The Sámi Pathfinders: Addressing the Knowledge Gap in Norwegian Mainstream Education

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Generally speaking, a very solid paper that is clearly academically structured, and backed up. It is well-written, and contributes to existing areas of research, in a new way that has not been done previously. I would say that it is a fine paper that addresses important questions of belonging, the roles of educators and identity. It is excellently referenced and well-documented. A sound paper. 

Therefore, the following are mere suggestions of areas that I would say might be considered. However, the paper could be published as is, and requires no changes. Just food for thought, perhaps. 

L.31 - perhaps for those who do not know about the Sámi, it might be a good idea to provide more knowledge about them briefly here? Brief history in a couple of lines, numbers?

L.72 'little research maps discrimination' - what research even if there is little of it? 

L.89 'other national minorities'. the author does mention them later in the paper. But perhaps to the non-initiated person unaware of the indigenous history of Norway, it might be helpful to note them here, already?

L.152 Perhaps reference to Benedict Anderson's 'imagined community' is needed here - including people in national histories as part of the national identity, lead to a lowering in discriminatory practices used against them. 

L.162 'Of impact' - rephrase perhaps, this sounds strange. 

L.170 - comma missing here.

L.206 Duodji - again for the non-initiated provide definition in brackets, perhaps?

L.214 - same here for 'joik'?

L.232 'my research' - the author does mention in detail what their research is, but perhaps briefly here it should be stated what their research is exactly to introduce it. 

L.234 - replace yourself and you with oneself?

L.316 - the use of 'trifecta' here is strange?

L.235 what about addressing this issue here in more detail with scholarly research - the fact that the author is not indigenous but researching indigenous peoples - Skille, Brannely and Boulton, Olsen...

L.327 Spacing here is perhaps not correct?

L.449 'joiking' - defined in brackets again?

L.470 Punctuation?

L.494 - no paragraph indent?

L.535 lavvo (brackets and explanation)?

L.555 So followed by comma?

L.561-571 - Perhaps provide details to the non-initiated reader as to what the Sámi have actually lost or sacrificed in terms of land, etc? 

L.629 - scholarly references perhaps should be provided to back up argument that social media fuels hate speech beyond just the UNO? Goal et al, Finkelstein et al, Mathew and the spreading of hate speech/virality?

L.734-737 - punctuation?

L.762 repetition of line 758.

Perhaps provide details as to how long the interviews are, if they have been transcribed? Are they preserved? Will they be archived and accessible by other researchers, etc? 

 

The work is clearly structured and responds to what a good paper should look like? Thesis statement is clearly expressed, and each section leads and flows into the next. 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Response

REVIEWER 1

COMMENT: L.31 - perhaps for those who do not know about the Sámi, it might be a good idea to provide more knowledge about them briefly here? Brief history in a couple of lines, numbers?

RESPONSE: Due to the restructuring of the introduction in response to the editor’s suggestion about including my RQ earlier on and not relying on the abstract for information I have included the history/numbers about the Sámi in two different parts. I hope the reviewer considers this an appropriate division of the information required and contributes to the flow of the article.

 

Firstly in the introduction with the following :

 

From the late 19th century to at least the middle of the 20th century schools were the principle vehicle for the transmission and reproduction of Norwegian language, culture and ideology in an effort to homogenise and unify Norway’s inhabitants (Minde 2003). Fueled by Social Darwinism and scientific racism, notions of civilisation and nationalism and a perceived need to defend the nations’ borders (Elenius and Tjelmeland 2015), Sámi pupils were prohibited from speaking Sámi in class or during breaks. In effect, the Sámi were “to discard their language, change their attitude with respect to their fundamental values and get rid of their whole Sami identity” (Minde 2003 76). Consequently, this continual devaluation of Sámi language and culture resulted in the loss of Sami language, culture, place and created shame in identifying as Sámi. It has also meant the degradation of knowledge about the Sámi as well as their position within Norwegian society.

