Session moderator: Tordis K. Søvde
 
Nr.1: Elena A. Mikaylova, with:
"Representing the Russian association of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and Far East (RAIPON)"
 
Nr.2: Natalia Vaskova, with:
"Organization of social wok with Sami"
 
Nr.3: Yulia Mitina, with:
"Social and cultural revitalization of Sami people at Murmansk Artic State University"
" /> Session moderator: Tordis K. Søvde
 
Nr.1: Elena A. Mikaylova, with:
"Representing the Russian association of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and Far East (RAIPON)"
 
Nr.2: Natalia Vaskova, with:
"Organization of social wok with Sami"
 
Nr.3: Yulia Mitina, with:
"Social and cultural revitalization of Sami people at Murmansk Artic State University"
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ALTA 2017 Utveksling/Exchange 11-14 June

Indigenism in Russia

Session moderator: Tordis K. Søvde
 
Nr.1: Elena A. Mikaylova, with:
"Representing the Russian association of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and Far East (RAIPON)"
 
Nr.2: Natalia Vaskova, with:
"Organization of social wok with Sami"
 
Nr.3: Yulia Mitina, with:
"Social and cultural revitalization of Sami people at Murmansk Artic State University"

 

"Representing the Russian association of indigenous people of the North, Siberia and Far East (RAIPON)"

RAIPON is public organization which puts the task to protect human rights and to advocate the interests of indigenous ethnic groups of the North, Siberia and the Far East of Russia (further – small peoples of the North), to promote the solution of social and economic problems, problems of environmental protection, cultural development and education. RAIPON works on ensuring the rights on protection of the primordial habitat and a traditional way of life of small peoples of the North, and also on ensuring their right for self-government according to national and international legal standards. RAIPON unites 41 people which number makes about 250.000 people organized in 34 regional and ethnic associations and is authorized represents these people at the international and federal levels. RAIPON is based on territorial and territorial ethnically to the principle. Its basis is made by regional (local) and ethnic offices of Association which have organizational and financial independence. RAIPON maintains close contact with the regional offices, coordinates their activities for implementation of decisions of governing bodies of Association, helps them with the solution of all questions. Controversial problems and unresolved questions in the field of human rights, environmental protection, preservation of a traditional way of life, culture and the primordial habitat are taken out on Coordination Council which gathers two times a year for discussion of the current work. For regional offices of RAIPON will organize special events, promotes the international exchange and cooperation, gives any feasible help to small peoples of the North.

            RAIPON in cooperation with chambers of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation, the Government and Administration of the President of the Russian Federation shares in working on by the legislation designed to provide the rights of indigenous people, preservation of their way of life and development of economy. Practice of partnership of RAIPON with the profile ministries, the State Duma Committees and the Federation Council of Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation and plenipotentiaries of the Russian President in federal districts is based on the conclusion of cooperation agreements and holding collateral actions at the federal and regional levels.


"Organization of social work with Sami"

There is a social organization of indigenous peoples in the Murmansk region, which unites Sami youth of the Kola Peninsula. This organization is called “Sami Nurash” having the administrative structure (chairperson and 5 staff members).

Sami Nurash was established in 2009 and is rapidly developing nowadays. 70 Sami youth representatives are involved into Sami Nurash organization. As Sami Nurash is a youth organization, most often all meetings are held in an informal atmosphere (Natalia will present the results of the meeting in Stockholm - Trondheim 2017)

Representatives of Sami Nurash always participate in the following events:

  • International Festival of Indigenous Peoples “Riddu-Riddu” (Kildin Sami youth conducts a lot of concerts, exhibitions, master classes, etc.). Also within the framework of the festival there is a Sami youth camp; the program of the youth camp includes various seminars and workshops for young people, for example, meetings with artists, dance classes and etc.
  • Isogaisa Shaman festival gives an opportunity to learn about shamanism as a branch of our culture, to take part in master classes, concerts, etc.
  • Saami Festival Marcimiennu (Kildin Sami representatives take part in this festival, some organizational work is done by the National Cultural Center in Lovozero)

One of the most interesting projects to participate in for Sami Nurash members is reindeer race in Tromsø during the Sami week.

Sami Nurash has its webpage in social net Vkontakte: https://vk.com/saminurash where all the events are mentioned and described. Sami Nurash members are the active participants in different national and international events, forums and conferences dealing with the issues of indigenous peoples (Natalia will describe the general results achieved within these events)


Social and cultural revitalization of Sami people at Murmansk Arctic State University

  • «Culture of the Sami Skolt. Cooperation without borders» project

The project is devoted to the discussion of possibilities to teach the Skolt – Sámi language for Sámi of the Kola Peninsula, to train teachers and researchers in the sphere of the Sámi language and Sámi culture at Murmansk Arctic State University.

  • Laboratory for the Sámi Language at MASU

The Kildin Sami Laboratory is responsible for the international conference “Sami identity: problems of language and culture preservation in the High North” held annually. The aim of the conference is to work out a strategic policy in order to preserve the Sami language and culture conditioned by lack of interest in the Sami language among Sami native speakers of the Kola Peninsula, latinization of Kola dialects among young people, lack of Sami teachers, systematic education and long term programs in the Sami language. The project is mainly targeted on young native speakers who face the problem of language and culture preservation. The objective of the conference is to consolidate the community to face education challenges, issue a preliminary program on development of common educational space for young Sami native speakers and to work out the master’s program “The Sami language and culture” at MASU.