland – tell speakers.

We believe – reindeer should remain alive… For all these years the problems related to Saami culture, language, reindeer husbandry, fishing and hunting were overlooked. The ideas on preservation of culture were based on the principles of the majority society, whereas the Saami community had its own different social organization, which was, however, nearly destroyed by that time.

December the UN General Assembly by its Resolution proclaimed the Second UN International Indigenous Peoples Decade ( ) May 15 th –26th, 2006 UN Indigenous Peoples’ Issues Forum, New-York September 2007 – UN General Assembly adopted Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples

The revival and strengthening of traditional economic activities can help to increase employment and initiate self-development of the Saami people.

Barents cooperation: Economic development Economic cooperation, trade and investment. Customs cooperation. Energy. Transport. Information technology. Other links to business and economy in the Barents Region.Economic cooperation, trade and investment. Customs cooperation. Energy.Transport.Information technology. Other links to business and economy in the Barents Region. Barents cooperation: The environment and nuclear safety Environmental protection. MNEPR and nuclear safety. Environmental protection.MNEPR and nuclear safety. Barents cooperation: Human and social development Education and research, health and related social issues, culture, youth policy, indigenous peoples issues, gender issues. Link. Link

Pasjpe, Ollu gihhtu, Спасибо, Thank You for Your attention!