 

Secondly, I expanded the section, the Sámi and the Sámi Pathfinders, with the following:

 

The Sámi are the internationally and nationally recognised Indigenous People of north-western Europe. Their traditional homelands, known as Sápmi/Sábme/Saepmie or Samiland, stretch across the borders and northern reaches of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia. Of the four countries, Norway has the largest population of Sámis, approximately 55 000 (Eriksen 2018a). The Sámi community is made up of diverse groups which reflect their geographical location, language, traditions and identities. For instance, along the coast are the Sea Sámis; in forest and mountain areas closer to the north-eastern Swedish border are the Marka Sámis (Hætta 2010); and in inner Sápmi are the Reindeer-herding Sámis (Sollid and Olsen 2019). There are also Urban Sámis who live in cities both inside and outside of Sápmi (Dankertsen, Berg-Nordlie, and Winsvold 2022). The Sámi are the majority in some municipalities in Sápmi, such as Kautokeino and Karasjok. Although this is not the case for all municipalities in Sápmi (Eriksen, 2018a), the Sámi live in all municipalities throughout Norway (Somby and Olsen 2022). (Somby and Olsen 2022). Despite there being nine living Sámi languages today, they are either considered to be threatened or endangered (Vangsnes 2022). There are three official languages which are taught in Norwegian schools as part of language revitalisation efforts. These are North, Lule and South Sámi.

 

COMMENT: L.72 'little research maps discrimination' - what research even if there is little of it? 

RESPONSE: My thanks to the reviewer for alerting me to the imprecise nature of this comment. Within the time constraints of the editing process I have removed the sentence and explained in more detail the different nuances of research about the Sámi in the South. The point I am trying to make is that the Sámi is not embraced as a topic of research by Southern universities despite encouragement to do so.

The text I have revised is as follows:

 

Currently, research that includes discussions about discrimination of the Sámi in the South of Norway (outside of Sápmi) occurs within a broader educational context that explores racism as a phenomenon in mainstream schools (see Eriksen 2021). When research focuses specifically on discrimination towards the Sámi in schools (see Lile, 2011), comparisons are made between schools in Sápmi and in Oslo, Eastern Norway. Reasons for these blindspots in research in education are perhaps the general perception that there are very few Sámi in the South, except for Oslo, Norway’s capital; the difficulty of identifying the Sámi living in different parts of Norway because Norway does not register ethnicity in its census; and a lack of understanding of the differences between minorities (immigrants), national minorities and Indigenous Peoples.

 

COMMENT:  L.89 'other national minorities'. the author does mention them later in the paper. But perhaps to the non-initiated person unaware of the indigenous history of Norway, it might be helpful to note them here, already?

RESPONSE: I apologise for the oversight and have included the 5 official national minorities.

A recent study by the Norwegian Centre for Human Rights (NIM 2022) conducted research to identify and measure the majority population’s attitudes towards the Sámi and national minorities in Norway: the Kven/Norwegian Finns (people of Finnish descent in Northern Norway); Jews; Forrest Finns; Roma; and Romani people/Taters.

 

COMMENT: L.152 Perhaps reference to Benedict Anderson's 'imagined community' is needed here - including people in national histories as part of the national identity, lead to a lowering in discriminatory practices used against them. 

RESPONSE: I thank the reviewer for this suggestion and have addded the following:

Inviting Sámi perspectives into Norwegian mainstream education is a way of reimagining the educational community and the national (Anderson, 1991). By promoting Sámi perspectives and knowledges in the classroom the Sámi are thus positioned as an integral part of a shared national history and national identity. Arguably, this can be seen as an attempt to redefine the national as a space in which many ethnically defined communities live and interact (Stratton & Ang, 1994),to help minimise discrimination. In Norwegian schools, this perspective-shift requires a pedagogical approach that is “about, for and by” the Sámi (Figenschou 2023, 21).

 

COMMENT: L.162 'Of impact' - rephrase perhaps, this sounds strange. 

RESPONSE: This was changed to “significantly”.

 

COMMENT:  L.206 Duodji - again for the non-initiated provide definition in brackets, perhaps?

RESPONSE: I have included the following endnote:

The Sámi have traditionally never separated the concept of art or the desire for beauty or ornamentation from the concept of functionality, duodji can be simply described as both handcraft and art. Duodji comprises “creative activities which are both intellectual and material” (Gaski, 1997 11). Yet, it also incorporates an understanding of nature, in terms of gathering materials, that is relational, knowledgeable and spiritual. In fact, some duojár (practioner of duodji) refer to their material as “partners” in the creative process (Guttorm, 2017 168).

COMMENT: L.214 and L449 - same here for 'joik'?

