The matter summarized Andrine Hanssen-Seppola, leader of the Senterungdommen, believes Kvens/Norwegian Finns should be recognized as indigenous people in Norway. She wants a thorough investigation into the women’s status and believes they have a historical connection to northern Norway that qualifies them for indigenous status. Today, the Kven have the status of one of Norway’s national minorities, but Hanssen-Seppola believes that the rights that come with this status are not strong enough. Professor of international history, Hanne Hagvedt Vik, believes the Kvenen are close enough that it makes sense to assess properly. The largest women’s organization in Norway, the Norwegian Women’s Association, will not take a position on indigenous status yet. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – It is time that we take up the discussion around the women’s indigenous status, says Andrine Hanssen-Seppola (21). She is a leader in Senterungdommen and believes that the ethnic group Kvenen/Norwegian Finns should ask for recognition as an indigenous people. She therefore wants the question to be thoroughly investigated by the politicians and the Kven organisations. – I believe that the Kven meet the criteria to become indigenous, says the youth leader to news. – But in order to gain traction, we must first demand a proper investigation into the status of indigenous people and initiate a process around it. Having lived here for a long time, Hanssen-Seppola is proud of herself. She was elected leader of Senterungdommen in 2022 and has since lifted Kven into politics through her work. A thorough investigation into whether Kvens/Norwegian Finns should be given indigenous status has been one of her and the youth party’s battle issues. – We are now in a time where the minority policy for the next ten years will be shaped in the light of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s report. – That is why I think it is necessary to raise the discussion now. It is about how we will shape the future for the people of my generation, and those who come after us. Andrine Hanssen-Seppola’s Kven roots come from Skibotn in Nord-Troms. She has grandparents from the well-known Seppola family. Photo: Tomi Vaara / news Today, the Kvens/Norwegian Finns have the status of one of Norway’s national minorities. With this status comes certain rights. Hanssen-Seppola believes that these rights are not powerful enough in view of the threats to the ethnic group’s language and culture. All Kven/Norwegian-Finnish pupils, for example, do not get the opportunity to learn Kven or Finnish in primary school. – The women need closer follow-up, which you get through indigenous status. Otherwise, our situation will not improve quickly enough. However, it is not an argument in itself for an indigenous status, emphasizes the youth party leader. It is the ethnic group’s historical connection to northern Norway that qualifies them to be recognized as indigenous people along with the Sami, she believes. – We are mentioned in the oldest historical work that says something about Norway. We have lived here for a long time and have left our mark. Photo: Tomi Vaara What are indigenous people? A historical connection to a specific geographical area, which the ethnic group has lost, for example, due to colonization, is one of the criteria for being recognized as an indigenous people. That’s what Jukka Nyyssönen, a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research, says when news asks him to explain in general what can define a people group as indigenous. – But there are no general, fixed criteria that apply everywhere, says the researcher on the phone. Jukka Nyyssönen is a researcher at the Norwegian Institute for Cultural Heritage Research. He has worked with Sami history for over 20 years. Photo: Sara Langvik Berge / NIKU The reason for this is that the situations can be different from country to country. Therefore, different organizations have come up with different emphases on elements that are part of an indigenous definition, says Nyyssönen. – But there are some characteristics that are repeated in the different emphases. Common characteristics of being indigenous There is no internationally recognized, clear definition of what indigenous people are. But there is agreement on a number of characteristics. An indigenous people is a people group that has been connected to a certain geographical area long before current state borders were established. The term indigenous is therefore closely linked to those people groups who have lost their lands, or received limited rights, as a consequence of colonization. Other typical characteristics of indigenous peoples are that: they are marginalized in the larger society of which they are a part; they have a distinctive culture, often closely linked to nature and nature’s resources; they differ socially, culturally and/or linguistically from the dominant population. Source: UN association. Nyyssönen does not take a position on whether the Kvens/Norwegian Finns meet the requirements of the indigenous definition. Neither does Hanne Hagvedt Vik, professor of international history at the University of Oslo, but she believes that it is reasonable for this to be investigated. Among other things, she has worked for a long time with international indigenous rights. – I think that it is at least a question that there is reason to go into, she says. Hanne Hagvedt Vik, professor of international history at the University of Oslo, has, among other things, worked with international indigenous rights and international aid. Photo: Ellen Evju Jahr / UiO According to her, it has never been properly assessed whether the Kvens/Norwegian Finns meet the criteria for becoming an indigenous people. When Norway recognized the Sami as an indigenous people in the 1980s, it was simply not relevant to think about the Kven, says the professor. She therefore believes that Hanssen-Seppola’s proposal for an investigation is not unreasonable. Status as a national minority or indigenous people are not final, closed categories, she says. – I think that the numbers are close enough that it makes sense to assess properly. Believes the women’s situation must be improved The largest women’s organization in Norway, the Norwegian Women’s Association, believes that the question of indigenous status arises because the authorities have not followed up on the women’s rights. – A thorough change in the women’s situation must come. In big questions, one still has to move with consideration, says manager Kristin Mellem. According to Kristin Mellem, head of the Norwegian Kveners’ Association – Ruijan kvääniliitto, says that the issue of indigenous status must be properly discussed in the organisation. Photo: Peter Reppen-Gjelseth / news She is not surprised that the question of the status is now being raised. – What we see is impatience that women are not better looked after. It is not just Hanssen-Seppola who believes that the Kvens/Norwegian Finns should ask for recognition as an indigenous people. In an unofficial opinion poll, which was conducted on the largest Kven Facebook group, 70 percent of 242 respondents believe that the Kven should go for the status. Should the Kven ask for recognition as indigenous people? Yes No Uncertain Show result The group leader believes that it is a misunderstanding that the status as a national minority does not give the ethnic group powerful rights. The problem is that the state does not follow up on the obligations that already exist. It is also pointed out in the commission report, says Mellem. – If Norway had fulfilled its obligations, the Kven language and culture would have been in a completely different situation. It would serve everyone to think about equality rather than creating differences between people. She says that the union will participate in the discussion about the status when the time is ripe for it. – Then the union naturally takes the leadership role in the discussion. – Reluctant to say no Andrine Hanssen-Seppola believes that no one can really say flatly no to the question of indigenous status before the investigation. Right now we know far too little about the women’s history and connection to Northern Norway, and therefore we must get a thorough investigation in place, says the youth party leader. – The investigation is something everyone should be in favor of. It’s hard to argue against something when you don’t have all the facts on the table. Center youth leader Andrine Hanssen-Seppola hopes that the entire women’s movement will come together for indigenous status. Photo: Tomi Vaara / news The youth leader therefore hopes that more people now demand an investigation so that the process can be started. – It is time to discuss indigenous status. We need to find out more about our history because it will also shape our future – and what kind of position we will have in society. Published 08.07.2024, at 05.06
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Leader of the Youth Center Andrine Hanssen-Seppola believes the Kveeni must be recognized as indigenous people – news Kveeni
