– Folkerøsten should count, says Inga Marie Nymo Riseth. During an open meeting at the Sami House in Oslo, there was broad agreement that Oslove is the correct Sami name for the capital. Riseth thinks that the arguments for the use of the Oslove name were good. She believes that it should be emphasized that there are now Sami organizations that already use Oslove. BIG CONGRESS: More than 20 people attended a public meeting at Samisk hus about the Sami name in Oslo. Photo: Mette Ballovara / news The Sami Place Name Service, which advises Oslo municipality on this matter on behalf of the Sami Parliament, does not, however, include Oslove in its proposal. They point to the fact that there are far too few written sources about the use of the South Sami word Oslove. – I think it is a bit difficult, because I am otherwise concerned with listening to professionals, says Riseth. In this matter, however, there is something else that is more important to her. – It will be an emotional matter for me. I think it is important that it is shown that it is a Sami name, and that we also make the South Sami visible with that name, she says. OSLOVE: This sign is clearly visible at Samisk hus in Dronningens gate in Oslo. Photo: Mette Ballovara / news Oslove or Oslo? The current city council in Oslo has already announced a few years ago that they want a Sami name for the capital. They now have two concrete proposals to choose from. The Sami place name service suggests that the name Oslo be used, together with the Sami word for municipality: Southern Sami: Oslon tjïelte (Oslo is in the genitive. Southern Sami has genitive inflection -n.) Lules Sami: Oslo suohkan (Lules Sami does not have genitive inflection) Northern Sami: Oslo suohkan or Oslo gielda (Northern Sami does not have genitive inflection. In the eastern Northern Sami dialects gielda is used for municipality, while in the western dialects the word suohkan is used. Therefore both gielda and suohkan can be used.) While the Sami organizations in Oslo suggest the following spelling for Oslo municipality: Southern Sami spelling for Oslo municipality: Osloven tjïelte Southern Sami spelling for Oslo: Oslove Lulesamian/Northern Sami spelling for the municipality: Oslo suohkan Lulesamian/Northern Sami spelling for Oslo: Oslo What should the Sami name for Oslo be? Oslove – Oslo (Spelling of the municipality: Osloven tjïelte (Southern Sami) Oslo suohkan (Northern Sami and Lule Sami) Oslo (Citation loan of the Norwegian name for Oslo. Southern Sami: Oslon tjïelte. Lule Sami: Oslo suohkan. Northern Sami: Oslo suohkan or Oslo gielda) Show result “No one makes up a new name. The Sámi Parliament’s expert body does not comment on the debate surrounding the Oslove name. FOLLOWING THE LAW: “The important thing here is that Oslo municipality makes decisions in accordance with the City Names Act and complies with the rules of the Consultation Act,” says Sámi Parliament Councilor Mikkel Eskil Mikkelsen. Photo: Vaino Rensberg / Sámi Parliament Council. don’t tend to have opinions in such name matters either, but Sámi parliamentary councilor Mikkel Eskil Mikkelsen thinks it is important that Sámi who are locally involved in the matter are heard. He points out that in this case no one is proposing to make up new names for Oslo. – As I understand the matter, it concerns, among other things, whether the form Oslove has been used and is in use by Southern Sami speakers or not. . The Sami Parliament Council is keen that the municipality, as the naming authority, make a holistic assessment of the matter. I look forward to having a Sami name adopted for the capital of Norway, says Mikkelsen. – Local acceptance of Oslove At the public meeting, Mikkel Berg-Nordlie, from the Sami parent network in Oslo and the surrounding area, spoke about the use of the Oslove name. He pointed out that searches carried out by Giellatekno, the Center for Sami language technology at the University of Tromsø, show that the name has been used by Southern Sami sources. OSLOVE IS USED: Mikkel Berg-Nordlie, from the Sami parent network in Oslo and the surrounding area, says that the Oslove name is in daily use among the Sami in Oslo. Photo: Mette Ballovara / news Several associations have also recently been found that have adopted the Oslove name. Among other things, the youth organization Oslove Noereh uses this name for Oslo. Berg-Nordlie believes this explains why many Sámi in Oslo want this name. – I think that it is because it has become a local acceptance of it. After the youth organization came up with the name in 2015, which was not that well known, among other things because many here in the city have a Northern Sami-speaking background, when they then named their organization after it, it became public information about what it was for, he says. The name Oslove has eventually also appeared in several places such as at Samisk hus, in the media and it came into local use, he explains. – If Oslove also appears on signs and maps, it will very strongly mark the Sami in Oslo, says Berg-Nordlie. OSLOVE: Torhild Pedersen, with roots from Vesterålen, wants the Sami to be more visible in the capital. Then Oslo must become Oslove, she believes. Photo: Mette Ballovara / news – A bit of unplowed ground There is a historical buzz over this name issue in several ways. After a change in the law in 2021, Oslo municipality is required to consult the Sami in Oslo about the name issue. The first consultation was at Oslo City Hall today. Several Sami organizations are collaborating on this issue, and together they met the city council’s administration for talks. It is a long process before Oslo gets a Sami name, and the culture councilor Omar Samy Gamal does not want to say anything about the name choice now. WANTS OSLO TO HAVE A SAMI NAME: Omar Samy Gamal is a cultural councilor in Oslo. Photo: Sturlason – I have great respect for the consultation process that will now take place between my administration and representatives of Sami organizations in Oslo. That’s why I don’t want to advance anything now, says Gamal. He is clear that the municipality takes the case and the dialogue with the Sami seriously. – I think consultation after the new Sami Act from 2021 will be a good framework for dialogue. It is a bit of unplowed ground for the municipality, as this is a new piece of legislation. The way forward when Oslo is to get a Sami name This is the further process when Oslo municipality is to have a Sami name adopted for the municipality: First, the municipality consults with local Sami interests at administrative level. The administration then prepares a draft case. The city council will then take a political position on the matter. The municipality is also asking for a statement from the Council for Multicultural Minorities in Oslo. The case is then presented as a city council case, with a recommendation to the city council. After the city council has made its decision, the municipality must apply to the Ministry of Local Government and Districts to make a final decision on the Sami name for Oslo. The municipality itself does not have such authority when it comes to official Sami names.
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Oslo can become Oslove – language experts think it’s wrong – news Sápmi