RESPONSE: I have included the following endnote:

 

Joik/yoik is a Sámi musical genre that Sámi scholar Harad Gaski (2011) explains occupies a privileged place in the Sami consciousness, spanning generations (33). Traditionally joik combines literature and music since it was highly evocative/imaginative rendering of people and places. Joik can be used as 1) a marker of identity (naming ceremony), 2) music of the noaidi (Shaman) along with the drum, 3) a means of remembering loved ones, 4) a record of historical events (storying of ethnographic information), 5) a record of topographic information, for instance, the paths for moving from one reindeer pasture to another, 6) an expression of a political viewpoint,  and 8)  more recently a variety of world music as seen by Mari Boine, Wimme Saari and Adágas (Gaski, 2011).

 

COMMENT: L.232 /line 234 'my research' - the author does mention in detail what their research is, but perhaps briefly here it should be stated what their research is exactly to introduce it. 

RESPONSE: Relationality was one of the governing principles of my research about the Sámi Pathfinders’ educational intervention in Norwegian high schools.

 

COMMENT: L.234 - replace yourself and you with oneself?

RESPONSE: Replaced It is a way of positioning oneself throughout one’s work and in relation to one’s work.

 

COMMENT: L.316/318 - the use of 'trifecta' here is strange?

RESPONSE: Replaced by triplet of factors

 

COMMENT: L.235 what about addressing this issue here in more detail with scholarly research - the fact that the author is not indigenous but researching indigenous peoples - Skille, Brannely and Boulton, Olsen...

RESPONSE: I trust the Reviewer considers there to be sufficient scholarly research.

Relationality or relationships is one of the governing principles of my research which highlights the role and impact of the Sámi Pathfinders’ educational intervention in Norwegian high schools. Relationality or relationships is an important principle of carrying out indigenous or indigenist research (Moreton-Robinson 2017). It is also one of many concepts pertaining to Indigenous methodology: respect, relevance, responsibility, reciprocity and representation (Olsen 2016; Tsosie et al. 2022). As a reciprocal process, relationality helps establish parameters for the way a researcher works with others. It is a way of positioning oneself throughout one’s work and in relation to one’s work. Whilst this applies to all research, it is of particular importance as a non-indigenous researcher investigating Indigenous issues (Skille 2022).

Part of my “relational accountability” (Virtanen, Olsen, and Keskitalo 2021, 18 as cited in Shawn Wilson 2008) as a researcher, is to clearly show that my interactions with the Pathfinders are premised on collaboration; that is, research carried out with the Pathfinders. This approach is in response to historical research practices which objectified Indigenous Peoples–identified by research being done on or to Indigenous Peoples (Smith 2021). Furthermore, as a non-Indigenous and non-ethnic Norwegian researcher (outsider), one has limitations, particularly in terms of what one can know or experience. Non-Indigenous researchers must therefore be prepared to employ humility and respect when learning from others (Kuokkanen 2007). Acknowledging this is an ethical imperative and an important part of decolonising my work.

Decolonisation of one’s research also means humanising oneself and by extension the research process (Silva, Fernández, and Nguyen 2021). Consequently, I did not see or refer to the Pathfinders as interview objects, instead they are seen and described as participants. This stance shows respect and recognises that the Pathfinders are the “knowledge-holders" (Porsanger 2004). Positioning the Pathfinders’ stories at the heart of my research is a response to historical power imbalances between researcher-researched, indigenous-non-indigenous (Smith 2021). The Pathfinders do not represent Sámi knowledge in its entirety. Yet, their lived experiences as a Pathfinder gives them access to specific knowledge (Olsen 2016), which I and other members of the Indigenous and non-Indigenous majority society lack. Therefore, the Pathfinders’ knowledge, voices, perspectives and interests are the focus of my research (Olsen 2016). As a non-indigenous person/researcher, this awareness has influenced my ethical stand, methodology and methods.

COMMENT: L.535 lavvo

RESPONSE: I have Included the following text:

A lavvo (lávvu in North Sámi) is a traditional Sámi movable structure, like a lean-to or hut. It has a wooden frame covered with fabric/material, providing shelter from the weather. This cover is called "loavdda" in North Sámi. Traditionally, it was made from sheep’s wool. Today, various materials like Gore-Tex are used for the loavdda and the structure is made of metal frames. Lávvus vary in size depending on the person's needs. There are certain customs to follow when entering a lávvu. For example, one should never cross directly over the fire. Instead, one should walk around it. According to Sámi spirituality and religion, certain goddesses are present in a lávvu: Sáráhkká, Uksáhkká and Juksáhkká. These goddesses are considered protectors, particularly Sáráhkká, who protects women.

 

COMMENT: L.561-571 - Perhaps provide details to the non-initiated reader as to what the Sámi have actually lost or sacrificed in terms of land, etc? 

