Det problematiske mangfold

• Published in: Nordisk Museologi
• Main Author: Nilsen, Gørill
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: Norwegian
• Published: University of Oslo Library 2016
• Subjects: museum; cultural diversity; ethnic minorities; indigenous peoples; rights; institutional structure; Norway; sami; Troms
• Online Access: https://journals.uio.no/museolog/article/view/3544; https://doi.org/10.5617/nm.3544

Recent years have brought a greater focus on the need for museums to reflect the multi-cultural society of which they are a part. In Sweden, Norway and the EU, this has resulted in the designation of special years to laud the idea of cultural diversity. This article describes how the Nord-Troms Museum in Norway has worked to present the cultural history of Norwegians, Kvens and the Sami people. The museum has focused its presentation work on buildings and artefacts that represent particular features of ethnicity. At the same time, the museum is attempting to challenge the usual perceptions and stereotypical thinking associated with what is considered characteristic or typical for such features. However, there are political and organisational implications associated with working within a cultural history context in which a majority population (the Norwegians), an indigenous people (the Sami) and a national minority (the Kvens) all have their place. The background for the Norwegian state’s understanding of what constitutes cultural diversity in practice does not necessarily coincide with the views held by the Sami Parliament of Norway, or the organisations representing the Kvens. These implications make museum work that focuses on such issues into quite a challenge.