The Kathryn A. Martin Library at the University of Minnesota Duluth has one of the largest Sámi collections in the world, with thousands of books, films, and other items related to the indigenous people of northern Scandinavia. Library Director Matt Rosendahl recently traveled to Sápmi, the traditional lands of the Sámi people, to visit cultural centers, museums, and libraries and meet with people working to preserve Sámi language and culture.
“There’s a long list of cultural, environmental, and historical programming we’re going to develop over the next few years that comes from a deeper and more nuanced understanding of not only the history, but the ways that Sámi people experience contemporary issues,” Rosendahl said.
Rosendahl highlighted the work on climate change that is happening in Sápmi, such as the Zero Arctic Project, which examined how to learn from traditional knowledge and the ideas of traditional construction in designing climate-friendly buildings. The project focused on Northern Finland, Canada, and Japan, with an emphasis on cooperations with the indigenous people of the regions.
“There’s a lot to be learned from what’s happening in Sápmi that can be applied here in northern Minnesota — and, in fact, connected with work that’s also happening here,” he said.
Rosendahl, who received an international travel grant from the Global Programs and Strategy Alliance to support the trip, visited Inari and Sevettejarvi, Finland, and Karasjok and Neiden, Norway.
