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From cultural appropriation to Sámi sovereignty in the souvenir market

delete2026-02-01
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PRE
AI
M
Monika Lüthje *
DOI:10.1177/14687968261429804delete
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Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
The cultural appropriation of Indigenous handicrafts in the souvenir market is common around the world. This article focuses on investigating how it relates to ongoing settler colonialism and the reclaiming of S & aacute;mi sovereignty in Finland. In so doing, it contributes to the understanding of current colonial and decolonial relations and practices in the Nordic countries, which have traditionally not been regarded as settler colonial. I address the making, appropriation, selling and buying of S & aacute;mi handicrafts as dynamic social practices, interpreting them with settler colonial theory and Indigenous sovereignty theories. My research material consists of interviews with S & aacute;mi and non-S & aacute;mi handicraft makers and sellers, tourism entrepreneurs and other relevant stakeholders, as well as observations from the field. The analysis shows how the state enables cultural appropriation with its policies and inaction, trying thus to make the S & aacute;mi disappear as a distinct people in the tourism landscape. Simultaneously, S & aacute;mi organizations, activists and handicraft makers have gradually changed the souvenir market in the opposite direction, backed by global responsible tourism and consumption trends. I also suggest various reparative measures that could transform the souvenir business to be more just to the S & aacute;mi. My research contributes to academic and practitioner discussions of cultural appropriation, colonialism, decolonization and Indigenous sovereignty in tourism and cultural industries.
Keywords:
S & aacute
mi
indigenous
handicrafts
souvenir
cultural appropriation
sovereignty
settler colonialism
tourism

Journal

E
Ethnicities
IF:
1.3
Papers:
34
Citations:
0

Organization

U
University of Lapland
Scholars:
408
Papers: 424
Citations: 615
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