For Cato Kristiansen, the mayor of Loppa, the Sami national day is important because he is Sami. He is the first mayor to wear a cardigan. – The cardigan is part of my identity. He tried an experiment when he lived in Oslo for around ten years. Then his experience was that he was seen as a Norwegian, not as a Sámi. – I put on the cardigan in Oslo and was going to wear it for a whole weekend just to see what it’s like to be seen as Sami. I was positively surprised. His grandparents were sailors. He mentions that agriculture, fishing and value culture, where an exchange of salmon for reindeer meat, was important. – Grandpa smiled when he saw that Samane had come and we had salmon in the boat. He drove straight and switched to reindeer meat. It is part of the tradition. Pride – What does the cardigan actually mean to you? – I ask him with pride and he means a lot. There are more and more of us who feel that belonging to the Sea Sami and come from the Sea Sami culture and carry it with us. He says that much of it is dying out because agriculture and culture are not the same. Mayor of Loppa, Cato Kristiansen, helps his daughter with the cardigan during the Sami National Day. They are Sea Sami. Photo: Jan-Erik Steine / news – It is also a natural development. The times are changing. At Sandland School, a duodji center for Sea Sami has now been established. They are very proud to have achieved that, says the mayor. Kristiansen says that he often jokes that the kitchen is the most important room in Sea Sami culture. – Here we did everything. It was everything from slaughtering to turning on boat engines. It’s where you sort of sit and tell stories. Simply a gathering point. I grew up in the kitchen. Kristiansen says that there are many cultures on Loppa and thinks it is part of the development. – We have always been many cultures here and that is how it will be. It is only a small part of our culture. So it’s not like the Sea Sami is the only one. There are many of us and that is how it should be. Loppa-kofte The daughter of the mayor, Aurora Beate Lorentzen Kristiansen (8), says that they have different stations at Høgtun school where they do reindeer racing, lasso throwing and storytelling in the gap hut. – I thought lasso throwing was funniest. I hit almost every time. Aurora Beate Lorentzen Kristiansen (8) thinks it’s nice that others wear cardigans on Sami National Day. Photo: Jan-Erik Steine / news Aurora has donned the cardigan for the occasion. It means a lot to her, as it was her grandmother who made it. – I have a shawl, a Sami belt, two skirts and then I have a Loppa cardigan. I have some Sami patterns and such on the cardigan, says Aurora. She is proud to be Sami. – I think it’s nice. – Is today a slightly extra big day? – I think it is very important that it is the Sami people’s day. Now Aurora is happy to eat biđus later. – Big day The difference between a reindeer-herding Sami and a maritime Sami is that the latter is specialized in farming and fishing. – Managing yourself with the resources you have. That is mainly what is the difference. Seafarers perhaps a little more Norwegian. The Norwegianization process that took place on the coast, with boarding schools for example, hit a bit hard in our area. There were very few Sea Sami who engaged in reindeer husbandry. – The reindeer come to the coast, and we have a strong culture of value. – What happens in Øksfjord and Loppa on a day like this? – We have a scheme at school for the children. Then we go to church and raise the flag. That is what we achieve in a small municipality like Loppa. At the mayor’s home in Loppa, Cato Kristiansen, father and daughter put on their cardigans for the Sami national day. Photo: Jan-Erik Steine / news Kristiansen says that his children get to choose even if they carry on the Sea Sami traditions. – It is not something that I boast about them. If they recognize themselves as Sami, then they can do it, but they are very interested and very engaged in the Sea Sami culture. He says it will be very grand to celebrate the national day. – They have already prepared what needs to be prepared for the prayer and for decoration. It’s a big day. He concludes: – It is gratifying that people recognize themselves as Sami and Sea Sami.
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Mayor Cato Kristiansen tells – news Troms and Finnmark
