Abstract

The article introduces Muittalus samid birra (1910, An account of the Sami) by Johan Turi, the fi rst
book with a secular content written in the sami language by a sami person. The author, a wolf hunter
and reindeer-breeder, describes a broad spectrum of his people’s daily life. Pictures of everyday
activities are supplemented with stories about the sami people’s knowledge of the world (traditions,
myths, legends).
Turi’s book is a candid protest against the depreciation of the sami culture perpetrated by the Nordic
countries (Sweden and Norway); a protest written by someone who “has witnessed the struggle of
his people, or rather, his people giving in to dominating oppressors”. The article concentrates on
how Turi creates a specific “nomadic space” in his narrative. Writing – which till now has served
as the effective tool of the authorities – is used in a subversive fashion by the author. Through his
narrative he creates the limitless landscape of the nomad, a space where sami people feel at home
and can assert their rights.

Citations

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