Samių istorijos reprezentavimas Švedijos muziejuose

• Main Author: Gėgžnaitė, Dovilė
• Other Authors: Vinogradnaitė, Inga
• Format: Master Thesis
• Language: Lithuanian; English
• Published: Institutional Repository of Vilnius University 2019
• Subjects: Sámi
• Online Access: https://repository.vu.lt/VU:ELABAETD87355672&prefLang=en_US

The main purpose of this thesis is to examine condition of the Sámi historical memory in Sweden. This is done by analysing and comparing Sámi history representations in two museums: Nordiska museum, which reflects Swedish perspective and Ájtte museum, which reflects Sámi perspective. Sweden receives a lot of criticism from international organs (such as United Nations and Council of Europe) regarding restrictions of Sámi rights and influence. Sámi communities are concerned about failed inclusion of Sámi history into the major narrative. Nowadays stories about Sámi people history are heard more often but despite that criticism does not disappear. By examining narratives of the chosen museums I will try to understand why it is so. In this research I apply qualitative method and perform comparative analysis of two exhibitions, I also conduct interviews with museums‘ representatives and visitors. Theoretical base that I construct for this research consists of collective memory and cultural trauma theories. They provide a framework which allows to understand history representations, as well it predicts possible perpetrators‘ and survivors‘ narratives. In this case it appeared that they did not reflect actual narratives, which says that chosen representations have to be analysed in consideration of what mnemonic actor present them. It also shows that cultural trauma that develops out of longstanding history of the routine harm is not so different from trauma process which begin with some sort of shock. In the end they both produce similar narratives. Museums‘ narratives can be understood as attempts to cope with historical trauma. In Ájtte museum it is done by creating a new narrative for Sámi people, which do not include Sweden as a main actor and trauma as a main process. Nordiska museum choose a different approach – it reveals history of Sámi oppression and reflects how the museum was part of it. It seems that these narratives should lead to conciliation, but actually they do not make a difference. Why Sámi people are still disappointed about how they history is treated? There are two reasons: first of all, it is because of representations itself. Even though Nordiska talks about the oppression, in most cases representations are shallow, they lack deeper analysis and personal stories, and furthermore, Sámi are seen in relation with the state and Swedish society, which do not reflect them as active actors in their own history. Second of all, this new narrative of the perpetrators do not affect official state position and politics in any way.