Abstract
Indigenous peoples have for the past decades increasingly argued that not only is their traditional knowledge to be recognized in the management of their traditional territories, but that Indigenous control and self-governance over territories and natural resources are crucial for long-term sustainability of the land and cultural revitalisation of its people. In recent years, the Saami in Sweden have also presented themselves as pathfinders, offering advice and solutions for a more sustainable future not only for the Saami society, but for all of Sweden. This paper investigates how Saami claims for rights and stewardship in environmental management are related to Saami cultural revitalisation, within a Swedish colonial framework. It is based on an investigation of the Saami policy positions expressed in policy documents and opinion pieces produced by organisations representing the Saami, linking claims for rights and environmental stewardship with cultural revitalisation and a more sustainable development for all.
Highlights
Indigenous peoples have for the past decades increasingly argued that is their traditional knowledge to be recognized in the management of their traditional territories, but that Indigenous control and self-governance over territories and natural resources is crucial for long-term sustainability of the land and cultural revitalisation of its people
This paper investigates the Saami claims for stewardship in environmental management and how these claims can be understood within Saami cultural revitalisation processes and a Swedish colonial framework
The dismissal of Saami claims based on indigenous rights in Swedish courts has forced the Saami to use litigation as a political strategy, but the verdict in the Girjas case (2020) points in a new direction, towards a recognition in Sweden of the Saami as rightsholders according to international legal praxis—a position that opens up for greater influence over their culture and heritage, and their traditional areas and natural resources, even without a formal ratification of international conventions on Indigenous rights by the Swedish government
Summary
Indigenous knowledge systems are increasingly used as management resources and in many places, Indigenous peoples are promoted as “stewards”, “guardians”, or “custodians” of land, resources, and heritage. In recent years, they have been held forward as “pathfinders” and their ways of life as models for sustainable development more generally. They have been held forward as “pathfinders” and their ways of life as models for sustainable development more generally Such perspectives are present in the international work processes within the UN Convention on biological diversity (CBD) and the Intergovernmental SciencePolicy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES). It is implied that sustainability is linked to cultural revitalisation and a recognition of Indigenous rights
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