Return of the Sámi

Following World War II, a wave of concern for minority rights swept Europe. This newfound support for minorities was reflected in documents and treaties created by the UN, first in 1948 and later in 1966. Norway reversed anti-Sámi laws banning the use of the indigenous language within the educational sphere. Starting in 1948, textbooks began to be printed in both Norwegian and Sámi, leading to the language legally being allowed in instruction in 1959 [Davies & Dubinsky, 2018]. The government still encouraged Norwegian learning, and many programs changed to focus on bilingualism. This legislation made a space for native speakers to still speak their mother tongue while gaining an education. With the establishment of accessible education and an international concern for indigenous minority rights, the Nordic Sámi Council was formed in 1953 and was later expanded to include Russian Sámi populations [Minority Rights, n.d.]. This rise in activism and political agency allowed Sámi to return to the public sphere.