RESPONSE: Thank you to the reviewer for the reminder to remember the importance of contextualising the unknown for the reader. Here are my amendments:

Another telling example, provided by SP1 when they were discussing Green colonisation, shows how questions or comments reveal a lack of knowledge about how the Sámi have been treated in the past. In this instance, “when discussing the Fossen case and the windmill park which has been built in a reindeer grazing area, a teacher said ‘yes, but it is very important for example ... that we have green energy and you Sámi must also give something for the whole world don’t you think?’”. For SP1 this way of thinking is problematic and made them feel “very sad”. They explain that it shows that the teacher doesn’t know the history of the Sámi let alone “how much we have already lost”. Here the Pathfinder is referring not only to the loss of their cultural and linguistic heritage, but also the loss of influence and access to traditional Sámi areas due to the unification of Norway and the policy of Norwegianisation. The introduction of national laws for instance impacts the way the Sámi are able to carry out traditional Sámi livelihoods, such as fishing (Kuokkanen 2020) or reindeer husbandary (Bjørklund 2004). SP1 reflects further: “if the teacher has so little information and knowledge about history ...[what] other misunderstandings can that teacher have which they are passing on to pupils?”. Certainly, the teacher’s statement reveals their own poverty of knowledge and understanding of Sámi history. It also alerts us to how this is perpetuated in the classroom by what is taught about the Sámi and the approach teachers take when addressing the Sámi as a topic in their teaching.

 

COMMENT: L.629 - scholarly references perhaps should be provided to back up argument that social media fuels hate speech beyond just the UNO? Goal et al, Finkelstein et al, Mathew and the spreading of hate speech/virality?

RESPONSE: I have included the additional scholarly references

Social media’s widespread reach amplifies racialised slurs and hate speech (United Nations 2021; Action Plan 2020; Lingaas 2021; Leitch and Pickering 2022).

COMMENT P: L.762 repetition of line 758

RESPONSE: Thank you and I have removed the following from the conclusion:

The inclusion of the Sámi Pathfinders’ personal narratives in classroom encounters plus the fact that they are similar in age to high school pupils, increases the possibility of the Pathfinders establishing an emotional connection with their audience.

Now it reads as follows:

Not only do the Pathfinders provide pupils and teachers with a great deal of knowledge about the Sámi, but they also anchor this knowledge in their personal stories and their multi-levelled representative expressions (individual, national, collective and international). Though controversial, the incorporation of the Pathfinders' personal narratives into their presentations can be an effective method of engaging and educating Norwegian youth. Since the Pathfinders are similar in age to the Norwegian pupils, the knowledge the Pathfinders present may establish positive connections with pupils. However, whether these interactions are frequent and close enough to substantially influence pupils' attitudes and prejudices in the long term is uncertain. Given the present lack of empirical research examining pupil knowledge and attitudes towards the Sámi, before and after the Pathfinders' visits, the Pathfinders' ability to significantly change the attitudes of Norwegian pupils (and teachers) towards the Sámi is yet to be determined.

COMMENT: Perhaps provide details as to how long the interviews are, if they have been transcribed? Are they preserved? Will they be archived and accessible by other researchers, etc? 

RESPONSE: I thank Reviewer 1 for the suggestion and have included the following under Data Availability Statement:

The interviews with the Pathfinders were synchronous and digital, varying in length from 40 mins to 1hr (average interview time 53 minutes) and were conducted in Norwegian. They have been transcribed into Norwegian. Only the data used has been translated into English. The interview transcriptions are archived but are not available for other researchers.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Line 113 - Consider changing this phrasing to 'Indigenous perspectives' to avoid the homogenising of Indigenous viewpoints.

Comments on the Quality of English Language

Line 107 Should 'in the case for the others' be changed to 'is not the case for the others'?

 

Author Response

REVIEWER 2

COMMENT: Line 113 - Consider changing this phrasing to 'Indigenous perspectives' to avoid the homogenising of Indigenous viewpoints.

RESPONSE: I apologise for this complete oversight which has now been corrected.

 

COMMENT: Line 107 Should 'in the case for the others' be changed to 'is not the case for the others'?

RESPONSE: I apologise and thank Reviewer 2 for bringing this to my attention. The correction has been made.

In addition to the above comments, all spelling and grammatical errors pointed out by the reviewers have been corrected. (Reviewer 1: L.327 Spacing and punctuation (L470; L555; L.734-737), paragraph indent (:494); L.170 - comma missing here)